In this day and age why would a woman get married?

Question

I'm looking for something a little more logical than "because she loves the guy" answer. What are the social, financial, spiritual, etc. benefits of marriage for the woman? Is marriage an outdated idea?

Answer 1

If their is no marriage, life can be better for a woman, but for 6-10 years, after the age of 35, she will feel lonely in life, no children also, ok what will be the life of children, will they all live with a single mother or a single papa, or will they wander on streets all alone.

Answer 2

i don't really feel i need to...yet we all have our moments of weakness when we get into thinking if we'll die alone and whatever, plus social pressure, you see everyone around you getting hitched and sometimes you can feel their pity looks... and family can the worst influence.

I am 28 last year social pressure really  got tome in a way i'd  never thought  i would...

After being alone for years and not ever having one real solid relation ever, i met a guy who met my  mimum requirements for a good boyfriend , even though, he was past his prime, (17 years my senior) i thought " i am not getting any younger" "your an old maid"  (as i've heard it many times from many people) so i whent for it and decided to get engaged to him and convinced myself that it was for the best and that having and average life would not be the worst thing to happen to me... yet as the relationshipe progressed i realized that i had given into conformity and that i could do better nad mostly it was when i met this young man (6 years younger than me) who relived all the anti-traditional,   anti-stablisment ideas i've always had and he was cute, s**y , sweet and understanding , the total opposite from the other guy. We love each other and feel we are tied up for life, for we are soulmates , no marriage needed ... And most important he kept me from making the biggest mistake in my life.

Answer 3

tax break, keeping up with traditional roles for a long term couple, adds stability for children- in that the parents are committed to the family, it can also allow the woman to become a stay at home mom, it adds a new level to the relationship, it looks better to be married when being introduced to others in a professional manner -shows that the married person is capable of committing to something.

Answer 4

I think marriage has more advantages than disadvantages.

Financially a couple would have more disposable income, more income to save and could give their children a better life.  The family would have health coverage.  I've known many professional women who decided to stay home until their children went to school; it's not a decision that single women with children could make.  A woman doesn't have to worry as much if her spouse should die; she would receive insurances, the house and everything in it would belong to her.

My married friends have more of life's comforts, greater financial security and are pretty much able to do what they want to do; e.g. travel or simply buying what they need when they need it.  They have companionship; someone who cares whether they live or die.  Unlike the unmarried couples they have committed their selves to each other.  Just living together doesn't even come close to being married.

Spiritually they are at peace particularly if they belong to the same faith and practice it.  I believe marriage is a sacrament; it is a holy union.

Actually, as a single person, I'd like to know what the advantages of being single are.  Because the older I get (I'm over 60) the more I realize what I've missed.

Answer 5

The financial part would be if you got divorced you'd take half the guys money or more.Where if a guy got married Had be screwed so its actually not as bad on the lady as it is for a guy.

Answer 6

Why indeed?

Answer 7

It's sad to say, but I think you are better off being single and non -promiscuous throughout your life.  Marriage has all but lost its meaning and men and women are becoming more and more self absorbed.  Greed is taking over society and morality is an after thought these days. Love just doesn't carry the same weight it used to.

I am not overly religious, but even I can see that we are living in the "End of Days."

Sorry to sound so negative, but this is my honest assessment of why I believe people should stay single for the most part.

Answer 8

In a world where most "traditional" concepts of marriage, courtship, family relations, power relations, etc. have been shown to be, on the most part, arbitrary constructions based upon specific cultural histories rather than on "rational" reasons, perhaps marriage is a non-rational idea...though I wouldn't say it is ir-rational, per se.  If you view people as free agents looking for the best deal possible, you could see marriage as just another form of contract...nothing sacred, yet also something with a bit more power than merely an assumption that your partner is committed to you.  The very fact that you would say you are married and that other people know that you are married gives an extra social and, perhaps personal, signal to the degree of commitment.  It is a choice of whether you care to advertise your commitment to each other or not...for those prone to cheat regardless of a personal professions of love and devotion, marriage can act as another check on their cheating ways.  

Plus, I've personally noticed that attractive people who can easily attract others can more easily say no to marriage because they have more options available and, frankly, it is more important for the anti-marriage person to have freedom to choose a potentially better arrangement over commitment.  If you are unattractive and/or insecure, it is in your best interest to try and get a formal commitment if you find someone who will commit to you and you know you could do no better.  Women, especially, I think would only rationally consider a commitment to someone who is their equal or better, never their inferior...so contrary to the stereotype, marriage is usual more in the males' interest than females'.  Historically this is true as well...the concept of marriage and fidelity is a remnant of patriarchy to "ensure" legitimate heirs of the male are recognized.  

Anyway...what a big mess.  

Answer 9

No.

Answer 10

You pose a question that is very relevant to the world today.  

The truth is that women no longer HAVE to get married.

Unmarried women are no longer seen as "old maids" and can have/adopt children without men.  Also, because women are also more educated and able to earn a living the economic incentive for marriage has almost completely vanished as well.

Therefore, the question really is why do women want to marry.  If you believe "s*x and the City," all women over 30 are desperate to find a man and marry although they don't really state at any point why the characters feel this way. Desire for love? companionship? stability? social status?  societal approval? familial approval?  religious affirmation? WHAT?

Clearly, at least in the U.S. it is pretty standard now for couples to live together before marrying, so why marry at all?

My theory is that it is just socialization.  We are so socialized from birth that women must marry and be mothers that even as adults we cannot seem to reject this programmed impulse.  Women no longer NEED to marry in order to support ourselves, educate ourselves, or even to have a family.  I suspect that people do so due to religious beliefs and

the need to "formalize" the relationship as one that is lasting and monogomous.  As per the socialization, some just need that piece of paper.

Practically speaking it is an outdated idea (given the current divorce rate).  Few marriages last forever and over 50% are out looking once again.  Marriage requires much much more than love.  To be successful in the long term it requires, at its base, a fundamental friendship, trust, and open communication about one's expectations surrounding money and child rearing at the very least.  

This is a question every woman must seriously analyze and answer for herself and the answer must definitely involve more than, "because I love him" (and he gave me some big ring).  

Answer 11

Honestly, its all perogative.

Social, welldepends where a person lives, also depends largely on family raising (divorce,etc). Rural people are far more likely to marry becuase of community expectations in general.

Financial, certainly because women still make less then men, still not a good reason in my opinion but it still can count.

Spiritual is also a major factor. Less religious, often less traditional and less inclined to not cohabitate.

It really gets down to the individual.