s/o not wearing wedding rings

[sbgrace]

If you are meeting someone new, with children, who doesn't wear a wedding ring would you typically notice?

 

If you did notice would you assume the person is not currently married?

 

I lost mine years ago. I'm just wondering if people even notice.

Edited April 5, 2012 by sbgrace

[BatmansWife]

I rarely ever notice if someone is wearing a wedding ring. If they weren't....I wouldn't assume they weren't married because I don't wear mine (it's too little now). My dh never wore his.

[nono]

I wouldn't notice. If, for some reason, I happened to notice, I wouldn't think anything. Maybe if I got to know you and you never spoke of a spouse, I might start to wonder if you were widowed or divorced, but I don't think of people's status much when getting to know them. :)

[JudoMom]

I would notice and assume them to be not married.

[angela in ohio]

If it's a woman, I notice and assume she isn't married; but if it's a man, I don't really look or assume anything. Many of the men I know don't married rings because of work or preference.

[chiguirre]

I know lots of people who don't wear their wedding rings. I wouldn't necessarily think they weren't married unless they mentioned single parenting.

[edelweiss]

I wouldn't notice. In the unlikely event that I did, I wouldn't think a thing about it.

[PinkInTheBlue]

It's not a first thing I look for but it's likely I'll eventually notice if our first encounter is moderately lengthy. If something hasn't already come up about their spouse and I noticed then my assumption would be "likely not married", I suppose. :). Most people in my world wear their ring(s).

[dangermom]

I would be unlikely to notice, and if I did, I wouldn't assume too much. IME women are less likely to not wear a ring (if that double negative makes sense!), but both go ringless for various reasons.

 

My good friend lost her ring years ago and has replaced it with a pretty and inexpensive ring. Actually I think she's on her 3rd or 4th edition, having lost several by now...;)

[Veritaserum]

If it's a woman, I notice and assume she isn't married; but if it's a man, I don't really look or assume anything. Many of the men I know don't married rings because of work or preference.

 

:iagree: I'm pregnant and my wedding/engagement rings don't fit due to swelling. I felt so weird about walking around pregnant with kids in tow and no ring that I bought an inexpensive ring in a larger size to wear. :)

 

Dh rarely wears his. It is usually lost.

 

Since I always wear mine and dh only sometimes wears his, I tend to make assumptions as quoted above.

[scrappyhappymama]

I'm pregnant and my wedding/engagement rings don't fit due to swelling. I felt so weird about walking around pregnant with kids in tow and no ring that I bought an inexpensive ring in a larger size to wear. :)

 

Me too! I have a "pregnant ring" that I only wear when my fingers have swollen to much to wear my regular ring. It's just a simple silver band, but my husband is too cute and always gets on one knee to put it on me when the time comes. It's a fun little tradition for us.

 

I tend to look for wedding bands, just because I like seeing pretty rings :) but I generally don't assume that the lack of a ring means unmarried. Too many women I know and especially men don't wear their wedding rings for various reasons.

[stripe]

I never look or pay attention.

 

My grandma wears hers, and she's been a widow for decades. I know nuns who wear them (obviously not mothers of young kids).

 

I don't make judgments on why someone has kids and is married or not, much less assuming their jewelry reveals their marital status.

 

As I said in the other thread, it has no magic powers and is not a chastity belt.

[lisamarie]

If it's a woman, I notice and assume she isn't married; but if it's a man, I don't really look or assume anything. Many of the men I know don't married rings because of work or preference.

 

:iagree: More likely to assume that women aren't than about men. I never take my rings off, my DH does often because it gets in his way for projects around the house, working out, etc.

[ThreeBlessings]

I personally wouldn't notice. I don't care nor assume anything about marital status. :)

[TravelingChris]

I am like poster one and I lost it because I previously had a ring and it got too tight so I got a bigger one for when my joints swell. Then I got put on a new medication and my joints went back to normal and the ring would slide off. So I took it off and then I lost it. I hadn't bought a replacement in four years because the price of gold has been so high. Since I hear it has been dropping, I ought to now start taking notice of the price.

 

By the way, my dh always wears his.

[stripe]

Not to mention, I know plenty of women who are not exactly wildly promiscuous who have children from different marriages. So I don't assume because someone is married, her husband is their father.

 

But I grew up in a blended family, too.

[Scarlett]

I would notice and assume them to be not married.

