Marriage

Thinking of waiting to tie the knot? You're not alone. About 20 percent of American adults ages 18-29 are married, compared with 59 percent in 1960. Other results from a Pew Research Center study released in December found that the median age for first marriages is expanding. The median age at first marriage For women in 2010: 26.5 For women in 1990: 23.9 For women in 1960: 20.3 For men in 2010: 28.7 For men in 1990: 26.1 For men in 1960: 22.8 Number of newly married U.S. adults 2010: 4.2 million ...

*** (out of four) Shame on Tommy Wiseau's atrocious cult classic “The Room” for so many reasons. Most recently, though, shame for pulling me out of the affecting Israeli drama “Fill the Void” when a character utters, “It's tearing me apart, Rivka,” and making me picture Wiseau bellowing, “You're tearing me apart, Lisa!” Obviously, the films couldn't be any more different. In the Orthodox, Hassidic Tel Aviv community of “Void,” women concern themselves with marriage and children and … that's about it. They linger in the background while...

Alec Baldwin said it got him kicked off a plane. John Mayer called it "the new Twitter. " Both celebs are obviously fans of Words With Friends, but neither can boast the game hooked them up with the love of their life, like Megan Lawless and Jasper Jasperse can. The game, a Scrabble-like contest for smartphones (and smart people), allows friends, family and strangers to compete to see who can construct the best words. Players get points for playing different letters and can chat during the game.

The wounds are fresh as I struggle to make sense of the news that the Illinois House adjourned its session Friday with no vote on marriage equality for same-sex couples. Is there a specific emotion I feel? No. It's a whirlwind of anger, shock, disappointment, shame and, oddly, determination. I have been with my husband for 12 years. And yes, he is my husband . We have traveled the winding road of relationship recognition over the years. We had a “commitment ceremony” with family when that was our only option.

Demi   Moore is ending her marriage to Ashton Kutcher . The 49-year-old actress announced her divorce plans to The Associated Press Thursday, saying she's doing it with "great sadness and a heavy heart. " Read the full story at chicagotribune.com

As the battle for marriage equality ratchets up, one of the treasured conservative counter arguments is that allowing gays and lesbians to marry will lead down a slippery slope to polygamy. Cool! Plural marriage - or any other kind of arrangement between consenting adults - obviously will come next, and rightly so. The argument that the "institution of marriage" is some special compact with which we cannot tamper has little historical grounding. The idea of two partners forming an equal union of love and mutual respect is basically an invention of the last 50-75 years.

Two weeks ago, I went to a friend's dinner party on North Avenue and ended up spending the evening socializing with a particularly pretty gal pal of his. When the conversation shifted to her recent engagement, the 23-year-old bride-to-be was absolutely glowing as she recalled the details of how her guy had proposed. Maybe it's because I am a recording artist (or maybe I am just a closet commitment-phobe), but being tied down right now seems like a fate worse than death. However, even I had to swoon when she showed us her super...

I started dating a guy about a month ago. I really like him and am interested in seeing where it goes, except for one thing: He's a 36-year-old virgin who's waiting until marriage to have sex. I've been sexually active for well over a decade, and I feel like this is too big of a difference to overcome. Plus, if we do become serious, I'm not willing to wait until marriage to find out if we're sexually compatible. Do I dump him or give it some time? Or try to convince him that waiting isn't necessarily the best idea?

Rare is it that professional athletes are able to affect the kind of sociocultural movement getting under way in Minnesota and across the country. That it's an NFL punter doing this makes the whole thing even more remarkable. In case you missed it, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has established himself as the Most Valuable Athlete of Election Day, showing the kind of public social backbone rarely exhibited by pro athletes who find themselves wary of expressing anything resembling a tangible opinion on a controversial subject.

Kate Green is living the so-called American Dream. She has a husband of five years whom she counts as her soul mate, three young daughters and a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house south of Chicago. And, oh yeah, she's only 25. "I love my life. I love my kids. I love living like a grown-up," said Green, who grew up in Westmont and now lives in Aroma Township in Kankakee County. Consider her a grown-up among adults who prefer playtime to naptime. Only one in five American adults ages 18-29 are married, according to a study Washington think tank Pew Research Center released...

