Marriage (also called matrimony or wedlock) is a social union or legal contract between people called spouses that establishes rights and obligations between the spouses, between the spouses and their children, and between the spouses and their in-laws. It entitles your family to healthcare, inheritance, titles and establishes a deeper commitment to the spouse. However, marriage is not necessary biologically, only socially. Plenty of children are born out of wedlock, and are still entitled to those benefits, and who says you can't love your partner if not the same, even more, without a piece of paper or a ring.
Marriage was necessary when it was about building a network, marrying daughters off to powerful families would bring more respect and/ or for the original family. Marriage was necessary when a woman would have been shunned for being an unwed mother. It was necessary when people believed the earth was flat and a woman without a man was a witch..... times have changed.
NOTE: While monogamy seems to be connected to marriage, the fact is, monogamy is a choice a person makes and they don't need a piece of paper to prove it.
Marriage is a legal contract, which is why I find it interesting that so many people are against Gay marriage, citing the bible or personal preference, the whole point of a legal system is that everyone has certain rights. Somewhere along the years, marriage turned from business to personal, which is why some people think it's OK to deny legal rights to others, because they personally don't like it. But I want to know where these people were when it was legal to sell your young daughter to a man? How come no one boycotted those marriages? How about the marriages of several women to one man, doesn't that taint the sanctity of marriage? The same reason people give against gay or open marriage is the same reason those types of marriages are OK (Religion and preference). People today are misinformed and misguided, marriage is only special because we put emotion into it, a commitment to a partner should be more important than being legally bound. So ladies, anyone can be a husband but you need to look for a lover, Guys, anyone can be your wife, you need to look for a partner, and gays we will keep fighting for you.
Leave me a comment, in your opinion, how has the institution of marriage evolved?
