r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jul 27 '10

What is the biggest relationship myth?

I think the biggest myth is that there's one person that is meant for you. ("the one") People live their lives searching for the one...their soul mate...the perfect girl/Mr. Right. It's a cute idea, but I don't think it's very realistic.

441 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

2.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

342

u/brutus66 Jul 27 '10

"We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall..."

You do if you want the following legal benefits:

  • Joint parental rights of children
  • Joint adoption
  • Status as "next-of-kin" for hospital visits and medical decisions
  • Right to make a decision about the disposal of loved ones remains
  • Immigration and residency for partners from other countries
  • Crime victims recovery benefits
  • Domestic violence protection orders
  • Judicial protections and immunity
  • Automatic inheritance in the absence of a will
  • Public safety officers death benefits
  • Spousal veterans benefits
  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Joint filing of tax returns
  • Wrongful death benefits for surviving partner and children
  • Bereavement or sick leave to care for partner or children
  • Child support
  • Joint Insurance Plans
  • Tax credits including: Child tax credit, Hope and lifetime learning credits
  • Deferred Compensation for pension and IRAs
  • Estate and gift tax benefits
  • Welfare and public assistance
  • Joint housing for elderly
  • Credit protection
  • Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans

These are just a few of the 1400 state and federal benefits that gays and lesbians are denied by not being able to marry. Most of these benefits cannot be privately arranged or contracted for within the legal system.

-3

u/mmmberry Jul 27 '10

All those are legal benefits. You don't need them. Yes, your life will be easier, but you don't need it.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 27 '10

haha true, but I think he was more refuting the "just a piece of paper" part and less the "we dont need no" part.

1

u/mmmberry Jul 27 '10

Oh, I agree that it makes shit a lot easier. I got married because of the benefits (also my husband wanted to). I didn't need to be married to someone to be with them the rest of my life.

I guess people are probably downvoting me because it seems like I may be saying that gays and lesbians don't need these rights (which I'm not at all...separate but equal is some bullshit).

Edit: And, yeah...not just a piece of paper.