Times are always changing; things progress, move forward and grow. That’s life…and as time has passed from generation to generation, women’s rights have flourished, making them more or less rightful equals to a man.
Women can vote, they can hold office, and, of course, they can work in whatever field they choose. This often means they become the breadwinners of the family, and this is just a natural progression. Since that is the case, shouldn’t it only be fair that men seek alimony from their wives in the case of divorce if the former living situation justifies this?
Alimony, according to Dictonary.com, is an “allowance paid to a person by that person's spouse or former spouse for maintenance, granted by a court upon a legal separation or a divorce.” If you notice, it does not say a man to his wife, it simply says from one former spouse to the other. It is believed when a couple is married, they are to support each other, and this support by way of financial means does not end just because the marriage does. With equality, things should be equal, and that includes men seeking alimony at the end of a marriage.
So why don’t more men seek out this option? The main reason up until now there has been a stigma attached to men getting alimony and that has been hard to shake. Traditional gender roles made the man the breadwinner and the wife a housewife. Some men also do not want to admit that their spouse makes more money than they do, as a pride issue.
Times have changed though, and now many men choose to be the ones to stay home with the children. Some may also be on disability and be unable to support themselves. The statistics do show that the tides are changing on this matter, and that as the years go by, more men are seeking alimony payments from the court. It is also becoming more socially acceptable for men to accept alimony, and it will continue all the more so, as society drawn lines between the genders continue to blur.
The law of spousal support was put into place as a protection for everyone. As women continue to succeed in the business world, they are going to become more financially responsible, independent, and powerful and this could mean paying alimony in the event of divorce. (Particularly if men are responsible for raising children) If you are facing a similar situation, contact an experience attorney that can help advise you in these matters. There is no shame in retaining your standard of living and having your fair share of the life you helped create.
Women can vote, they can hold office, and, of course, they can work in whatever field they choose. This often means they become the breadwinners of the family, and this is just a natural progression. Since that is the case, shouldn’t it only be fair that men seek alimony from their wives in the case of divorce if the former living situation justifies this?
Alimony, according to Dictonary.com, is an “allowance paid to a person by that person's spouse or former spouse for maintenance, granted by a court upon a legal separation or a divorce.” If you notice, it does not say a man to his wife, it simply says from one former spouse to the other. It is believed when a couple is married, they are to support each other, and this support by way of financial means does not end just because the marriage does. With equality, things should be equal, and that includes men seeking alimony at the end of a marriage.
So why don’t more men seek out this option? The main reason up until now there has been a stigma attached to men getting alimony and that has been hard to shake. Traditional gender roles made the man the breadwinner and the wife a housewife. Some men also do not want to admit that their spouse makes more money than they do, as a pride issue.
Times have changed though, and now many men choose to be the ones to stay home with the children. Some may also be on disability and be unable to support themselves. The statistics do show that the tides are changing on this matter, and that as the years go by, more men are seeking alimony payments from the court. It is also becoming more socially acceptable for men to accept alimony, and it will continue all the more so, as society drawn lines between the genders continue to blur.
The law of spousal support was put into place as a protection for everyone. As women continue to succeed in the business world, they are going to become more financially responsible, independent, and powerful and this could mean paying alimony in the event of divorce. (Particularly if men are responsible for raising children) If you are facing a similar situation, contact an experience attorney that can help advise you in these matters. There is no shame in retaining your standard of living and having your fair share of the life you helped create.
By Kenny Leigh
