WHITHER MARRIAGE?

Many young girls picture this: You grow up, find Prince Charming, you get married, say "I DO", have kids, and you live Happily Ever After... Sounds lovely doesn't it? But in fact, the reality is that more and more Canadians are choosing not to get married: either becoming common-law weds, or remaining single all together, and the number of marriages are on the steady decline. Why, you may ask? I think it has to do with choices, and I although I think both points of view were weakly argued on the video clip by CBC News, I think there is a misconception of the necessity of marriage anymore.

Many people argue that the pressure remains on women, but when it comes to the idea of marriage, children, and family-life, women must be in the spotlight. Over the years, women have found their voice, in the fact that they have the ability to choose. In the past, it was not uncommon for women to be placed in arranged marriages, by age 18, and immediately start having children. The stigma was placed on unmarried women, with no children, who were not accepted by society. But with the push by women for further education, rights and privileges in the political settings, and more equality to men, women have had more opportunities to fulfill any dreams they have: an opportunity that many women of the past could only dream about.

Women today are beginning to realize that there is potential for them to excel career-wise, and maybe not rush or be forced into a marriage. With the declining rate for marriage, we see that there is a massive increase in divorce. Many women are second thinking the decision to rush into a relationship, and having children with someone they cannot foresee a promising future with, and I mean who can blame them? You hear of so many relationships that infidelity, abuse, depression, substance abuse all play a role in the deterioration of the function of the family, so women are beginning to take their time in making such a lifelong decision with their significant other.

Nowadays, if you want a child you can just go to a sperm bank. And the number of single-parent families are on the rise, which shows promise of a self-sustaining family. With a fast-paced culture like the Western society, and its changing norms, there is no surprise that the necessity and meaning of "Marriage" has lost its significance. We can now have all the benefits of marriage (i.e. common law) without the signing of papers. I think marriage is still a dream I hope to obtain, but it's significance and necessity are not as important as they were in the past, so I will never feel pressured, by family or society to get married if I do not feel it is under the right pretences.