The Reasons To Legalise Polygamy

Most believe that those who are polyamorous are but simple cheaters trying to seem innocent, though this is only a baseless accusation that uses a false stereotype to prove a bad point. All around the world a debate over polygamy is taking place getting increased attention as time continues to pass. Polygamy is the practice of having two or more partners in a relationship, romantically, sexually, or both. Many believe that Polygamy should not be legal due to a multitude of reasons, manly fear. However, Polygamy should be made legal because it ties into religion, is a human right, and it does not hurt anyone.

To start with, polygamy ties into religion a bit, surprisingly. There are actually a few religions that mention or even encourages polygamy, such as Mormons and Islamic culture as well. In 2011 a supreme court chief justice Robert Bauman acknowledged that a ban on polygamy violated religious freedom, ‘in a manner that is non-trivial and not insubstantial.’ This shows that even a conservative person agrees that polygamy cannot and should not be banned, with religion the number one legal reason. Even in Christianity a person would not find anywhere in the bible that directly disapproves of polygamy, though most people make it seem that way for their own gain. So religiously polygamy should be left alone and made legal.

Another reason that polygamy should be made legal is because it is a human right. Humans should have the freedom to love who they love as long as they are safe and consenting, and polygamy is both. Americans have already finally seen that LGBT+ people should have the freedom to love, with the rest of the world not far behind. So why be against polygamy, which is the same principal? Both these issues revolve around love and marriage, whether or not they should be allowed legally. Polygamy is simply loving more than one person; humans have a right to be with that loved one or loved ones. Saying that someone can only have one spouse or love one person is like saying a person can only love one family member, platonically of course, and that is not true. Just like family some people may not love any of them, some may love only one member, and other love them all! So why not let people be the same romantically and/or sexually? Simply does not make sense. ‘This is a complex social issue,’ Bauman said, even though it does not have to be, it is a human right being questioned and taken away.

To top it off polygamy does not hurt anyone, despite what many thinks. Polygamy is practiced by adults, who both consent and are safe. A relationship where a man is seeing multiple women who do not know of each other is not polygamy but cheating. It can only be called polygamy if there is communication, which is actually the biggest thing anybody in a healthy polygamy type relationship will agree as the top priority. Plus, some polygamy type relationships tend to have a better household for children due to more parental figures to take car of them and to look up to. This can help a child grow up to be very accepting of those around them and skilled and/or knowledgeable in a variety of topics!

However, there are many people who disagree with making polygamy legal. This is for a variety of reasons, though the biggest one would be that it harms women and children. This accusation is false, made by those who fear the unknown. This is a noticeably big case in Uganda, where campaigners urge government to place laws to protect women by rejecting polygamy. The other issue is child marriage in polygamy relationships, but these are not true polygamy relationships. Instead of politicians and others attempting to stop polygamy from being legal to protect women and children why not go against child brides itself. These two issues or separate and can be combined by some, but still not the same. It may be true that there are child brides and/or abusive partners in a non-monogamous relationship, however these are found in straight monogamous relationships as well. So therefore, they should focus on it as the separate issue that it is, instead of attacking others out of fear. “There may be crimes that in practice are sometimes associated with polygamy, but the way to address those is by prosecuting the crimes — as is the custom with non-polygamists.” As stated by Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune’s editorial board and avid blogger as well.

In conclusion polygamy should be made legal, for religiose reasons, human rights, and lack of true victims. Polygamy will help bring the world up to speed, help people to be themselves and enjoy life. The world is constantly changing, evolving even. But humans are constant, stuck in their old ways of thinking. Humans must embrace the change brought about by time, they must accept each other and themselves. After all, what good is life if a person cannot be happy and with the one(s) they care about?

Works Citied

  1. Chapman, Steve. ‘A Victory for Polygamy–and Freedom.’ Chicago Tribune, 05 Jan 2014, pp. 21. sirsissuesresearcher,
  2. https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2266118493?accountid=68229.
  3. Muhumuza, Rodney. ‘Polygamy Persists Across Africa, to Activists’ Dismay.’ Yakima Herald-Republic, 24 Oct 2018. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265921690?accountid=68229.
  4. Mulgrew, Ian. ‘Polygamy and our Spineless Politicians.’ Vancouver Sun, 22 Apr 2017. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2264251771?accountid=68229.
  5. ‘Polygamy is the Next Marriage-Rights Frontier.’ News-Journal, 18 Apr 2016. sirsissuesresearcher, https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2262554521?accountid=68229.

Polygamy In Canadian Legal System And Society

Marriage is a very important social institution because life arises from it. Consequently, the government of Canada has a keen interest in protecting marriages to ensure stable population growth and sustainability. Canada has been largely a monogamous nation until immigrants started flocking in from other parts of the world that entertain different forms of marriages. Instances of a marrying more than one person have increased over the last few decades making America’s marital institution highly questionable. Despite strong legal battles against polygamy and associated forms of marriage, it is high time Canada accepted that the society is moving forward and it has to embrace new practices to guarantee peaceful coexistence and social sustainability.

It is crucial to understand the different types of marriages if one is to navigate Canada’s changing social path. According to Religious Tolerance (2019), marriages fall under two broad categories, namely monogamy and polygamy. Monogamy is a union between one man and one woman. Many monogamous marriages are ceremonial such that they involve weddings. On the other hand, polygamy is the union between one man and several women or one woman and several men. It breaks down into polygyny, polyandry, and polyamory. Polygyny is the practice of a man having more than one wife or female partner at a time. Polyandry is the practice of a woman having more than one husband at a time. Polyamory involves intimate relationships with two or more partners subject to consent of the partners involved. Notably, the difference between polyamory and polygyny/polyandry is the question of consent. Some men marry many wives who end up living in conflicts. Polyamory is an ethical, consensual, and responsible union.

Multiple marriages and relationships in Canada have social and cultural consequences. Socially, marriages will ensure that every man and woman can start a family without difficulty. The population of women is higher than that of men, which situation implies that many women could face problems finding their partners if Canada were to emphasize polygamy over other types of marriage (This Is Why, 2018). However, multiple relationships could weaken the social fabric since some people might not have adequate resources to take care of larger families. Multiple marriages will transform Canada’s culture by creating room for immigrants to practice their choice marriages. According to Washburn (2015), the culture of “my marriage, my choice” will take shape in Canada making it one of the most liberal countries around the world.

Canada judicial system should not be too harsh on multiple marriages despite the legal provisions it seeks to guard. More recently, the courts sentenced two British Columbian men house arrest for allegedly taking part in polygamy for more than a century. Winston Blackmore had married 24 women and had at least 146 children. James Oler also married five women. The two men landed their sentences in addition to 12 months’ probation and several hours of community service (Reuters, 2018). In a different ruling, the Chief Justice of British Columbia declared polyamorous households illegal unless they performed some marriage ceremony or a sanctioning event (Alan, 2011). Such developments in the legal trajectory are uncalled for owing to the fast changing face of Canada’s social fabric. In the view of Xu (2011), legal wars will only create tensions in the society and eventually spark a cultural revolution the way it happened in China.

Polygamy is healthy for Canada since the society is heading into that direction. When people enter marital relationships, they do so as adults and they understand the consequences of their actions. Regulating adult affairs becomes contentious especially when love is involved. As a result, the law should allow Canadians to choose their unions freely without being subjected to requirements that go against their will. The future of Canada will foresee social forces winning against legal restrictions. Canadians have what it takes to walk the path of Cultural Revolution if that will help them to secure their marriages.

References

  1. Alan, M. (2011). “Canada polygamy ruling: Win, loss, or draw?” Poly in the Media. Retrieved from https://polyinthemedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/canada-polygamy-ruling-win-loss-or-draw.html
  2. Religious Tolerance (2019). “Plural marriage.” Retrieved from www.religioustolerance.org/polygamy.html
  3. Reuters (2018). “House arrest for polygamy pair after Canada’s first convictions in a century.” Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/27/house-arrest-for-polygamy-pair-after-canadas-first-convictions-in-a-century
  4. This Is Why (2018). “Canada’s problem with polygamy.” Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/4303067/why-polygamy-illegal-canada/
  5. Washburn, R. A. (2015). Freedom of marriage: an analysis of positive and negative rights. Washington University Jurisprudence Review, 8(1), 87-114.
  6. Xu, W. (2011). From marriage revolution to revolutionary marriage: marriage practice of the Chinese Communist Party in modern era, 1910s-1950s. A thesis submitted to the University of Western Ontario.

