I refuse to marry my long-term partner. A divorce taught me marriage is nothing more than a business transaction.

Thu, 08/29/2024 - 05:05

a woman with black hair sits on stairs — Jeannie Assimos has been married once but won't marry again.
Courtesy of Jeannie Assimos

Jeannie Assimos married at age 40 but started the divorce process four years later.
She says she knew the marriage was a mistake, but she fell under societal pressure at the time.
After a difficult divorce, she now values independence and a non-marital partnership.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jeannie Assimos, a 52-year-old VP at a fintech company. The following has been edited for length and clarity.