Marriage

The term marriage refers to an institution involving a formal recognition of the sexual union of two people. Marriage confers legitimacy upon an intimate relationship, and therefore this form of recognition often grants a range of social, religious, and legal benefits; rights; and responsibilities to those who marry. In contemporary contexts, marriage usually refers to the monogamous union of a man (husband) and a woman (wife); however, polygny, polyandry, and polyamory are possible alternatives to monogamy. These forms of relationships, however, tend to lack the forms of recognition granted to monogamous opposite-sex couples. Marriage as an institution reflects the norms of the society in which it exists and reveals in particular the beliefs regarding how sexuality should be governed. Rights such as inheritance, property rights, access to health care, tax credits, adoption rights, and rights of next of kin are some of the privileges that marriage assigns. Marriages are often symbolically marked by a series of cultural traditions, rites, and rituals, such as the wedding ceremony and anniversary celebrations. These events are expressions of the social and cultural significance accorded to the institution of marriage.

The nature of marriage has transformed significantly throughout the 20th century and early 21st century. Historically, considerations such as economics made marriage a necessity, but in the 20th century, marriage increasingly became defined as a form of companionship based on mutual love and free choice. A greater diversification of lifestyles and family forms has meant that the meaning and significance of marriage has continued to change and that intimate relationships are increasingly organized outside of the normative confines of marriage. For instance, marriage traditionally has been seen as the only legitimate context for bearing children, but this is no longer the case as the number of births outside of marriage has grown. As an institution that is often seen to be one of the cornerstones of society, marriage has been the object of much concern and controversy. Changes to the ways in which marriage is practiced often produces anxiety, particularly when those changes are interpreted as signaling the demise of marriage. For others, however, marriage is an institution that is based upon the marginalization of particular groups, for instance, gays and lesbians. That marriage and intimate relationships are undergoing transformations, therefore, is viewed as a positive development.