MARRIAGE

Marriage (also called matrimony or wedlock) is a socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract between spouses that
establishes rights and obligations between them, between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws.
[1]
The
definition of marriage varies according to different cultures, but it is principally an institution in which interpersonal
relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. In some cultures, marriage is recommended or considered to be
compulsory before pursuing any sexual activity. When defined broadly, marriage is considered a cultural universal.
Individuals may marry for several reasons, including legal, social, libidinal, emotional, financial, spiritual, and religious purposes.
Who they marry may be influenced by socially determined rules of incest, prescriptive marriage rules, parental choice and
individual desire. In some areas of the world arranged marriage, child marriage, polygamy, and sometimes forced marriage,
may be practiced as a cultural tradition. Conversely, such practices may be outlawed and penalized in many parts of the world
out of concerns for human rights and because of international law.
[2]
In developed parts of the world, there has been a general
trend towards ensuring equal rights within marriage for women and legally recognizing the marriages of interracial, interfaith,
and same-gender couples. Oftentimes, these trends have been motivated by a desire to establish equality and uphold human
rights.

Etymology
The word "marriage" derives from Middle English mariage, which first appears in 12501300 CE. This in turn is derived from Old
French marier (to marry) and ultimately Latin martre meaning to provide with a husband or wife and martri meaning to get
married. The adjective mart-us -a, -um meaning matrimonial or nuptial could also be used in the masculine form as a noun for
"husband" and in the feminine form for "wife."
[5]
The related word "matrimony" derives from the Old French
word matremoinewhich appears around 1300 CE and ultimately derives from Latin mtrimnium which combines the two
concepts mater meaning "mother" and the suffix -monium signifying "action, state, or condition." "
[6]


Types of Marriage
Monogamy
Monogamy is a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse during their lifetime or at any one time (serial
monogamy).

Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners.
[19]
When a man is married to more than one wife at a time, the
relationship is called polygyny, and there is no marriage bond between the wives; and when a woman is married to more than
one husband at a time, it is called polyandry, and there is no marriage bond between the husbands. If a marriage includes
multiple husbands and wives, it can be called group marriage.
[19]

Child marriage
A child marriage is a marriage where one or both spouses are under the age of 18.
[36][37]
It is related to
child betrothal and teenage pregnancy. Child marriage was common throughout history but is today condemned by
international human rights organizations.
[38][39][40]
Child marriages are often arranged between the families of the future bride
and groom, sometimes as soon as the girl is born.
[38]
Child marriages can also occur in the context of marriage by abduction.
[38]


Same-sex and third gender marriages
As noted above, several kinds of same gendered, non-sexual marriages exist in some lineage based societies; this section
relates to same gendered sexual unions. However, some cultures include third gender (two-spirited or transgendered)
individuals, such as the berdache of the Zuni of New Mexico; is the marriage between a berdache and a man a "same sex
marriage"? We'wha, one of the most revered Zuni elders (an Ihamana, spiritual leader) served as an emissary of the Zuni to
Washington, where he met President Grover Cleveland. We'wha had a husband who was generally recognized as such.
[42]

Temporary marriages
Several cultures have practiced temporary and conditional marriages. Examples include the Celtic practice of handfasting and
fixed-term marriages in the Muslim community. Pre-Islamic Arabs practiced a form of temporary marriage that carries on today
in the practice of Nikah Mut'ah, a fixed-term marriage contract. The prophet Muhammad sanctioned a temporary marriage
sigheh in Iran and muta'a in Iraq which can provide a legitimizing cover for sex workers.
[48]
The same forms of temporary
marriage have been used in Egypt, Lebanon and Iran to make the donation of a human ova legal for in vitro fertilization; a
woman cannot, however, use this kind of marriage to obtain a sperm donation.
[49]
Muslim controversies related to Nikah
Mut'ah have resulted in the practice being confined mostly to Shi'ite communities. The matrilineal Mosuo of China practice
what they call "walking marriage".

Common-law marriage
See also: Cohabitation
In some jurisdictions cohabitation may constitute a common-law marriage, and in some countries the laws recognize
cohabitation in lieu of institutional marriage for taxation and social security benefits. This is the case, for example, in
Australia.
[50]
Common-law marriage is an option pursued by many as a form of resistance to traditional institutionalized
marriage; however, in this context, states reserve the right to define the relationship as marital, based only on a history of co-
habitation.
[51]

Conversely, institutionalized marriages may not involve cohabitation. In some cases couples living together do not wish to be
recognized as married. This may occur because pension or alimony rights are adversely affected; because of taxation
considerations; because of immigration issues, or for many other reasons. Such marriages have also been increasingly common
in Beijing. Guo Jianmei, director of the center for women's studies at Beijing University, told a Newsday correspondent,
"Walking marriages reflect sweeping changes in Chinese society." A "walking marriage" refers to a type of temporary marriage
formed by the Mosuo of China, in which male partners live elsewhere and make nightly visits.
[52]
A similar arrangement in Saudi
Arabia, called misyar marriage, also involves the husband and wife living separately but meeting regularly.
[53]