Cohabitation

In the article, " I Wish They'd Do It Right," Jane Doe discusses that couples who live together without marriage are denying themselves of economic benefits and making it akward to be around other people. She states that she has difficulty introducing her son's girlfriend to people for she doesn't know whether to call her "his spouse" or "his roommate"(175). Her son's girlfriend could not include him on her medical insurance because they are not married. She also states that those who disagree with the parent's decision to not get married will insult their son, thus making him feel different from his peers. Doe's son and his girlfriend live in California which has declared that couples living together without marriage are not under the jurisdiction of the family court and that their relationship is viewed by the court as a "business agreement"(175).

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In her last point, Doe says that cohabitation deprives the whole family, for there have been no wedding celebrations(175). She adds that the elders in the family have trouble coping with the untraditional situation. Jane Doe only names a few of the countless disadvantages of cohabitation. Some disadvantages not discussed by Doe are that cohabitation shortcuts the development of a lasting friendship, it's not convenient, and develops bad habits.

The first disadvantage is that cohabitation is the worst way to get to know another person because it shortcuts the true development of a lasting friendship. Those who live together without marriage rely more on sexual expression and put less emphasis on conversation and other ways of communication. I have not been married and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon, but I know a few couples living together without marriage. Some of them go through a stretch in which they argue and fight for foolish reasons, next thing you know they have sex and everything is back to normal.