I'd never been among those girls who'd dreamt about her perfect wedding. The virgin-white dress, the exorbitant costs, the fuss on the big, shiny rock – none of it ever attracted me. I needed to find a lifelong partner, along with a family sounded nice, too, but honestly? Irrrve never cared much about this sheet of paper. Why did I simply marry my boyfriend after pondering it for a mere two hours? One (evidently all-too-common) reason: health insurance. My now-husband is a bartender along with a student whose school's insurance coverage is exorbitant. The man hadn't gone to a doctor in years, residing in anxiety about a mishap or illness. We'd lived together for about eight months when I got a job like a reporter for any newspaper having a kick-ass medical plan. According to my job, a domestic partnership affidavit banded in the way of my partner having awesome coverage and escaping $8000 worth of retroactive hospital bills. It was a no-brainer. Onto domestic partnership!
Problem is, il doesn't allow you to get domestic partnership if you are hetero. (\”If they could, no one would get wed!\” the town Hall employee informed me smugly, as though 1) that fact was really true and 2) rampant domestic partnerships means the end of the planet.) Apparently you can't be a part of the \”system\” if you are queer, and also you can't opt from the \”system\” if you're straight. It began to seem so ridiculously arbitrary-and unfair! Did I truly need to choose from leaving my honey vulnerable to unthinkable medical costs along with a measly $50 certificate?
The choice was clear. We went ahead and also got married. The weird thing wasn't the actual City Hall wedding (it actually was kind of fun!), it had been sightseeing respond to the news. Some were angry-\”How would you have gotten married without me there?\” my best friend implored, crushed. Others were confused – \”Really, Nona? I thought you were not into that sorta stuff.\”
But the most typical reaction was voyeuristic elation-from everyone, even my long-lost elementary school friends on Facebook. It was like I'd become part of some coveted club, or perhaps a higher-class citizen. I understood more than ever why gay marriage was this type of big deal. I additionally started to get why people become so obsessed with weddings. It's your moment. All eyes take presctiption you. Suddenly, everybody loves you!
Mine is really a situation that's left me contemplating my principles. Through getting insurance-married quickly, did I \”give in\” or did I give tradition the finger? Perhaps a little bit of both? I've nothing against weddings-nothing's better than a meeting of love-and if my spouse and i choose to get wed \”for real,\” I'm sure we'll come with an epic one. However the government certificate thing has always made me indignant, especially nowadays when the health insurance crisis looms large. Why should one be able to have medical health insurance more easily simply because they are actually heterosexual? Or, for instance, if they believe in the institution of marriage enough to aid it?
Either way, our shotgun wedding only agreed to be as much of a gesture of affection as anything else. People get married for a lot worse reasons than ensuring their loved one's health, safety, and peace of mind. And also at the very least, now I know my vow of \”in sickness and in health\” is supported with a PPO insurance policy.