Yes, You Do Need A Man (Or Woman). Marriage Is Worth It.

As a gay woman, my right to marry wasn’t always guaranteed, and I don’t take it for granted. Yet young Americans are increasingly being encouraged to stay single.

On November 3rd, 2024, my fiancée Bianca pushed my mom, who has had multiple sclerosis for 28 years, in the New York City Marathon—the largest marathon in the world with over 55,000 participants. 26.2 miles of hard work, the marathon course is notoriously hilly and technical—the roads aren’t perfect either; potholes line much of the race route, and thousands of discarded paper cups and runners surround you as you go. All this to say, it was not an easy task. But it was a life-changing one. For Bianca and my mom especially, but also for me. I got to see my future wife do something for my family that was selfless, difficult, and beautiful. When I met the two of them at the finish line, I saw a light in my mom’s eyes that I hadn’t seen in years. She is no longer just a warrior battling an unforgiving disease—she’s a marathoner. And she’s damn proud of it. I’m pretty sure she is still sleeping with her medal around her neck every night.