I hate rings so I don't wear mine. I do wear another piece of jewelry which in my culture indicates marriage.

I guess that is why I get a lot of weird stares - no wedding rings!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not married. My boyfriend and I have been together since high school (we're in our mid-30's now). We have four kids. I don't know what people think about our lack of rings, but I also pretty much don't care what they think either, so it's all a wash.

Does your family give you a hard time about not getting married? You don't have to answer but I'm just curious- why not just get married?

Nobody gives us a hard time about it except for strangers.
Nobody calls the kids bastards, the kids have no problems with last names, it's totally a non-issue.

Anonymous wrote:I don't notice other people's rings, but I HAVE to wear mine otherwise men literally throw themselves at me.

I think you nailed it. Is there any other reason to wear a wedding band?

I can think of four reasons to wear it:
1 - To advertize that you are not available.
2 - To show that you manged to "get married" - a significant accomplishment in the eyes of some.
3 - You are afraid of being judged if you take it off.
4 - Everyone else is doing it.

Are there better reasons I missed?

It would never occur to me to check out someone's hand to look for a ring. I can't think of too many things that I would care less about. I thought people only did this when they were single and on the lookout for potential mates.

DH lost his ring years ago. I stopped wearing mine because I kept getting a rash under them. Don't care what anyone thinks. If you are someone I care about, you know my marital status.

s/b years

Anonymous wrote:Wow. People really feel this way? Such an antiquated way to think. Is being married or landing a man is some great accomplishment, or is being unmarried is so scandalous. Do you honestly think people care that much or even notice you at all? That you worry about looking like a "creeper" or a single mom?

I hate the feeling of rings on my fingers and worse was wearing two (the ring and the band). I don't really care or even notice what kinds of rings people have. I don't really relate to the bridezilla attitude, the "feel like a princess" on my wedding day, or grubbing for as many carats as you can squeeze out of your man. I just don't get it, but clearly, I am in the small minority.

Haven't worn my ring for year, beginning when we lived in upstate NY and I was always snagging it on my gloves, mittens, etc. Free of the rings, I realized, wow, I really couldn't stand that feeling on my finger.

I stopped wearing my wedding band shortly after I got married 15 years ago.
It is possible that people have been judging me all those years, but I never noticed.

Single mom who feels judged - you are much too sensitive. You could just be a modern women such as myself who does not feel the need to advertize the fact that she has a husband. There is no way to tell the difference and it really doesn't matter.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not married. My boyfriend and I have been together since high school (we're in our mid-30's now). We have four kids. I don't know what people think about our lack of rings, but I also pretty much don't care what they think either, so it's all a wash.

Does your family give you a hard time about not getting married? You don't have to answer but I'm just curious- why not just get married?

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you wear a ring? Extreme sensitivity to metals?

I don't wear mine because it bugs me. I can't get used to it. I keep taking it off to clean or do something for the kids or garden or type and then I lose it. After losing three different rings (purchased at various price points), I just gave up on wearing it. I have a fake plain gold band that I wear when I meet with new clients, because a client's employee hit on me a couple of years ago when I was at their corporate headquarters. (Awkward! Cute guy, too. I felt bad.)

DH doesn't wear one because he is a doctor. He has to wash his hands a lot. Rings are bad for cleanliness. He has a band that he can wear when we go out, but if we're together when we're out, who cares?

Anonymous wrote:I don't notice other people's rings, but I HAVE to wear mine otherwise men literally throw themselves at me.

This can't be true because honestly if you are that smoking hot a man won't care about the ring. The ring might make you more of a prize- they know you have someone else topcik up the dry cleaning, help with the kids and bills (all the boring stuff).

Anonymous wrote:I don't notice other people's rings, but I HAVE to wear mine otherwise men literally throw themselves at me.

Really? Do they fling themselves, are shot by catapult or does someone pick them up and throw?

I'm not married. My boyfriend and I have been together since high school (we're in our mid-30's now). We have four kids. I don't know what people think about our lack of rings, but I also pretty much don't care what they think either, so it's all a wash.

I don't notice other people's rings, but I HAVE to wear mine otherwise men literally throw themselves at me.

I think you are like me- and simply aren't wearing it today...