 

:iagree:

[jubilation]

I probably wouldn't notice the first time I met someone. I wouldn't assume anything about marital status, since DH and I both only wear ours hit-and-miss.

[Cortana]

I notice simply because I like to look at pretty rings. :) But I don't make any assumptions about marital status. Plenty of times I took mine off for something and forgot to put it back on. Dh is always forgetting to put his back on.

[OhioMom66]

I would notice and assume them to be not married.

 

:iagree:

[samba]

I would most likely notice a wedding band or lack therof. I would not assume that it meant anything because I don't wear my wedding ring most of the time. I am happily married but I've been dealing with eczema and inflammation in my hands for 30+ years. I have a wedding band, engagement ring and anniversary band and I wear them when I can, which isn't often.

[PeacefulChaos]

I wouldn't notice.

I don't look at people's hands... like, I'm sitting here and thinking about DS6's new soccer coach, and the other soccer parents, etc (all of whom are usually only there 1 at a time) and I have no idea what any of their marital statuses are, despite being around them and seeing their children, etc. I've never looked at their hands, so I have no idea whether they are wearing a ring or not.

DH doesn't wear his ring much. It got bent out of shape (I bought him one that wasn't good for his construction job) and now is too small in the summer, anyway, with all his work. He has talked about getting a new one, but we've never gotten around to ordering it.

[Seeking Squirrels]

I wouldn't notice. If somehow I did notice, I wouldn't assume anything. I haven't worn my wedding ring since I was pg with DD (almost 4). I sometimes try to put it on if I'm going to be in a situation where it might matter, but I often forget. I work with an organization that produces Christian concerts. I wondered if anyone noticed at the last show because I was obviously pregnant, working with a Christian org, and not wearing a wedding ring. No one said anything, but I was worried about giving the wrong impression to tour management. Then my 3yo showed up, but also with my husband (wearing his ring), so hopefully anyone who may have noticed and assumed saw them and figured it out.

 

Most of the time I don't care what people may assume, but it does matter when it comes to what a tour manager thinks of a production company.

[ScoutTN]

I'd be more likely to think a woman unmarried without a ring because in my community it is much more common for a man not to wear one than for a woman.

[6packofun]

I wouldn't look for it or notice, BUT if they also said that they were married, I might look/notice if they were NOT wearing a ring. I have no idea if I explained that well.

[UmMusa]

If you are meeting someone new, with children, who doesn't wear a wedding ring would you typically notice?

 

If you did notice would you assume the person is not currently married?

 

I lost mine years ago. I'm just wondering if people even notice.

I'm the type to not think to look.

If, for some reason, it caught my attention, I wouldn't assume she's not married. I usually don't wear one.

[mommaduck]

I don't assume marital status based upon a ring.

 

I've known too many people that wear a wedding ring as a "purity ring", because it was their parent's or grandparent's ring, and because they are in a relationship even though they aren't actually married. There are widowed people that still wear their rings.

 

I've known too many people that are married that don't wear wedding rings because they have religious objections to such, because they have a job where a ring is a potential risk, can't wear their ring because of health issues or weight gain, and because they simply were to poor to buy a ring or had to sell their ring. Some people have too much of a web, leaving too little room between knuckles to wear a ring (yes, I know someone with this issue).

 

Also, there are faiths where wedding rings are worn on a different finger than many are accustomed to. The traditional EO practice is on the ring finger of the right hand, not the left. I understand that an older Jewish custom was for the ring to be worn on the forefinger of one of the hands (the right?). Etc.

Edited April 5, 2012 by mommaduck

[MrsBasil]

I wouldn't notice, I never have. If I did notice I wouldn't think a thing about it.

 

I don't wear one and haven't in many years.

[Hen]

I wouldn't notice and wouldn't care. I leave the house all the time without mine, I take them off to sleep and when I'm washing dishes. So many parents are single or divorced now, it's hard to know what is what unless they tell you.

[Guest]

My dh hardly ever wears his ring. He is in construction and thinks any jewelry is hazardous (his brother did nearly cut his finger off by getting his wedding band caught). I mostly wear a ring, but often I don't if I took if off to wash dishes or whatever and never put it back on. It's just not a big deal to me. Wear it or don't wear it.

 

I was astounded to hear from a Facebook friend who assumed I was divorced because a picture where I was hugging my dog doesn't include a ring. I was :confused: and just said, "Oh, it was a cold day outdoors and I just left it home. No bigger meaning there."

