Best Friends and Life Partners

What It Covers

Host Ayesha Roscoe shares her experience buying a house with her best friend to co-parent five children platonically, then interviews author Reyna Cohen about devoted friendships that function as life partnerships.

Key Questions Answered

• •Platonic co-parenting model: Two divorced mothers purchased a home together, dividing responsibilities where one handles school runs and dinner while the other manages homework and crafts, creating a functional two-parent household without romance or marriage.
• •Historical friendship rituals: Medieval England practiced sworn brotherhood ceremonies where men were publicly turned into brothers with lifelong protection obligations. Nineteenth century romantic friendships included exchanging hair locks and studio portraits with intertwined arms, showing friendship once held greater cultural significance.
• •Legal vulnerability of friends: Friends lack family medical leave rights when caring for sick companions and bereavement leave when they die, even after years of caregiving. Hospital staff can deny entry to non-family, forcing some to lie about being spouses to access loved ones.
• •Functional commitment over form: Society should value relationships based on long-term sacrifice and commitment rather than sexual or legal status. The meaningful part of marriage vows is the promise of mutual care through hardship, which devoted friends also provide without recognition.