Polygamy: Agreements And Disagreements

Throughout my time in college, I have found there is a multitude of literature on the topic of polygamy. So, when one finds themselves embarking on trying to become an expert, there are many different sides to the story and angles to take into consideration. Due to the fact polygamy is such a controversial topic in the United States, there are multiple different areas to evaluate, religious freedom constitutional rights, ethics, and human rights are some of the most debated areas. In this essay, I will explain the sources I have chosen as most reliable and applicable to my problem of polygamy. I will examine the credibility of each source and explain how it makes me an “expert” on this topic.

My first source is a writing from the journal Philosophical Topics, titled “The Problem with Polygamy”. In this writing, the author Thom Brooks dives into the debate of whether polygamy is lawful ethically. According to his website, thrombooks.info, Brooks is the Dean and Professor of Law and Government at Durham Law School in England and he is also an Associate Member in the Department of Philosophy (Thom brooks). In “The Problem with Polygamy”, Brooks states, “The problem with polygamy is primarily that it is a structurally inegalitarian practice in both theory and fact” (Brooks 109). Brooks makes this statement using his background in law and philosophy by examining the ethicality of polygamy through a legal and philosophical understanding. This source gives me insight into the philosophical debate against the decriminalization of polygamy and how to breaches society’s view of ethical relationships.

The next source examines the major debates that have sprung up since Utah passed their 1935 anti-cohabitation laws. Dr. Sarah Song, Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, is the author of this source, “Polygamy Today: A Case for Qualified Recognition.’ This source, that was originally published in The Polygamy Question, edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffee. Song’s primary focus of research is the free exercise of religion, and culture, gender, and equality (polisci.berkeley.edu). This source helps make me an expert in the topic of polygamy because of the comparison between the controversy’s polygamy was causing in the 1940s and 1950s compared to the controversies now in the 21st century. Song explains the Short Creek Raid of 1953 in Arizona polygamists and the factors leading up to it. Song explains the controversial government raid on a polygamous community in Short Creek, Arizona in 1953 and impact it had on American society.

From the same book, The Polygamy Question, edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffee, I found another article that offers a wide range of information on my topic. Written by Martha Bailey, a professor of Law at Queen’s University in Ontario, “Should Polygamy be a Crime?” investigates the Canadian polygamy cases of 2009. Bailey states, “Instead of considering whether it is constitutionally permissible for Canada to criminalize polygamy, I assess the wisdom of criminalization” (Bailey 211). I like this approach to the debate because it assesses things from a purely unbiased viewpoint. Bailey’s view offers the point that oftentimes when one views the case of polygamy the debate is either legal or illegal, right or wrong, but tends to forget about the humanity behind the cases. Bailey goes on to say that Canada should, “focus on addressing directly the harms often associated with polygamy” (Bailey 211). Professor Martha Bailey specializes in international family law which often is associated with cases of polygamy due to the large family structures (Bennion and Joffee 252).

Also, from the same book edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, The Polygamy Question, I came across an article titled, “The Effect of Polygyny on Women, Children, and the State”. This article was written by authors Rose McDermott and Jonathan Cowden, and centers around the statistical effects of women and children within polygamous communities. Rose McDermott works for Brown University as a professor of political science and was an expert witness for the 2011 British Columbia polygamy trial (Bennion and Joffe 253). Jonathan Cowden is a Yale University PhD graduate who has written many articles over various human rights and social justice issues (Bennion and Joffe 252). I chose this article because I like the highlights of children rights and the statistics it shows. I feel like often children come up in the debate of polygamy but mostly center around child marriages and abuse. I think McDermott and Cowden take a great approach adding in different scenarios where abuse if present.

Published in the UCLA Women’s Law Journal in 2017, UCLA graduate and current practicing attorney, Sarah Rogozen wrote “Prioritizing Diversity and Autonomy in the Polygamy Legalization Debate.” In this source, Rogozen lays out the major differences in the polygamy debate, extrapolates the differences between how society treats polyamory versus polygamy, and explains where polygamy fits into State RFRAs and the constitution. I believe the section dedicated to RFRA is essential information that helps in the debate of polygamy. In her writing, Rogozen intends to highlight a few things, creating space for personal judgement, religious freedom, diversity and autonomy (Rogozen 109). This article is a great asset because of the legal standpoint. Rogozen brings up religious freedom cases like Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores (2014), that are recent and are often brought up when dealing with polygamy.

Because the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores (2014) was such an influential court case on American society, my last source devotes itself to understanding the ability to criminalize polygamy now that the case has passed. “Can We Still Criminalize Polygamy: Strict Scrutiny of Polygamy Laws Under State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts After Hobby Lobby”, written by Maura Irene Strassberg, analyzes the Hobby Lobby case and evaluates what the next steps can include when dealing with the topic of religious polygamy. Law Professor Maura Irene Strassberg specializes in ethics and sexuality law at Drake Law School in Iowa (drake.edu). Strassberg develops her writing around the ethical reasonings behind each argument of the debate, in order to decipher if criminalizing polygamy is ethical and constitutional.

Agreements

Though the topic of polygamy is quite controversial in the united states, dating back to its introduction by the LDS Church in the 1830s, there are many points of agreement throughout scholars on both sides. One of the agreements is that there is a lack of accountability for the men in these polygamous communities. In polygamous communities, it is not uncommon to have a man with three or more wives, each bringing him multiple children. Since these communities often practice traditional gender roles, i.e. man works and provides income, while the woman tends the home and children, there is often a lack of income, thus meaning the man is unable to properly support his family. This often leads to women having to apply as a single mother in order to receive money from the government in order to sufficiently care for their children (Strassberg 1623). Though many argue that the “welfare fraud” and exploitation of government money is a completely corrupt aspect of polygamy, the more debated and interesting aspect to look at is why is this happening. According to Stassberg:

“It is not the criminalization of polygamy that leads women to apply… it is a lack of or insufficient support from fathers of their children, either because the fathers refuse to use their resources for the support of their children or because they lack the resources to support their children” (Strassberg 1623).

The lack of accountability within these communities leave women and children to have to risk persecution and ask for government assistance. Rogozen touches on this when she discusses the parental struggle to support a large family on top of the anti-polygamy laws which only escalates the issue further. “Parents struggle with state parenting laws, sometimes losing custody of their children when the courts rule polyamorous family structure is not in the child’s best interest” (Rogozen 124). Having to risk their entire family in order to put food on the table can seem extreme, but it is reality when comes to polygamous relationships.

Another main agreement is that the current polygamy laws are forcing polygamist families into isolation and away from government regulation. Law Professor Maura Irene Strassberg points out, “it is the criminalization of polygamy itself that makes abuse more likely, by motivating polygamists to locate in isolated rural environments where women have less ability to find supportive law enforcement, and also are unable to just leave” (Strassberg 1622). The debate of fear of persecution and abuse is often controversial and will be discussed later. I believe there is significance in evaluating what isolation can cause for a group of likeminded fundamentalist people. One of the most critical aspects of government is its regulation of law. When communities isolate themselves from government reach, law gets taken into their own hands. Sarah Rogozen even goes far to say that the criminalization of polygamy benefits groups like the Fundamentalist Church of Later-Day Saints because, “abusers benefit from their victims’ isolation” (Rogozen 143). This benefit means they have a deeper control over their victims that being part of society would, in most cases, intervene. One aspect that I believe feeds on the isolation agreement is the issue of children within these polygamous communities, which brings us to the next major agreement within the sources.

Many of my sources agree that polygamy is a source of abuse to women and children. One aspect of the abuse comes from the lack of education in their society. Due to the fact they are isolated from society and more importantly, government regulated education, their futures are jeopardized. Authors Rose McDermott and Jonathan Cowden offer statistics of children within these polygamous communities.

“Girls are less likely to receive an education in primary or secondary school as polygyny become more frequent. The same holds true of boys as well. Boys are less likely to receive either primary or secondary school education in polygynous societies than in those raised by their monogamous counterparts” (Cowden and McDermott 127).

The lack of government regulated education leads to children lacking in areas of study such as science and history. Children are also pulled out of school at young ages and the education they do receive often is by under qualified people within the community. Professor Strassberg raises this issue as well, claiming that due to this lower standard of education, men and women within these communities are lacking the knowledge and skills to enter the work force (Strassberg 1631). This becomes significant when looking at the productivity of life within the community and if these members ever wanted to leave the community. A lack of education and transferable skills is almost debilitating when entering the outside world, making it extremely difficult to find work and therefore pay for the essentials they would need to survive outside their community.

