Marriage/problems
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The following problems exist with the custom of marriage as it exists in modern western society:
- It is a binding contract...
- ...whose terms are not printed on the page you sign (and indeed are not easy to find)
- ...whose terms can change depending on where you are (in the United States, marriage laws vary by state; elsewhere they vary by country)
- ...whose terms can change over time, with no notification to the signers
- In most jurisdictions:
- the terms are asymmetrical and discriminatory by gender, even in areas unrelated to childbearing
- the idea of family is limited to one man and one woman plus any offspring
- until very recently, marrying someone of the same sex was not a legal option
- many conservative groups see this rule as essential, however, and are fighting to prevent reform
- In nearly all jurisdictions, no more than 2 adults may be joined to create a family, severely restricting the size and possible configurations of the family unit
- The exit terms are typically vague, or at least do not spell out the full reality of the actions necessary to dissolve the marriage (lawyers are typically required in order to successfully navigate through the necessary paperwork)
In other cultures, marriage is sometimes less restrictive; further study is warranted to determine how well various forms of marriage work, and in what specific ways they fail and succeed.