I am 27 and live in Los Angeles. Many of the people who I encounter that are my age say they don't believe in marriage, or they are indifferent about marriage. My husband's friends from college are all in their 30s and shacking up, some for 7+ years.

Upon getting married we immediately got backlash from some of those feminestas acquaintances with lines such as "I would NEVER share a bank account with a MAN" or "In my opinion you guys moved way too fast" (we dated for 1.5 years) or "I don't see the difference between what you have and what I and my boyfriend (ahem shack-up honey) have."

I can tell by their defensiveness and hostility that of course they see the difference. My husband adores me. He gave me a diamond ring, and promised to take care of me forever before he knew if I was good in bed. We said "I do," and then had sex. (What a concept, right?) He put me through graduate school and supported me 100%, even knowing when we have children, I will stay home and raise our kids.

Unlike these shack-ups, if anything were to happen to my boyfriend/husband, I am protected by having the legal status as his wife. There is no stability in shack-up situations, no rules and women are treated with a complete lack of respect (though I can't really blame the men since the women aren't demanding respect).

Marriage has changed my life for the better because I married a REAL MAN who tells me daily, "I will do anything to make you happy." I live my life striving to do the same for him.

I truly pity the people my age who see no value in this. Deep down I think they know what they're missing, but by admitting it, they would have to reject everything they've ever learned from public school, their parents, TV shows, and society today. I hope they'll wake up soon and start rejecting society's warped view of marriage, lest I fear my generation's future.

Natalie