5 Responses to Matrimania

1. Wiebes says:

   March 26, 2009 at 10:43 am

   You will love this article from Canada. Count the stereotypes until you run out of fingers.

   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090326.wlletterman26art1831/BNStory/lifeFamily/home

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2. Rachel says:

   March 26, 2009 at 1:52 pm

   Now that common-law arrangements have gone mainstream, expert observers say that cases like Mr. Letterman’s are indeed on the rise – and shaking up what researchers know about the patterns of common-law relationships.

   What happened?!? Are we in the midst of a backlash against unmarried couples? Is this thanks to the same-sex marriage movement with a dash of religious wrong thrown in?

   Interesting observation from Stephanie Coontz:

   “One of the peculiarities of American history – and in the English-speaking world in general – is this idea that we will respect marriage, but we do not have long-term expectations of other relationships. … We put everything in the basket of marriage,” says Prof. Coontz, a professor of history and family studies at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash.

   “And many couples willingly admit that acquiescing feels, well, grown-up.” Yeah, sure, unless you’re married you are not grown up. It seems to me that the people who keep pestering unmarried couples are the ones that need some growing up: Accepting people’s choices even if you wouldn’t make their choice.

   “For many men, it means jettisoning an aversion to commitment.” He’s been in the same relationship for 23 years. I suppose that isn’t commitment because someone who has been married a week is more committed. Obviously.

   Thanks for the link, though it was a disappointing reminder how ingrained matrimania is worldwide…

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3. Lisa says:

   March 29, 2009 at 4:08 pm

   I just saw the headlines on this two days ago and just about freaked… Why the hell would David Letterman need to get married?! Seriously. I used to like him a lot (when I watched him, which hasn’t been for a while), and one of the things that I liked about him as a person was that he wasn’t married but was clearly committed to his significant other.

   Blech. Thanks for pointing this out.

   L

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4. Singlutionary says:

   March 29, 2009 at 5:19 pm

   If you’ve been together 23 years you ARE married as far as I am concerned. The fact that they actually got legally married is a total YAWN to me. I think that spending 23 years with someone is the real news. They’ve been together since I was 5 years old. Crap. That is a long time!

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