Dorian Solot

In the following viewpoint, Dorian Solot argues that unmarried couples can be as happy and healthy as married couples. According to Solot, some couples are unmarried because they choose to be, and other couples, such as homosexual couples, cannot marry. Solot contends that families would benefit if society banned discrimination—such as denying partners health benefits or preventing them from renting an apartment—against unmarried couples. Solot is the executive director of the Alternatives to Marriage Project and coauthor of Unmarried to Each Other: The Essential Guide to Living Together as an Unmarried Couple.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, by what percentage has the number of unmarried partners grown between 1990 and 2000?
2. What are three reasons why people choose not to marry, as described by the author...