The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center

by Rhaina Cohen

Andrew’s friendship defied two widely held beliefs: that a partnership is, by definition, a romantic relationship, and that without a long-term romantic relationship, life is incomplete.

I began to see how these unusual relationships can also be a provocation—unsettling the set of societal tenets that circumscribe our intimate lives: That the central and most important person in one’s life should be a romantic partner, and friends are the supporting cast. That romantic love is the real thing, and if people claim they feel strong platonic love, it must not really be platonic. That adults who raise kids together should be having sex with each other, and marriage deserves special treatment by the state.