"Platonic, Until Death Do We Part" By Lisl Wangermann Period 1

Ephi Stempler's article "Platonic, Until Death Do We Part," was published by the New York Times on January 21, 2016. In the article, Stempler discusses the relationship between him and his best friend, Marisa, and how, as a gay man, he used to be concerned about being so comfortable in a friendship. For many years, he thought that this friendship was the reason why he never had any long term relationships, and in order to break the cycle, he even moved to Thailand. But they eventually moved back to the same city, and now, they are long-term roommates and what Stempler calls "platonic life partners."

This article is fascinating to me because it exhibits an example of what people now value in a long term relationship. For Stempler and Marisa, they really just want a friend who will support them. This reminds me of days when who you got married to was not your choice. Back then, the best you could hope for is someone who would be your friend and who would support you financially. Now, with the advent of romantic movies, the social definition of a healthy relationship has changed, making it harder for people to figure out what they really want. For example, it has become incredibly important in America to get married, shown in the fact that 42 out of our 43 presidents were married. I think this article is a good thing to read because it shows that you can choose how and with whom you spend your life. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/fashion/platonic-gay-relationship-couple.html?hpw&rref=fashion&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0