Disagreements

Throughout my sources I have found multiple different disagreements between the writers. One of the most controversial aspects when looking into the legalization or decriminalization centers around the reporting of abuse. Though as seen above, it is primarily agreed upon that abuse is often an issue within polygamist relationships. But, when thinking about the topic of abuse, it often gets split when the proposition of legalization or decriminalization of polygamy arises. Many believe that the legalization/ decriminalization of polygamy would enable women to have an outlet to report their abuse. Dr. Sarah Song brings to light that due to the current anti-polygamy laws, polygamous wives and children are in fear of persecution and the laws “discourage a group’s most vulnerable members from reporting abuse” (Song 204-205). The theory is, if the fear of persecution is no longer present, marginalized members of the community would be more willing to speak out when abuse is occurring. Though this theory sounds reasonable, critics claim that due to the fact “polygamy is a structurally inegalitarian practice” (Brooks 118), marginalized members, like women, are still not likely to report abuse out of fear of their own group. If this theory was correct, that would mean the power would be distributed even further from the marginalized group, allowing abuse perpetrators to continue without persecution.

Another disagreement that has come up within my research is that of women’s abilities and freedoms within polygamous communities. In “The Problem with Polygamy”, author Thom Brooks points out, “Women are typically subservient to their husbands who hold their wives primarily responsible for childbearing… women may also lack control over their ability to seek employment” (Brooks 111- 112). This line of thinking primarily views women as oppressed within their marriages, though this seems to be essentializing the polygamous wife experience, which, in this case could seems to only be oppressing them further. The counter argument comes from the view of women who themselves found power within their polygamous marriages. There are women within these communities who do in fact advocate for the decriminalization of polygamy. In her writing “Polygamy Today: A Case for Qualified Recognition’ Dr. Sarah Song mentions a polygamy advocacy group named the Women’s Religious Liberties Union. This group of women advocate for polygamy on the grounds that it gives women freedom from their wifely and motherly duties because of their ability to share the load with other wives (Song 201). Though every marriage within these communities are organized differently, one could assume these women had the freedom to pursue outside careers or activities. One could argue that this means women in polygamous marriages had more accessibility to pursue life outside of the home than that of monogamous relationships due to childcare accessibility.

The last major disagreement is the justification under the religious freedom. In 1874 polygamist George Reynolds challenged the government opposition of polygamy, claiming it is his religious freedom to practice, creating the famous court case Reynolds v. United States. The Supreme Court came to the decision that while it is okay to believe in a practice, it is not justifiable to act on it if it is a criminal act (Rogozen 120). This case often comes up when people are anti-polygamy and often the argument is that if the US was to retract Reynolds v. United States, it would lead to more causes such as human sacrifice or honor killings. According to writer Thom Brooks, “Sanctioning polygamy would be akin to legalizing acts such as human sacrifice or even sati” (Brooks 111). Though this thought seems extreme, it is not extreme to consider where “religious freedom” draws its line. The counter argument is that the practice is essential to these people’s faith. Law professor Maura Strasserg explains in her writing Can We Still Criminalize Polygamy: Strict Scrutiny of Polygamy Laws Under State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts After Hobby Lobby”, the importance of practice in terms of salvation.

“For Fundamentalist Mormons, polygamous marriages are the only marriages that are “celestial” and offer the possibility for eternal life… To deny a Fundamentalist Mormon the opportunity to enter into polygamous marriage is, therefore, to prevent both service to God and access to his own exaltation” (Strassberg 1612).

When evaluating Strassberg’s counterargument the main point she is making is that polygamy, for those who practice, is the decision between their life here on earth and their perceived eternal life in heaven. Contemplating temporary life on earth versus eternal salvation, it doesn’t seem fair to make someone choose that when there are many other religions that get to reach their salvation without any government regulation or interference.

In conclusion, there were many different sources to evaluate when researching the topic of legalization of polygamy. Among those, there were multiple agreements and disagreements that help create a more complete understanding of the topic as a whole. Due to the sources I found, I believe I have become more educated and more of an expert on the topic.

Works Cited

  1. Bailey, Martha. “Should Polygamy be a Crime?” The Polygamy Question, edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, University Press of Colorado, 2016, pp. 210–227.
  2. Bennion, Janet, and Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, editors. The Polygamy Question. Boulder: University Press of Colorado, 2016.
  3. Brooks, Thom. “The Problem with Polygamy.” Philosophical Topics, vol. 37, no. 2, 2009, pp. 109–122.
  4. drake.edu. “Maura Strassberg Profile.” Drake University, www.drake.edu/law/facstaff/directory/maura-strassberg/.
  5. McDermott, Rose, and Jonathan Cowden. “The Effect of Polygyny on Women, Children, and the State.” The Polygamy Question, edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, University Press of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 2016, pp. 115–154.
  6. polisci.berkeley.edu. “Sarah Song.” Sarah Song | UC Berkeley Political Science, polisci.berkeley.edu/people/person/sarah-song. Accessed 4 March 2020.
  7. Rogozen, Sarah. “Prioritizing Diversity and Autonomy in the Polygamy Legalization Debate.” UCLA Women’s Law Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, September 2017, pp. 107–149.
  8. Song, Sarah. “Polygamy Today: A Case for Qualified Recognition.” The Polygamy Question, edited by Janet Bennion and Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, Boulder University Press of Colorado, 2016, pp. 199–209.
  9. Strassberg, Maura Irene. “Can We Still Criminalize Polygamy: Strict Scrutiny of Polygamy Laws under State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts After Hobby Lobby.” University of Illinois Law Review, vol. 2016, no. 4, Aug. 2016, pp. 1605–1649.
  10. Thom Brooks. Thom Brooks, 2 Mar. 2020, www.thombrooks.info/. Accessed 4 March 2020.

The Reasons Of Polygamy And Its Impact On Gender Relations

According to Anthropology, polygamy is well-defined as a marriage amongst one person and two or more spouses at the same time. This occurs in two main forms: polygyny, in which a man marries several women, and polyandry, in which a woman marries several men at the same time (Welsch, 2018). Polygyny is known as the most common form as well as the forms in which one is officially loyal but socially polygamous and maintains other relationships. Globally, polygamy is legally practiced in many countries around the world such as Asia, Middle East and Africa, but it is not practiced by all. In this essay, I will mainly focus on my topic, polygyny, the marriage of one man to serval women at one time. There are serval factors that can lead to polygyny in many countries around the world. I will discuss the factors that cause polygamy which include social, cultural beliefs and religious factors secondly, I will discuss the impact of polygyny on gender that leads gender discrimination and the negative psychological and physical effects on women.

Polygamy has a long history and is a common phenomenon around the world. The reason for its occurrence is cultural beliefs, religion, divorce and fertility. In most African country’s polygamy is regulated and recognized by the civil law which permits a man to have many wives under certain conditions such as financial measurements to sustenance several wives and families (Hayase 1997). On the other hand, this practice is common because of religious beliefs in Asia. But, to a certain extent, the practice of marriage in North America and Europe is considered illegal. Cultural beliefs have a great impact on people’s attitudes and perceptions. In this respect, attitudes created by cultures play an important role in encouraging multiplicity. For example, in North Africa polygyny is supported by Islam and Jewish religion and in most African countries as mentioned earlier, this practice is seen as a social practice that guarantees family continuity from generation to generation (Benjamin,2008). Women’s accountability for childbearing diminishes, and childless women are treated with humiliation.

Cultural practices such as spouse inheritance have greatly contributed to the multiplicity of marriages in African society. Social practices such as spouse inheritance have greatly contributed to the multiplicity of marriages in African culture. Men are forced to marry widows or women who are left unprotected after the death of their partners or protector. It was also thought of as a way of protecting orphans left after their fathers are died (Moosa, 2008). Polygyny is also a common practice in Asia, Middle East. It is usually official because of Islamic beliefs, as in the Middle East, Islam is a dominant religion. According to Islamic culture, a man is allowed to marry up to four wives at the same time if he is economically sustainable to support each of her family (Al-Krenawi 2008). However, there are other factors that contribute to communities to adopt polygyny. Cheney (2008) states that in many African society’s women are afraid about divorce, infertility, legality and the ways women observe polygyny contributes to polygyny in many countries. Understanding African women with polygyny help them to accept this practice because these women find that their husband’s co-wife can help them with the household chores and it easy to share responsibilities and children. Attitudes and perception about polygyny are mostly shaped by cultural beliefs and in this respect, attitudes that are created by culture plays an important role in inspiring polygyny (Asare 1997). Research by Anarfi (1997) on Ghanaian women has shown that most women accept co-wives as postpartum abstinence. Most wealthy women accept wives. Women evaluate the multiplicity of marriages positively. In their view, this will ensure that their husbands continue their sexual activities while a spouse is still in the postpartum period.

