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I think our institutions have changed as our country has. Marriages when this country started were more likely to be chosen with heavy family input to ensure the family's continued success. Marriage was meant for child rearing mainly, to continue the lineage. We have changed that almost 180 degrees to be love matches first, with or without children.
Courting has also changed. We no longer court in the traditional sense. Courting was meant to get to know a person you were pretty sure you were going to marry. Family was again heavily involved. Today, people date with family influence and without. It is no longer required. People live together either before marriage or without marriage entirely.
Divorce is more common now than before. I think this is for a couple of reasons. People are living longer and are still married for the same 15-20 as in past years but now they have another 30 to live. They are choosing to live their lives without the person they originally married. Many people stayed in marriages before for financial reasons. Woman were traditionally not able to work outside of the home, own property, own credit. Once these opened up to women, more were able to leave the person they were married to. There are more options today.
Lastly there is gay marriage. While it hasn't been fully legalized in most states, gay couples are allowed many of the freedoms once denied. This is the largest improvement from decades past.
I feel today has the most options for relationships. One can be in a monogamous relationship with a partner, polyamorous (I hope this is the right word), same sex, different sex, live together, live apart, married, common law marriage, divorced, the list goes on. Not all of these choices have the same standing legally but they are all options to be had.
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"Mommy, the presidents are squishing me!"
"Using the pull out method of contraceptive is like saying I won't use a seat belt, I'll just jump out of the car before it hits that tree."
Sara
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