Comments on “Undoing Marriage” article

Here are my comments on the “Undoing Marriage” article a former colleague requested me to respond to (see previous post). The article argues for the “de-legalization” of marriage. The author makes a strong argument for this argument. I emailed my friend the comments below [with image I grabbed from Fragile Industries, an altered art blog -- check out her work], which I’ll call — with apologies to Jonathan Swift –

Another Modest Proposal

Why fix it if it ain’t broke? Why indeed? After all, as of last count there are more married couples than there are couples who aren’t or can’t get married. Never mind if the number of annulment cases is increasing or if more people chose to raise children sans spouse. These are still “isolated cases” compared to the number of unions that remain “solid.” And if someone says they know several friends whose marriages have disintegrated, these stories are merely anecdotal and aren’t really that reliable as proof. Etc.

For isn’t marriage the norm every individual aspires to attain? Isn’t that how every person’s success and standing in the community is measured? Isn’t that why marriage and the family are enshrined in the Constitution? Etc.

“Undoing Marriage”

Late last night I got an email from a friend who edits an academic journal. She wanted me to respond to an article, “Undoing Marriage,” submitted for a forum on marriage the journal would be featuring soon. My response would be included in a kind of a loop of comments, I think. That would be interesting.

My friend perhaps thought of me because I’ve been in a long-term relationship — almost twelve years — but remain unmarried. She herself has been (is?) in a long-term relationship that made conservative people in our puritanical town frown or raise an eyebrow. Perhaps this should be my take on the idea of “undoing marriage” or making marriage “illegal,” which she says is the argument of the article.

(The image on the right I “grabbed” from a US company, Picture Perfect Weddings, that makes unique and customized wedding cake toppers. Check out their website by clicking on the picture.)

I’ve downloaded the article and will be reading it soon and writing down my comments. I’ll keep you posted.