In Sub-Sahara Africa, fertility plays an important role in promoting polygyny. It is perceived by the society that if a woman is not capable of giving birth, she has to be divorced because children are extremely important in Africa and women to have to bear children to gain a position in their marriage and get acknowledged by their husband in order for the husband to share wealth with her (Tabi, 2010). It is believed that children play an important role in keeping their parents’ bonds together. Therefore, infertile women have to accept co-wives because of fear of divorce. This helps polygyny communities in many parts of the world (Cheney 2010). According to Jeenah (2008), social arrogances towards single women or unmarried women also is a key role that encourages women to enter polygamous relationships. Women who are single or divorced are seen as a low social status in polygyny communities. It is also embarrassing for families and communities if one remains single for unknown reasons. The rage with single women leads them into a polygamy culture to escape shame and social pressure.

Impacts of this practice on gender relations

For centuries, the issue of gender has been an important issue not only in America but in other parts of the world. In fact, gender concerns have played a major role in rejecting polygamy in the United States. However, while attempting to understand how marriages multiply on rights and gender equality, analyzing the context of gender rights in different cultures is equally important. According to Velopp (2001), he states that western countries learned from third-world courtiers to advocate for gender rights along with the similar deceptive fanatism of western countries to rationalize discrimination against third world countries. She further states that western nations defend the argument of gender inequality to allow western cultures to gloss over the gender domination that is in their nations (Velopp, 2001). Most contemporary societies are discriminating against women.

Polygamy imposes strict laws on women. Women have to put up with religious, cultural, and family pressures to drop job and education opportunities. This forces them to get married as the only option to achieve financial stability. Religious and cultural beliefs require them to obey their spouse, regardless of circumstances, to avoid divorce. On the other hand, the neglect and abuse of the rights of the child are enormous. Many communities try to empower boys and marry young girls. It maintains gender inequality in society. In accumulation, the above ethical question about polygamy, there are widespread prejudice and gender discrimination in polygamy societies. Such societies know that a man’s gender can marry more than one spouse. They deny women having multiple partners. After all, they are not allowed to have same-sex marriages (Strauss, 2012). The ethical question of why allowing men to have multiple partners and to deny women the same right is ethically correct. Strauss further observes that contemporary multilingual societies promote sexist culture. In addition, power relations hierarchically constrain innovation and individual independence, which significantly reduces poverty. Strauss’s observations about a society that allows girls to marry instead of seeking different opportunities are strong grounds. It is morally wrong to force underage girls into early marriages. Marriage must be with the consent of the parties involved. Minority girls in multilingual societies are deprived of the right to choose the right age for them (Wall, 2003).

References

  1. ‘THE VARIABLE IMPACT OF MORMON POLYGYNY ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN.’ The Polygamy Question. Boulder, Colorado: Utah State UP, 2016. 62. Web
  2. Chamie, J. ‘Polygyny among Arabs.’ Population Studies 40.1 (1986): 2; 55-; 66. Web.
  3. ibbs, Tyson, and Judith Campbell. ‘Practicing Polygyny in Black America: Challenging
  4. Definition, Legal and Social Considerations for the African American Community.’
  5. Western Journal of Black Studies 23.3 (1999): 144-53. Web
  6. Moosa, M. Y. H., Benjamin, R., & Jeenah, F. Y. (2008). A review of multi-spousal relationships-psychosocial effects and therapy. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 12(2), 12-1
  7. Strauss, G. (2012). Is Polygamy Inherently Unequal? Ethics, 122(3), 516-544.
  8. 7. Welsch, Robert L. ‘Polygyny.’ A Dictionary of Cultural Anthropology (2018): A Dictionary of Cultural Anthropology. Web.
  9. Volpp, L. (2001). Feminism and Multiculturalism. Columbia Law Review, 101(5), 1181-1218.

Marriage, Divorce And Polygamy In Islam And Judaism

Both Judaism and Islam are Abrahamic monotheistic religions. In 2015, Islam had a population of 1.8 billion Muslims which makes it the second-largest religion in the world (Lipka, 2017). On the other hand, in 2015, Judaism had a population of 14.3 million Jews in the world (Dashefsky & Sheskin, 2015). Further, Judaism and Islam have similar and different approaches to the purpose of marriage, the rules and regulation of divorce and the opinions on polygamy. These differences and similarities are often related to their tradition and beliefs.

Nikah is an Islamic term used to describe the marriage contract between a man and women (Abdullah, 2018). Marriage is an important part of the Islamic tradition as it is regarded as a solemn covenant (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). The Quran emphasizes that marriage is a form of worship that will help maintain and preserve the faith of the individual’s (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016; Ahmad, 2009). Further, Marriage helps a Muslim feel complete but also to find peace and tranquillity (Ahmad, 2009; Jawad, 1998). The reason for this is because marriage is assumed to solve financial issues and also improve their quality of life (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Therefore, since marriage is a significant practice in Islam, celibacy is highly discouraged. The legally binding contract between the husband and wife has many conditions that must be fulfilled in order for a long-lasting marriage. Muslims must be of mature age to marry where the minimum age for females is nine and males is fifteen. In addition, for marriage to occur a couple must both believe in the same Islamic faith. Further, a man equally has the same duties that a wife does. For example, equal companionship is illustrated through “They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them” (Quran 2:187). Thus, as a couple, they both are responsible for the protection, intimacy and kindness to each other (Jawad, 1998). The husband’s duty towards his wife is to support and treat her with respect and treat all his wives equally (Ahmad, 2009). Further, abuse is strictly forbidden and females are allowed to maintain their faith (Ahmad, 2009). On the other hand, the responsibilities of the wife towards her husband is to maintain a peaceful and relaxing home, she should also acknowledge him as the head of the family (Ahmad, 2009). Overall, it can be seen that marriage is highly valued in Islam and is important for the couple’s wellbeing.

Similar to Islam, celibacy is disapproved as marriage is an important aspect of the Jewish tradition. The term marriage is described as sanctification which means a state of holiness (Hoffman,2010). Thus, just like Islam, Judaism believes that being married can strengthen the faith of individuals. Further, the significance of marriage is expressed through “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:42). Parallel to Islam, the verse demonstrates that marriage completes a person. However, unlike Islam, Judaism states that marriage binds a couple into one. The importance of marriage is also expressed as Judaism noted that marriage will help an individual become emotionally, spiritually and physically fulfilled (Hoffman,2010). Moreover, there are many conditions and regulations that are put in place before and during the marriage. Unlike Islam, it is recommended that the couple is financially ready before marriage (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Further, in comparison to Islam, a female and male must hit puberty before they are able to marry which is the ages of 13 for a male and 12 for a female (Naamani, 1963). Judaism suggests that a Jewish man should be married by the time the male gets to the age of twenty unless he is deeply involved in his faith (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016; Naamani, 1963). In relation to Islam, the couple must believe in the Jewish faith in order to be married (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Similarly to the Nikah in Islam, a ketubah is a legal contract that details the duties of the husband and wife (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). The husband is responsible for showing love to his wife but also providing the wife and his children with necessities and financial support such as shelter (Hoffman,2010; Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Further, the wife must make sure she is following the religious rules and also serving her husband (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). In general, it can be seen that marriage is an integral part of the Jewish tradition in order to strengthen one’s faith and increase their quality of life.

In addition, Islam permits the idea of polygyny but polyandry is forbidden. Polygamy was common throughout the pre-Islamic days as it was introduced to meet the socio-economic and political requirements (Jawad, 1998). Further, Islam allowed men to marry up to four wives (Jawad, 1998). Many argue that the purpose of polygamy is to protect the husband critically ill wife from divorce, it also can help with problems in a war where women are outnumbered and also if she is unable to reproduce children (Marcotte, 2001; Jawad, 1998). Moreover, in the modern-day, polygamy is not as prevalent because the Quran has stated that a man must fairly treat all his wives the same such as financially supporting them equally (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). The Quran also states that as a human it is not possible to treat all of his wives the same (Mondal, 2005). A study found that at least 75 % of men in polygamous relationships could not equally provide for all his wives (Alamgir,2014). Therefore, Muhammed Adduh who is a religious scholar in Egypt has emphasized that polygamy should be banned across all Islamic communities (Jawad, 1998). However, since monogamy is more common throughout Islam, polygamy was banned in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan (Jawad, 1998). Further, many argue that polygamy was put into place for men to oppress and control women. For example, polygamy was used as an excuse for older men to remarry a younger woman for him to be able to feel youthful (Jawad, 1998). A study found that a polygamous husband causes more stress and harm to the wife and children compared to a monogamous husband (Alamgir,2014). Therefore, polygamy can increase the number of abused women. Despite this, restrictions have been put in place to protect the rights of women. For example, the wife can be protected by filing for divorce in court if the male marries another woman (Jawad, 1998). Further, the female is able to gain the ‘delayed dowry’ if a male overuses polygamy and a divorce occurs (Jawad, 1998). Overall, polygamy especially polygyny is an option for the Islamic men but is highly discouraged.

