Monklet80 and the others allready said it all, but still I wanted to say this. You asked “How Important is a Recognition by Others?” and I think it is obvious when you look at what is going on in the world. People go to gay pride parades, fight for equal rights and same sex marriages. A lot of people feel like you do and want to feel recognized and accepted. It is totally understandable that you want the people around you to know about your partnership and that you don’t want to pretend that things are different from what they are.
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 