Geraldo Rivera has come under fire for comments he made Monday on Fox News' "Outnumbered," where he said, "What a woman brings to a marriage, more than anything else, to a relationship, is her youth."
Rivera made the comment while discussing the merits and drawbacks of so-called "beta marriages," in which a couple embarks on a trial marriage that can be formalized or dissolved without hassle after two years. He seemed to agree with the show's four female hosts that it was probably a bad idea, adding that it was especially bad for women.
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"I know this may provoke a Stephen Smith-like reaction, but I think essentially — although there's an increase in two-income marriages — generally speaking, the man is the breadwinner, more often than not, although now increasingly women do work," he began.
"But what I think a woman brings to a marriage more than anything else, to a relationship, is her youth. Her youth is a fragile and diminishing resource. So if a woman were to invest two years in one of these marriages, and then to be rejected by the man, I think that she has given up a valuable asset that is unequal — in other words, the man gets everything and the woman gets nothing from this arrangement."
Rivera noted that though he's now been happily married for 11 years, he has, in essence, had his share of beta marriages, having been divorced four times. He said he wouldn't want his three daughters to waste their youth on men they weren't absolutely sure of.
The commentary sparked a great many reactions on Twitter, with some calling it "extremely sexist and weird,"
Yahoo News reported. Others, however, seemed to agree, with one tweeting "You're giving ladies advice on how to avoid bad men? That's pretty good!"
Twitchy.com noted on Tuesday.
Rivera also took to Twitter to stand by his comments, and repeat his claim that women lose out when it comes to beta marriage. One responder tweeted back, arguing bluntly for his first-hand experience with such matters.
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