[redsquirrel]

I wouldn't notice or wonder. I almost never wear mine and I am married. My dh wears his all the time, because he is afraid he will lose it if he takes it off.

 

I don't like to wear it when I wash dishes or bake, and then I forget to put it back on. So, it stays off for weeks at a time.

 

No one has ever asked about it. I think I mentioned it once and a friend replied that she had never noticed.

[SonshineLearner]

If it's a woman, I notice and assume she isn't married; but if it's a man, I don't really look or assume anything. Many of the men I know don't married rings because of work or preference.

:iagree: I wear mine :) It has a diamond... My husband hasn't worn his in years...

[*Lulu*]

I don't assume marital status based upon a ring.

 

I've known too many people that wear a wedding ring as a "purity ring", because it was their parent's or grandparent's ring, and because they are in a relationship even though they aren't actually married. There are widowed people that still wear their rings.

 

I've known too many people that are married that don't wear wedding rings because they have religious objections to such, because they have a job where a ring is a potential risk, can't wear their ring because of health issues or weight gain, and because they simply were to poor to buy a ring or had to sell their ring. Some people have too much of a web, leaving too little room between knuckles to wear a ring (yes, I know someone with this issue).

 

Also, there are faiths where wedding rings are worn on a different finger than many are accustomed to. The traditional EO practice is on the ring finger of the right hand, not the left. I understand that an older Jewish custom was for the ring to be worn on the forefinger of one of the hands (the right?). Etc.

 

:iagree:

 

DH comes from a tradition where women do not wear jewelry so I do not automatically associate singleness with a lack of ring. Most of the time I do not really even pay attention.

 

However, I usually do note if someone I am meeting in a homeschool group setting has a ring. No ring + very conservative dress = extra caution in discussions beyond the weather and everyone else's health.

[Rosie_0801]

I would assume they are unmarried, but not assume they are single.

 

Rosie

[LazyDazy]

I never notice rings or lack of rings. Maybe because I never wear mine and dh never wears his. He wore his ring for the first few years but, for the last several years dh hasn't been allowed to wear rings or a watch for work. He never thinks to put it on for those few days he isn't working. I find all jewelry to be uncomfortable so I only wear it for special occasions. I can't only deal with it for a few hours before I start pulling it all off. ;)

[Janie Grace]

Funny... I tend to be pretty aware of rings and always think ring = married, no ring = unmarried. Glad to have been reeducated here, once again! I always wear my ring out; if I don't I feel like I'm saying I'm available. Not that guys would be lining up to ask me out :lol:, but it just feels weird to me.

[mommaduck]

Funny... I tend to be pretty aware of rings and always think ring = married, no ring = unmarried. Glad to have been reeducated here, once again! I always wear my ring out; if I don't I feel like I'm saying I'm available. Not that guys would be lining up to ask me out :lol:, but it just feels weird to me.

Trust me, I've known enough guys to hit on a woman with a ring as much as without. One kid hit on me while I had a set. When informed that I was married with a child, his reply was, "so?"

[stripe]

Trust me, I've known enough guys to hit on a woman with a ring as much as without. One kid hit on me while I had a set. When informed that I was married with a child, his reply was, "so?"

 

Exactly.

 

Some women consider it a challenge to go after a married man. There are women who prefer married men.

[Tap]

I notice rings....but do not notice if one is absent. Since, I do not wear a ring myself, I would never assume someones marital status, with or without a ring. I know some women who wear a wedding ring, even if they are not married (to thwart advances and to aviod questions about being a single mom).

[Dustybug]

If it's a woman, I notice and assume she isn't married; but if it's a man, I don't really look or assume anything. Many of the men I know don't married rings because of work or preference.

 

 

This is what I would think as well.

[Audrey]

I wouldn't assume marital status based on no wedding ring simply because, with the mix of cultures in my region, there are many people who don't do wedding rings, but are certainly very married.

[QueenCat]

It's not a first thing I look for but it's likely I'll eventually notice if our first encounter is moderately lengthy. If something hasn't already come up about their spouse and I noticed then my assumption would be "likely not married", I suppose. :). Most people in my world wear their ring(s).

 

Same here. I don't go looking for it but usually notice, eventually. I don't know any married people that don't wear their rings. When I gained weight many moons ago, I had mine enlarged rather than not wearing it. Now, I've lost weight and it's too big (but still on my finger).

[happi duck]

dh and I don't wear rings