As with Islam, Judaism legalizes polygamy but highly disapproves the idea. During the early days of Judaism, polygamy was more common as Jewish men were often involved in international trade which led the man to marry different women from a variety of countries (Naamani, 1963). However, there has been a decrease in polygamous marriages. Rabbi Gershom of Mainz highly disapproved of the idea of polygamy which led to low rates of polygamy in European countries (Naamani, 1963). Further, polygamy is also discouraged because of the creation story that describes the marriage between a man and a woman (Naamani, 1963). Therefore, much like Islam, Judaism highlights the preference of monogamy compared to polygamy. Moreover, Judaism has put in rules that a man must follow in order to proceed with a polygamous relationship. Similar to Islam, the Talmud requires a man to only marry up to four women (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). In addition, just like the Quran, the Torah emphasizes that a man in a polygamous relationship has to provide equally to all of his wives (Freeman, n.d.) However, Male dominance throughout Judaism is also shown in polyandry. Polyandry is a term used to describe a female marrying multiple husbands. However, much like Islam, polyandry is forbidden in““ Jewish law as this fall under the issue of a female having an affair (Goldfeder,2013). In summary, although polygamy is legalized, monogamy is a norm for the Jewish society today.

Moreover, divorce in Islam is not restricted between a husband and wife under certain conditions. Since divorce is not recommended in the Islamic faith, the couple must go through different methods to attempt to save their relationship. The first method is the couple must try to fix their issues on their own (Ahmad, 2009). If that fails, two arbitrators from each of their families particularly their relatives must try to salvage the couple’s relationship.

However, if these methods do not work, a divorce can occur (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). In the Islamic law, the couple has a 3-month reconciliation and reconsideration time where the married couple can retract the divorce (Ahmad, 2009). Further, in order for a divorce to occur a husband, wife or the judge can initiate it (Ahmad, 2009). Despite this, it is known that males have more power compared to females. Talaq is a term used to describe a divorce initiated by a male (Platt, 2017; Jawad, 1998). However, Talaq is usually associated as a negative term as it demonstrates the dominance and control a man has over women (Platt, 2017). The reason for this is because the husband is able to divorce the wife by word of mouth but also has no reason for divorcing her. Fortunately, females do have a say when it comes to divorce. The only way she is able to initiate a divorce is if she was mistreated or was not happy in the marriage (Ahmad, 2009). However, although the measures have been put in place, the authority a man has over a female is still present in today’s society where women are humiliated and feared for what the man will do (Jawad, 1998). Overall, even though divorce is disapproved of in the Islamic culture, if a married couple cannot find happiness in their relationship, divorce is permitted.

Judaism recognizes the failures of marriage and thus does not forbid divorce (Hoffman, 2010). In comparison to Talaq in Islam, divorce in Judaism can only be authorized by a male without reason (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). For example, the Talmud stated that a man can divorce his wife if he just dislikes her (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Another reason divorce can occur is if the wife is unable to produce children in ten years and if she has had an affair (Ahmad, 2009). Further, compared to Islam’s lengthy divorce process where divorce can occur from the word of mouth, Judaism states that divorce can only happen when the husband hands over the divorce papers to the wife to finalize the separation (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). Therefore, it can be seen that the husband has a lot of authority over the divorce process in Judaism which also parallels to Islam’s divorce process. In comparison to Islam, male dominance is also highlighted when a married man can leave the wife without divorcing her and marry another woman (Ahmad, 2009). If the wife is still married to the husband who has left, she cannot remarry as it is considered as having an affair (Ahmad, 2009). Therefore, this emphasizes the lack of control and individuality the female has when it comes to divorce. However, there are regulations put into place to allow females to divorce her husband. In order for a wife to divorce her husband, she must have physical defects, skin conditions or is unable to fulfil her duties in marriage (Zarean & Barzegar, 2016). The wife can appeal for divorce in the court, but the husband must finalize and approve it through documentation (Ahmad, 2009; (Naamani, 1963)). Fortunately, male authority over divorce has decreased in the modern-day. The authority of the husband during the divorce was allowed up until the 11th century (Naamani, 1963). In the 11 century, Rabbi Gershom declared that a divorce involves consent between a male and a female (Naamani,1963). In conclusion, divorce in Judaism is most often controlled by males, but rules have been put into place to increase the equality between both genders.

Overall, Judaism and Islam are quite similar to each other in regards to the importance of marriage, the divorce process and polygamy. It can be seen that both religions are more male dominant but sometimes do consider the female’s opinion. However, there are differences in marriage, divorce and polygamy that do separate the two religions apart.

Polygamy Essay: Unraveling its Impact and Complexities

Introduction

Polygamy has captivated people for generations, with its complexities being debated for centuries. Culturally speaking, attitudes toward this practice vary greatly between embracing and dismissal. This paper will investigate the various manifestations of polygamy across cultures, examining why they occur. Gender inequality is linked to polygamy; this topic will be explored alongside its impact on current civilization during our discussion.

Effects of Polygamy on Society

Society’s very foundation could be impacted by polygamy, with long-lasting ramifications. A key concern is that it may disrupt the gender equilibrium. A scarcity of potential mates might affect bachelors living in cultures that allow plural marriages. Among men, these factors may cause discord, leading to an unstable social environment.

Multiple children arise when polygamy occurs, coming from diverse maternal sources. If this happens, families may have consequences, including limited financial aid, inheritance concerns, and decreased chances at good schools and medical care.

Larger family sizes result from polyamorous arrangements, typically comprising kids hailing from diverse moms. Stem cell investigation can impact how money is distributed among family members, along with their inheritance rights and chances at higher learning and better health treatment.

Societal Types of Polygamy

There are various forms of polygamy practiced worldwide, each with its unique characteristics:

  1. Polygyny: This is the most common type of polygamy, where a man has multiple wives simultaneously. It is often associated with traditional and patriarchal societies.
  2. Polyandry: In contrast to polygyny, polyandry involves a woman having multiple husbands at the same time. This practice is rarer and has been observed in certain cultures, such as Tibet and parts of Africa.
  3. Group Marriage: In some societies, a group of individuals may form a communal marriage where they all consider themselves spouses of one another. This form is less common but highlights the diversity of polygamous arrangements.

Causes of Polygamy

Polygamy, which means having more than one spouse at the same time, happens for different reasons in different places. Some cultures and religions say having more than one spouse is okay. They might do this because it’s in their beliefs or customs.

In some places, people think having many spouses can make them richer. More family members can help with work or bring in more money. Sometimes, in areas where there are more women than men, polygamy can happen because there aren’t enough men to marry all the women.

In certain situations, polygamy can help women who lost their husbands or divorced. It gives them a new family and support. In some societies, having many spouses can make someone seem more important or rich.

Many times, polygamy comes from long-held traditions and customs that have been around for a very long time. Laws and Rules: In a few places, laws allow and regulate polygamy.

Remember, not everyone in a culture or religion practices polygamy, and views on it can differ widely. Some people see it as old-fashioned and not acceptable in today’s world.

Psychological & Physical Effects of Polygamy

Polygamy has far-reaching impacts on the psyche and body of those participating. Emotional turmoil tends to strike partners whose sense of importance or affection goes unreciprocated. Within polygamous homes, emotionally tumultuous experiences await young ones.

Furthermore, unprotected sexual encounters within polygamous marriages can facilitate the proliferation of STIs. Multiple partner sexual encounters pose a heightened danger when safety measures are neglected or absent.

Polygamy & Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination is a prominent issue associated with polygamy. Females face inferiority when measured against males, who possess elevated social positions and more comprehensive legal safeguards in polygamous settings. Reduced decision-making abilities and restricted educational and economic opportunities might result.