As the battle for marriage equality ratchets up, one of the treasured conservative counter arguments is that allowing gays and lesbians to marry will lead down a slippery slope to polygamy. Cool! Plural marriage - or any other kind of arrangement between consenting adults - obviously will come next, and rightly so. The argument that the "institution of marriage" is some special compact with which we cannot tamper has little historical grounding. The idea of two partners forming an equal union of love and mutual respect is basically an invention of the last 50-75 years.

Is it possible to support same-sex marriage at the same time that I don't support marriage in general? I respect and love my gay friends and certainly wouldn't want to deny them any of their rights, but I've never believed in marriage as an institution, and I find myself at odds. --Confused but Hopeful Dear Confused, For those of you who have missed all the hullabaloo and the red equality signs on Facebook and Twitter, the Supreme Court has been hearing two gay rights cases this week: Prop.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel spoke at the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame ceremony on Monday night, both congratulating the new inductees and also urging the state of Illinois to adopt a marriage equality bill. "The time is now, the time is right and the time is here," Emanuel said to a cheering crowd. "There's no doubt when you look not only around the country, but you look around here in the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois, it is time to take the next step. " Less than a year ago, Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law a...

I started dating a guy about a month ago. I really like him and am interested in seeing where it goes, except for one thing: He's a 36-year-old virgin who's waiting until marriage to have sex. I've been sexually active for well over a decade, and I feel like this is too big of a difference to overcome. Plus, if we do become serious, I'm not willing to wait until marriage to find out if we're sexually compatible. Do I dump him or give it some time? Or try to convince him that waiting isn't necessarily the best idea?

Rare is it that professional athletes are able to affect the kind of sociocultural movement getting under way in Minnesota and across the country. That it's an NFL punter doing this makes the whole thing even more remarkable. In case you missed it, Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has established himself as the Most Valuable Athlete of Election Day, showing the kind of public social backbone rarely exhibited by pro athletes who find themselves wary of expressing anything resembling a tangible opinion on a controversial subject.

When President Obama made history as the first American president to publicly support gay marriage May 9, founder and senior planner at Liven It Up events Anthony Navarro of Lakeview knew he needed to create a platform for his wedding industry peers to share their acceptance and belief in marriage equality as professionals attached so directly to the debate. "We are the ones making weddings happen all the time," Navarro said. "People in the wedding industry need, or should, be the ones who proclaim, 'Hey!

I was taken aback by a recent political ad from Texas Gov. Rick Perry, not just because the content is so vile and homophobic but because for years Perry has been dogged by rumors that he is gay. I don't mean "gay" in the playground pejorative sense, I mean that he's had to fend off talk that he's a closeted homosexual. These unsubstantiated rumors have followed Perry since 2004, when he had to deny having a homosexual affair in an interview with the Austin American-Statesman. More recently this summer, Politico ran a story on the subject, comparing the perpetuation of those rumors to the fringe movement...

I have recently met a woman I am falling madly in love with. As a divorced guy at the age of forty I never thought I would say that again. I have dated, a lot, and I just figured love was something that didn't exist for me. We do everything together, hike, yoga, climb, play silly games of Scrabble way too late and then fall exhausted into bed together, where we do nothing. We have been dating for 6 months now and she has made it clear that sex will not happen until the day I make her my bride.

Being single sucks. I know I'm not supposed to say that aloud, especially as an independent woman who considers herself pretty self-sustaining. Sure, being alone can be liberating and healthy for short periods of time, but sometimes, you just want to feel connected and so close to someone that you know you could fart in front of them. Not that you would, but you could. Other than lacking a partner to share full disclosure of bodily functions with, single folks also suffer in other areas of life, particularly at the workplace.

Same-sex couples will now be able to announce their marriages on Facebook without the presence of a heterosexual symbol. The social media site has added icons for same-sex marriages to replace the standard bride and groom icon, according to Mashable . The new feature first gained attention when a blue icon of two grooms appeared over Facebook Co-Founder Chris Hughes' timeline announcement of his marriage to partner Sean Eldridge. Read the full story here .