Final answer:
Couples with significant age differences and same-sex couples are most likely to face societal discrimination, impacting their ability to make critical decisions for each other. Ageism and the slow progress in LGBTQ rights contribute to these challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
Couples most likely to experience societal discrimination, including barriers in making life-or-death decisions concerning their partner, are often those with significant age differences, and same-sex couples. Society can pressure age-gap relationships, leading to issues in commitment, and the contrast in life stages particularly if one partner is elderly. This is compounded by ageism, a form of prejudice and discrimination where older individuals may be seen as incompetent and are denied equal opportunities. In the context of same-sex couples, the slow pace of legal and social acceptance has meant that these relationships have historically faced challenges in obtaining the same legal and financial protections afforded to heterosexual couples, affecting the ability to make crucial life decisions for one another.
Although societal attitudes are shifting, persistent discrimination can lead to heightened risks for societal exclusion and bias in legal, medical, and social contexts. The recognition of LGBTQ relationships and marriages has been shown to have a positive impact on mental and emotional wellbeing, but issues still remain, especially for those in states or countries where their rights are not fully protected.