Polygamy may also sustain damaging gender norms, emphasizing that women are chiefly esteemed for their childbearing skills. This can hinder progress toward gender equality and empowerment.

Polygamy can make it harder for women to have equal rights and opportunities. It can create a situation where women are stuck in traditional roles without the chance to follow their own dreams and goals. This is a big problem for achieving fairness between men and women. It’s important to work on these issues to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, has the same chances and rights in society.

Challenging Gender Norms

It is important to acknowledge that not all individuals within polygamous relationships are unhappy or oppressed. Some may willingly enter such arrangements and find fulfillment and happiness within them. To truly grasp polygamy, one must differentiate between voluntary and involuntary unions.

Bettering lives hinges upon supporting women in polygamous relationships. Traditional gender roles are redefined when we modify our mindset, which enables doing this. With an education and financial independence, things become fairer for women. By exercising autonomy, they can shape their future paths.

Polygamy isn’t only a cultural practice but rather intertwined with greater concerns, including women’s empowerment through autonomy of choice. Not every situation is negative; people may feel content or melancholic. We need to look carefully at the problems and unfairness in these marriages and not ignore them.

Around the globe, momentum grows for pushing back against plural marriage customs. To highlight the harmful aspects of polygamy, including coercion, child marriage, and gender inequality, various groups are actively engaging. Some places have started to consider and implement laws that support the legal rights of female partners and dependents in polyamorous arrangements.

Pivotal to overcoming the problems related to polygamy is an educated effort. Individuals gain greater control through the provision of inclusive sex education, birth control alternatives, and complete reproductive wellness support. By educating people, we can alter cultural attitudes and reduce instances of polygamy.

Final Words

Polygamy’s intricate nature demands thoughtful examination to comprehend its consequences fully. Respectful handling of differences depends on balancing cultural uniqueness and personal decisions, while avoiding harmful practices like polyamory. Providing access to learning opportunities and financial means that enable women, along with fostering an environment where such conventions might be reconsidered, could help lessen certain detrimental results related to plural marriage.

Through open discussions about tradition, culture, and human rights, we must adapt to shifting societal norms. Respectful dialogue surrounding polygamy can pave the way toward a future where all have control over their lives. Challenging us to question how strongly we uphold ideals, including human rights, gender equality, and social justice in this rapidly shifting world, polygamy aligns itself with similar customs.

Polygamy Versus Monogamy: Monogamy As A Modern Phenomenon That Humans Have Socially Constructed In “Recent” Years

Topic: Monogamy

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the history of monogamy

Thesis: Monogamy is a modern phenomenon that humans have socially constructed in “recent” years.

1. Introduction

a. Attention Getter:

  • i. Does anybody here believe in soulmates – that there is only one person out there in this world who is able to get you in the way that no one else can? Think back to some of your favourite classical fairy tales: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White – where the princess always finds her one true love amidst the chaotic life that she leads. Again, the emphasis is placed on the word ‘one’. Finding the ‘one’, marrying the ‘one’, and living your happily ever after with the ‘one’. Has ‘one’ always been the case? What if I told you that being romantically involved with ‘one’ has never been the norm until recently?

b. Thesis:

  • i. This practice of monogamy is a modern phenomenon that humans have socially constructed in “recent” years.

c. Credibility Statement:

  • i. Having watched many romantic movies and drama series, I became curious about the whole ideology of monogamy and how it pushed polygamy right out the window of social norms.

d. Relevancy Statement:

  • i.

e. Preview:

  • i. I will first talk about what monogamy really is.
  • ii. I will then move on to discuss the history behind monogamy and its counterpart, polygamy.

2. Body

a. Main Point 1: What exactly is monogamy? Is it simply a commitment you make to a partner or is it more than meets the eye?

  • i. Sub-point 1: Monogamy is a traditional ideal in various parts of the world where romantic partners promise to maintain an exclusive relationship with each other.
    • 1. In many societies around the world, this also meant two partners staying sexually committed to each other without engaging in any sexual activities with anyone else.
    • 2. It is an ideal that we have been raised with ever since we were young. This is evident in the relationships you observe in real life, in movies, television shows, and even, books.
    • 3. With the prevalent nature of monogamy in our lives, it is inevitable that we would grow up to follow such an ideal to lead our lives.
  • ii. Sub-point 2: However, it needs to be noted that monogamy is not a synonym for ‘true love’ and ‘marriage’.
    • 1. Here’s how the relationship with the three factors work: love is a feeling and monogamy is a rule which may then be transformed into a binding legal contract between two partners known as marriage.
    • 2. You can be married to your partner and not practice monogamy (consensually or otherwise) and you can practice monogamy without getting married to your partner.
    • 3. It goes the same way for love – you can practice monogamy even if you don’t love your partner and you can love your partner without practising monogamy.
  • iii. Sub-point 3: Monogamy is unnatural (but we’ve somehow made it normal).
    • 1. Monogamy is today’s social standard but in reality, the practice of such an ideal is not perfect. As humans, we are inherently bad at many things and one of those things happens to be committing to monogamy because the idea of it does not come naturally to us.
    • 2. Take a look at the number of divorces and the number of infidelity cases that occur every year – for instance, Reach Counselling Centre reported that a total of 193 couples was affected by extra-marital affairs in 2018, which made up 40 percent of its total counselling cases.
    • 3. With cheating and infidelity come feelings of hurt and betrayal but that does not always stop people from becoming unfaithful to the commitment that they have made. Monogamy is difficult to uphold but if it is not for you, it might be time to explore other alternatives such as polygamy which has been going on for years before monogamy became a social norm.
    • Now that you’ve learnt about what monogamy is all about, you might be wondering how this whole ideology came about and why it has trounced polygamy to be a ‘thing of the past’.

b. Main Point 2: Monogamy dates back to over a thousand years ago but polygamy has a richer history way earlier than any of us can imagine.

  • i. Sub-point 1: As romantic as the thought might be, humans weren’t always monogamous.
    • 1. Back when our ancestors had to hunt and gather to survive, men who were considered to be exceptional hunters were perceived to be better husbands and had multiple partners and children. Women, on the other hand, would expand their family by mating with different men.
    • 2.
  • ii. Sub-point 2: When did polygamy deteriorate and monogamy rise?
    • 1. One of the main theories researchers have come up with about the abolishment of polygamy is that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) played a significant role. When societies grew larger, so did the prevalence of STDs within the population. As such, there was a pressure placed upon humans to stay monogamous and prevent themselves from engaging in sexual activities with many other partners.
    • 2. Another analysis implied that ancestors who practised monogamy do so because of they lived far and separate from one another. As such, it became difficult for men to monopolise multiple partners. The only solution was to pick one partner and stick with her.
    • 3. Today, monogamy is prevalent because some countries’ law requires partners to stay committed or they would face consequences. In Singapore, infidelity and adultery can be leveraged as a legitimate reason to file for divorce – if a partner is proven to be unfaithful, it will be considered as grounds for ‘irretrievable breakdown of marriage’. In other countries and states, you may be jailed or fined for doing so. As such, there are several reasons (involving one’s country’s law) why people would stick to monogamy and avoid polygamy.
  • iii. Sub-point 3: What do monogamy and polygamy mean today?
    • 1. We have been continuously taught through media and schools that monogamy is the ideology that we should follow. As a result, people who do not practice monogamy are often judged and seen as ‘wrongdoers’.
    • 2. However, as of recent years, consensual polygamy has grown to become of interest for many people (albeit still a controversial topic for some). Many believe that with communication and trust, they will be able to work something out with multiple partners. Why hide your partners if everyone is okay with it? That is not to say that polygamy solves the entirety of problems that monogamy faces.
    • 3. Again, although monogamy may not be as ‘natural’ as we perceive it to be, it can still be a viable ideology for us to live by. Some of us are not okay with the idea of consensual nonmonogamy and that is perfectly fine. There have been numerous couples who manage to commit to monogamy and live their best lives.

3. Conclusion

It is important to understand about the history behind the romantic idealistic relationships that the media and society have pushed on us.

a. Review of Main Points:

  • i. Today, I have discussed with you about what monogamy is and the practice behind it. It is not about finding your soulmate nor getting married to the one you love, but rather, about the commitment and promise you make to one partner.
  • ii. I have also talked about the history and prevalence of monogamy and its counterpart, polygamy.

b. Closing Statement:

  • i. Understanding what you want and need in a relationship is very important – you should not hit yourself if your thoughts have wandered to wanting more than 1 romantic partner. It’s completely natural. Monogamy? Well, that isn’t but if it appeals to you, you should work hard to keep up with that commitment.

