Is Marriage Becoming Less Important Among 20-Somethings?

By: Jessica Danielle Ramirez

The rite of passage to get married has been in the books for countless decades. 

While it is a major step for many individuals, for some it is not as high of a priority. According CNN Espanol, young adults in the current generation are going to make up the lowest marriage rate by the time they turn 40, as opposed to any previous generation.

There are a various reasons why one decides to delay tying the knot. 

Trilce Ortiz, a sexpert and relationship adviser, said “our generation has seen divorce from our own families to celebrities. We even have loans after college to the point where if you want to have a dream wedding, your parents may have to pay for it (if that is even an option).”

For some, the perception of marriage is engraved from the parents. 

22-year-old Arizona State University graduate Kelly Andersen said, “my parents always stressed to me that it’s really important to establish my own life and identity before I combine it with someone else’s.”

Another variable that may delay time for walking down the aisle is cohabiting.

“Many millenials feel that cohabitating with someone is a great way of testing the relationship prior to getting married,” Ortiz said.

Some may believe that living together before marriage makes sense and even be beneficial financially.

27-year-old Nick Arellano, who lived together with his former girlfriend for six years said, “I would probably do it again, but I would have to be sure that I’m going to have a future with this person.”

In today’s dating culture, 20-somethings may feel the pressure to get married young from family, friends or the media.

But for some, like 25-year-old Luz Navarro, who has seen friends getting married, she knows that her time will come on its own.

“My relatives thought that there might be something wrong because I’m single. I am on a different path and from now I’m just enjoying this chapter of my life,” she said.

While the decision to get married or not is often intertwined with culture, social, religion and other variables, it is a personal choice that may not be as popular in the future.

Trilce Ortiz is a sexpert and relationship adviser. You may contact her through her website: www.EllaYSuSexo.com