Oh, and one of the big secrets to success in my relationship with my partner? We have both always been financially independent. We each have a great many job skills and enjoy rewarding careers. Neither of us depends on the other for financial support, and we each contribute 50/50 to building up our shared assets and investments.
And I totally agree with several previous posters that there is little reason for heterosexuals to get married unless you want to have children. If one parent is going to stay home and raise the children, that meant that parent is foregoing the career advancement and earning potential they might have had; therefore, there must be some provision for compensating and supporting that parent if the marriage dissolves.
But I generally think women are fools for giving up their earning power and depending on men financially (or vice versa). In this society, economic independence on the part of both parties is crucial for a fair and truly happy relationship.