Polygamy: Women’s Position In African Society And Cultures

1.0 Introduction

Different cultures view women in different ways. Women in African society and cultures have resisted traditionally in contradiction of certain models that all women encounter. The female personality is different according to each culture and their customs but many cultures are based on male control where women have less power. Women across the world experience suppression in getting jobs, education, sexuality and reproductive choice. The coming of feminism movements in Africa has helped in changing the position of African women their communities. Women are now able to go to school, join politics, and secure high leadership positions in societies. Women have now reproductive and social rights to divorce and birth control. Laws are in place protecting them from sexual assault and physical abuse. However, western paradigms in the area of law and women issues are unconsciously and uncritically applied to explain women’s position in African societies. This has make women in African societies to seen as being oppressed by their own cultures in terms of beliefs and practices.

Western feminism/culture is worldwide spread and imposes both the positive feminist ideals and the conflicting negatives feminist ideals on African societies. This easy will explore the unconscious and uncritical application of western culture to view the position of women in Africa, establish issues on which Western feminism and African feminism can develop common ground and propose strategies that can be used to ensure greater co-operation between western feminism and African feminism.

2.0 Examples of women issues that are unconsciously and uncritically applied to explain women’s position in African societies by western paradigms in the area of law.

There are a number on women’s issues that the western feminist apply to African societies without understanding the African culture. This has led to the collision of most of the women’s rights and African culture. The following are some of the examples of women’s issues that are unconsciously and uncritically applied to African societies to explain women’s position.

2.1 Sexuality

African culture have of customs pertaining to women’s sexuality which western feminist’s view as a violation of women’s rights. Radical feminists argue that patriarchy controls the women’s body by following those cultural practices which most of them are done to please men. The following are some of the African cultural practices that are condemned by western feminists.

2.1.1 Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation is also referred to as female circumcision or female genital cutting. It is the partial or total cutting away of the external female genitalia, generally as one of the element of rite of passage preparing young girls for womanhood and marriage (Diop et al. 2017). Its contestants see it as an important part of their cultural and ethnic identity and some see it as religious obligation. Countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Mali, just to mention a few has this cultural practice as central to their culture.

The World Health Organization describes the procedure as generally being performed by a traditional circumciser in the girl’s home. The cutter is usually an old woman who uses un-sterile devices e.g. knives, razors scissors, glass, sharpened rocks and fingernails. (World Health Organization (WHO) 2012). Western feminists have opposed the practice of FGM, because to them the practice causes harm to women’s health and wellbeing. They also believe that it is a ritualized of child abuse and violence against women, a violation of human rights. This has led to the rise of legislations which criminalize the practice.

Article 5 or CEDAW states that state parties shall take all appropriate measures, to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices (Nations 2006). In trying to enforce this article, in Kenya, the government passed the prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation act in 2011. Among other things, the act provides offences to (1) any person, including a person undergoing a course of training while under supervision by medical practitioner or midwife with a view of becoming a medical practitioner or midwife. On the other hand the act states that in the process of committing an offence under subsection (1) a person causes death of another person, that person shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for life (National Council for Law Reporting 2011).

Parsitau (2017) points out that since Kenya banned the practice in 2011, but FGM/C is still increasingly conducted underground, secretly in homes or clinics by health care workers and providers. The workers cut both young women and grown women which symbolizes the importance of the practice to the African women. Women in Kenya and other part of Africa where this practice takes place says FGM is a positive practice because it enhance women’s values and marriageability in their communities. In Guinea FGM has been a crime since 1965 which attracted death punishment, but no case has been brought to trial. The United Nations Children Fund in 2005 said 99 percent of women in Guinea are cut, a rate which has not changed for decades.

2.1.2 Virginity testing

In South Africa, there is a custom called virginity testing which is done in a ceremony where by girls are laid in a tent. There, one by one they receive a cursory inspection of their genitals by a woman in a ceremonial beaded hat. The inspector pronounces judgment on the state of each girl (Scorgie 2006). To many Zulus and Xhosas virginity testing is a valued and commendable custom that depresses early sex and protects women from HIV and Aids.

Many feminist advocates and children’s rights has been condemning the practice claiming that it is unscientific and discriminatory to girls who are publicly and perhaps falsely accused of having their virginity lost (Lafianiere 2005). The South African government through the parliament took action by prohibiting the practice of virginity testing in the Children’s bill in 2005. During the time when the bill was in parliament, women protested against the impending ban on the practice and wanted the Commission of Gender Equality to speak for them on the important of the practice. They claim virginity testing to be legal (Scorgie 2006).

The children’s bill was passed into an act and certain considerations were made because the practice was not completely banned. The practice was completely banned to the children under the age of 16. To children older than 16, the practice may be performed but with the girls consent to the testing in the prescribed manner and after proper counselling. In section (6) the act also prohibits the disclosure of the results without the girls consent. Section 7 prohibits the marking of the body that undergone the testing (Makoae et al. 2015).

The practice was criticized and banned because, the advocacy said it infringes upon girls rights to boldly integrity and privacy. They argue that stigmatization, humiliation and embarrassment were likely consequences of the testing no matter how sensitivity the testing was performed. They also pointed out that girls security and freedom was compromised by such public displays of virginity (Scorgie 2006).

Conferences were held to stop virginity testing which involved chiefs. The traditional leaders insisted to uphold their custom and they urged the activists that there are laws that were passed and do not necessarily have any impact on the lives of people. They imagined that the ban of virginity testing will be one of those laws (The New Yolk Times 2005). According to the traditional leaders, the practice help to curb the incidence of teen age pregnancies and stems the rising tide of HIV infections among young people including STIs. As a tradition, the practice is also seen as a way of encouraging pride in local heritage.

2.1.3 Abortion

Abortion is another issue that western feminists especially the radicals want to impose on African women. They argue that men control women’s body by not allowing them to terminate the pregnancy whenever they want. According to them, a woman to be pregnant is oppressive and the woman should have the choice to terminate the pregnancy. In most of the western countries termination of pregnancy nowadays is legal because of the radical feminists effort and they wish the same thing to happen to Africa (Willis and Aronowitz 2015).

People in Africa are resisting because the African tradition respect life of a human being as stated in the human rights declaration. The scriptures has also always stress the sacredness and the respect of each and every human being. Turyomumazima (2018) points out that termination of pregnancy in Africa is only acceptable in unexpected conditions. In African Traditional beliefs and practices, there is no place for abortion because African people loves Children. Children in African communities are extremely valued, they are regarded as blessings from God. That is why when a child in born in most of the African communities, the baby is welcomed with very much joy (Mbiti 1990). In Africa, marriage is an important institution in which procreation is supposed to be taking place hence marriage and procreation are unity in African communities. Mbiti (1990) says without procreation marriage is incomplete. Pregnancy is the first indication that the family will add another member. Women who fails to produce children are not happy and are not respected hence abortion cannot be allowed in the African society.

In Malawi for a woman to miscarry is a very much painful thing to her and the whole family because during the pregnancy everyone is happy as they expect to add another human being to the family. In Malawi for a woman to abort is evil and it is punishable by the laws. Chapter 7:01 section 149 of the penal code prohibits abortion by saying that any person who attempts to procure abortion, or anyone who supply drugs or instruments to procure abortion commits a felony and it attracts the punishment of 14 years imprisonment (Laws of Malaŵi 2015).

2.2 Motherhood

Akujobi (2011) defines motherhood as an automatic set of feelings and behaviours that is switched on by pregnancy and the birth of the baby. It is an experience that is said to be profound shaped by social context and culture. Being a mother is a biological assigned task that everyone as far as women are concerned will pass through. To be a mother in African society is an exciting thing that led one to be respected. The Marxists feminists argue that child bearing and rearing is an unpaid work in the public domain which needs to be compensated for. The radical feminists concur with them that motherhood is oppressive and they recommended women to go for a biological revolution characterized by utero fertilization to avoid the oppression.(Willis and Aronowitz 2015).

This is contrary to how Africans have respect for mothers. To be barren is a shameful thing in African culture, the woman who have no children is seen as in complete and Mbiti (1990) calls it dead end of human life not only genealogical level but also herself. In Malawian culture, if a woman is barren, all necessary means are taken to make that woman productive. It includes involving traditional healers who provide the woman with traditional medicine of which most of the times helps. So motherhood is in many African societies bound in many cultural and religious meanings. Mbiti (1990) recognizes the concept of mother when he says that it is central to African Philosophy and spirituality. Motherhood is a joyful and advantaged state for the woman because in pregnancy a woman grows and shine and she receives special treatment from her husband and her mother in law. In Africa the primarily function of a woman is motherhood and almost every girl when reach a certain age desires to be a mother.

