Chip Chick
This 36-year-old man has never wanted to get married and doesn’t believe in marriage. His parents have been married and divorced numerous times, so he’s never had a positive view of marriage. He doesn’t enjoy or have an interest in weddings or being with one person for the rest of his life.
When he made profiles on dating apps, he indicated his feelings about marriage on his profile. During first dates, he reiterated these beliefs to the women he went out with so they were on the same page. His views offended many of the women he told, but when he met his girlfriend, Ruby, 29, she didn’t have an issue with his beliefs. They have been in a relationship for three years.
“Ruby is an immigrant, and I am not. Recently, she suggested we get a civil partnership (UK) so we are tied together legally, as she is not a citizen. Not in a green card marriage kind of way, but we are in love, and she’d get extra legal protection,” he said.
When discussing the idea, Ruby told him she didn’t think they should have a big ceremony and didn’t feel it was necessary for them to inform their loved ones about their civil partnership. He felt the same way and liked the idea of a civil partnership because it seemed like a less complicated union to end than a marriage would be. One of his many problems with marriage is the complications of the divorce process.
In addition, he favors a civil partnership because it doesn’t seem as tied to religion. He believes marriage bonds a couple together more closely than a civil union. From his perspective, the government is less involved in civil unions and is more logical from a financial standpoint, so he told Ruby they could have a civil partnership because it made more sense than marriage.
“The problem is now that Ruby expects me to do things I wouldn’t otherwise now that we are legally going to be partners. She suggested I move in with her and give up my apartment,” he explained.
His apartment is great and fairly inexpensive for the great London neighborhood where he lives. Plus, his place is near where he works, which is convenient. On the other hand, Ruby lives in Croydon, and her apartment is more expensive than his and isn’t as spacious or great as his. However, she loves her apartment and it’s nearby where she works.
According to Ruby, it’s illogical for them to continue living apart and both paying rent on their apartments. It would save them money to live together, but she didn’t want to move out of her place. Ruby now wants to spend more time together and talk on the phone more frequently than they did before. Until recently, they’d talked on the phone nearly daily and texted constantly. They also got together every weekend.
Since they talked about getting a civil partnership, Ruby now wants to hang out every day and talk on the phone every night if they continue living in separate apartments. She also requested that he take a day off from work so that they can get together with her parents.
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