Pepper Schwartz : Easy to joke about Hugh Hefner 's plan to wed a much younger woman . But whatever the motivations , she says , late-life marriages not ridiculous , not always a mistake . Such unions can provide comfort , companionship , respect , she says . is part of the point . And they're often more stable than those of young people who are still figuring out their lives and careers. Marriage certifies intent to society and obligations of law .
Pepper Schwartz : Easy to joke about Hugh Hefner 's plan to wed a much younger woman . But whatever the motivations , she says , late-life marriages not ridiculous , not always a mistake . Such unions can provide comfort , companionship , respect , she says . And they're often more stable than those of young people who are still figuring out their lives and careers. Marriage certifies intent to society and obligations of law .