Mary is living with her parents, her older brother and her younger sisters in a small appartment. She just has turned 17. She is in her second year of vocational training, this means: she is already earning some money. On her birthday ceremony with she reveals to the whole family, this includes grandparents and uncle with aunts and cousins, that she wants to become independent from the family, and therefore to move in with her boyfriend John, who is 22. Mary is also informing her two best girl friends on this change.The mother endorses this wish immediately, since she herself moved out of her parents’ apartment at this age. The other members of the family as well as the girl friends split into supporters and rejecters. Especially the brother is against this decision, because John shares the apartment with his Gloria, who lives in a same-sex partnership.What should Mary do? And why? Also John informs his family, his friends and his work colleagues. His parents are reluctant to give their opinion, but friends and work colleagues express great concern because both John and Mary are very young.
What should John do? And why?
Platon Youth Forum 2010
Markus Präauer
Austria