Don't weigh beauty on scales of justice

[Latka]

ST Forum

 

Jun 8, 2011

ALIMONY AND ATTRACTIVENESS

Don't weigh beauty on scales of justice

 

I WAS appalled to learn that courts can take into account a woman's prospects of remarriage when deciding on alimony ('Divorce and the attractive woman'; last Friday). As the title of the article suggests, the case in question centred on, among other things, the woman's attractiveness.

 

That a woman's prospects of remarrying and/or her attractiveness, however defined, should be a factor in deciding the amount of alimony awarded by the courts sorely offends the dignity of any woman who may have taken the already extremely painful decision to divorce.

 

I hope that I am right in saying that the decision to divorce is not one that is usually taken lightly.

 

Which woman would be happy to be paid more at the expense of being judged unattractive? Yet again, being judged attractive by a court is neither a prediction nor guarantee of remarriage.

 

In fact, remarriage is often not an easy or straightforward matter. If and when it happens, alimony will cease anyway.

 

Furthermore, what if a woman does not want to remarry, for example, for religious, emotional or psychological reasons? I know many women who have been so emotionally devastated by divorce that the last thing they want to do is marry again.

 

Last but not least, if she has been ditched by her husband for a younger, indeed more attractive woman, can you imagine the pain of being judged by a court and found either less attractive and awarded more alimony or more attractive and awarded less alimony?

 

I trust that judges do look at the broader picture and weigh all the factors in each case. However, I believe laws that can be applied objectively are simpler and easier to administer.

 

Carol Wong (Ms)

 

 

[Latka]

On the flip side, the woman may decide to just screw with another partner w/o getting married just so she can continue to receive alimony fm ex-husband too.

[The_Bear]

Sexual equality? Then get rid of the Women's Charter. Cannot have it both way. Having your cake and eat it will result in obesity.

[Watwheels]

As a saying goes, justice is blind. In terms of such law, I think they have to set some kind of benchmark. The most suitable will be age but knowing women is sensitive to such numbers they will surely protest about the age discrimination. Being judge on beauty will seem most appropriate and less offending. It's not about fairness cos it's already bias to benefit women.

 

 

[Mockngbrd]

Women's charter is full of tampons.... There said it...

Wan equal ar?

[Gearoil]

Tell this CB bitxh Carol to ditch it..

 

and go Geyland to do FL...to see what she is worth!

 

No wonder...her husband ditched her!

[Mockngbrd]

[Hub_n_mona]

I thought the question was probability of re-marriage

how do you tell whether a woman has a high probability of re-marriage? age, attractiveness etc lor..

 

thought the judge used the word attractive, not beauty..there's a difference