Love and relationships can take various forms, from living together to getting married. But how about signing a ‘legal’ contract to regulate your relationship dynamics?
While it might seem a bit unconventional, one woman took this approach with her long-distance boyfriend, and the terms of the contract have sparked a mix of reactions.
In a now deleted video, TikTok user Devon Motley crafted what she dubbed the Long Distance Agreement (LDA) for herself and her boyfriend Geren Gathright before they embarked on their separate journeys. The agreement’s purpose was to establish a set of rules and guidelines to maintain their connection despite the geographical distance that lay ahead. The video of the Texan couple signing the contract went viral on TikTok, amassing over 1.8 million views.
In a playful nod to the TV series “Suits,” Devon humorously underscored that they might have been “watching Suits too much,” as they grooved to the show’s theme song while documenting the signing process. The TikTok caption cheekily read: “POV: you and your bf write a contract before going into long distance so if anything goes wrong you can sue each other.”
The contract, in essence, is designed to ensure the couple’s continuous communication and mutual commitment during their time apart. It stipulates that they must connect through calls at least once daily and maintain ongoing contact throughout the day. However, the LDA goes beyond maintaining communication; it includes clauses labeled as “violations,” with corresponding consequences that could potentially lead to legal action.
These violations include behaviors such as cheating, which the contract defines as engaging in any form of sexual contact with someone of the opposite gender, communicating with individuals of the opposite gender, and making sexual innuendos with harmful intent. Other offenses addressed in the contract involve neglect, slander, and limitations on the amount of relationship-related complaints.
One of the most notable clauses in the LDA is that neither party can terminate the relationship before a specific date, in this case, September 1 of the following year. This clause is complemented by the requirement that all calls must be answered promptly, and both parties must keep their location tracking enabled at all times.
While the TikTok video initially received comments, they have since been disabled due to a wide range of reactions. Some viewers criticized the contract, labeling it as “psychotic behavior” or “insane.” Others, however, expressed interest in having such an agreement themselves, indicating a desire for structure in their long-distance relationships.
Interestingly, Devon has taken her concept a step further by creating a store where individuals can purchase an editable Word document of the LDA for $5.99 or a digital PDF version for $0.99. For those who want to embrace the contract’s sentiment more openly, she even offers “don’t talk to me I signed an LDA” trucker hats for $24.99.
While Devon’s Long Distance Agreement has garnered its share of criticism and fascination, it sheds light on the creative and unconventional ways that people explore to maintain their romantic relationships in today’s digital age.