Article 14 (1) (b) of the African protocol of the rights of women states that women has the right to decide whether to have children, the number of children and the spacing of children (African Union Commission 2003). This contrary to the African tradition because there is no choice of being a mother or not because children in Africa are wealth. In Nigerian among the Yuloba, a woman is considered real woman when she has proven to be productive (Akujobi 2011). A woman without a child is viewed as a waste of herself to her husband and the society. African women enjoys the experience of being a mother and does not consider it disturbing, rather sees it as an honor.

2.3 Polygamy

Polygamy is another issue that is misinterpreted in African societies by western feminists. They points out that polygamy is oppressive to African women. Africans are known by their culture and customs hence polygamy is one of the custom/cultural identities and is no way regarded as a way of oppressing women. The custom fits well into the social structure of traditional life and into the thinking of the people serving many purpose.

There are a number of reasons why polygamy is allowed in African societies. The first one is barrenness; this is the inability of producing children particularly women. Like I already explained in the issue of abortion, African people loves children, so if a woman is not able to produce, the husband is allowed to take another women to assist the first wife in bearing children. This is common in Malawian culture. The woman is usually aware of the new development since the husband first seek consent from her and most of the times she is the one who choose the women for her husband to marry. In Yoruba culture in Nigeria, polygamy is done in a form of woman to woman marriage. This mostly happens if the woman is barren. What happens is, if a man marries a woman who is not capable of producing children, the wife marries a woman who she directs her husband to be sleeping with in order to have children (Cadigan 1998).

However in some Cultures of Malawi, for instance the Tumbuka, a man can have as many wives as he want as far as he is able to support them and manages to pay malowolo (bride price). Sometimes in this culture, polygamy can come in when the wife is pregnant. So to avoid the man having an affair outside his marriage, the family of the wife brings a sister of the wife as a second wife. Polygamy is also fueled by religion for instance Muslims and the apostolic churches. So according to the African tradition, polygamy is acceptable and it is not oppressive the first wife always allows it to happen.

3.0 Common grounds for Western Feminism and African Feminism

The common grounds of western and African feminism can be understood if we understand the meaning and the goals of these feminists. Feminism is a diversity of political movements, ideas and societal movements that share a corporate objective to express, form and achieve political, economic, and personal and gender equality. This includes fighting for gender labels and looking for establishment of educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to those for men. So African Feminism and Western Feminism are feminists from different continents with the common goal of fighting for rights of women.

The following are some of the common grounds for African Feminism and western feminism;

3.1 Advocacy for Women’s Rights

The main aim of feminists is to fight for the expansion of the rights of the role of women in societies. As also seen in the definition of feminism their goal is to fight and establish social justice and get rid of gender inequalities(Kaboré 2017). Feminists also believe in the social, political and economic equality of sexes. Since both African feminism and western feminism are centered in fighting for social justice and gender equality, they can walk together in fighting for positive change in the lives of women. This can be well done through the United Nations women’s conventions and international conferences where they can be sharing different challenges in their continents concerning women oppression and at least come up with solutions to those problems.

Since the founding of the United Nations, the equality between men and women has been among the most fundamental guarantees of human rights dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women (UNHR 2014) Article 1 (3) of the united nations stipulates that one of the purpose of the united nations is to promote human rights as fundamental freedoms without a distinction as to race, sex language and religion. The prohibition of discrimination based on sex is repeated in article 13(1) (b) (Un charter 1945). Women’s rights are human rights, but human rights are included in legislations of different states. So it is the duty of both African and Western feminists to work together and fight for women’s rights to be included in the legislations of different states.

3.2 Fighting for women’s reproductive rights and family and eradication of violence against women

The Beijing platform for action defines violence against women as any act of gender based violence that result in physical, sexual or psychological harm of suffering to women including of such acts coercion arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life (Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action Beijing 1995). Violence against women is a worldwide problem which needs African and western feminists to curb. Violence against women is at the front position on the struggle for women’s rights as human rights hence needs to be addressed by the feminist.

African feminism and Western feminism can also work together in the fighting for reproductive health rights for women and family planning. Reproductive health rights should be like freedom to tie our heads the way we want. Feminists should at all cost try to sensitize African women especially in rural areas on reproductive health issues so that women should have a say when it comes to provision of services (Knowles 2012). Feminist should work together fighting for the introduction of sex and reproductive related education in schools so that young women will be aware of them at an early stage. Experience has shown that most of the countries in Africa does not offer such kind of education in primary schools as a result girls drop out school because of early pregnancies before they learn reproductive issues which is contrary to most of the western countries (Knowles 2012). If African and Western feminists work together in issues like this they will learn from each other and at some point adopt the strategies hence achieving their common goal.

African and western feminists on the other hand needs to work together in African countries to encourage women on family planning issues. Many people in Africa, reproductive health and rights are not accepted because they fear that it means abortion. But reproductive rights does not mean abortion and this way there is need for awareness and access (Knowles 2012).

3.3 Women participation in Political leadership

Women’s participation in political issues is another important ground in which African feminism and Western feminism can play together. Women have the right to equal say in the issues that affect their lives whether it’s deciding how their house hold income is spent or how their country is run. Unfortunately violence, poverty and gender roles hinder women to be heard. There are many obstacles that prevent women participation in politics. Most of the women are poor, uneducated and are subjected to greater caring responsibilities.

In Malawi, a high profile 50-50 campaign was launched prior to 2009 election in order to increase women participation in parliament (Amundsen et al. 2016). This campaign worked only in 2009 elections where 22.3 percent of women represented in parliament in a period of 2009-2014 and president Muthalika filled his cabinet with 23.8 percent post with women. In 2014 elections the number of women representatives in parliament decreased to 16.7 percent. Different researches showed that most of the women lacked financial support and lacked full support from their political parties (Amundsen et al. 2016). On the other hand women get discouraged to participate in politics because they face prejudices, harassment and violence as they present a challenge to traditional gender roles and power relations, for instance recently in Malawi a woman politician was labeled prostitute on a political rally and the president was quite which angered many feminism organizations.

So African feminists and western feminists can work together on the issue of women’s participation in politics by voicing out for women’s full, meaningful public political participation and should be enabled by a range of institutions including countries constitution, the electoral system and temporary special legal measures. If women have place in political leadership e.g. in parliament, it is easy for them to address issues that affect their lives and have an influence in amending the legislations.

4.0 Strategies that can be used to ensure greater cooperation between Western feminism and African feminism

There are a number of strategies suggested in this paper that can be used for greater co-operation between Western Feminism and African feminism as explained below;

4.1 Globalization

The world is becoming more and more united. Technological developments are rapidly changing the way people learn, work and communicate. So to ensure greater co-operation between Western feminism and African feminism there is need to encourage the use of technology for the feminists to learn new this from each other. For instance the use of online networks between feminists. This will help to bring both Western and African Feminists together because they will be able to know what is happening from either side of the groups. The coming and use of internet has proven to be the easiest way of sending and receiving in formation. Due to this greater access to information, it will allow African feminists to learn about life and tradition of the other parts of the world including those pertaining to the role of women possibly affecting attitudes and behaviours, and likewise the Western feminists. This will help to bridge the gap that is there between them. They will start then thinking in the same way rather than speaking of separate things yet the all claim to be rights of women.

4.2 Need for more research

Western feminists have a tendency of generalizing ideas they are not well conversant of. For instance some other issues relating to women in the African culture which they think are oppressive to women. It is important that both the African feminists and the Western feminists should do research so that the hidden ideas of different cultures should be known before criticizing. Western and African culture needs to take into consideration concept called cultural relativism.

Cultural relativism refers to not judging a culture to one’s own standards of what is write of wrong, strange or normal. Instead one should try to understand cultural practices of the other group in its own cultural context (Schwab and Korea 2018). For instance, instead of thinking FGM is bad /harmful cultural practice one should instead find out why such cultural practice is done. Then one would understand that it protects women from contacting HIV and Aids plus STIs since it reduces sexual desires. Cultural relativism can only be achieved through involving both African feminists and Western feminists in comprehensive research. Feminists from Africa should do research concerning their culture and publish them so that western feminists should read and understand why some thighs happens in their culture. Western feminists should also do in the same way so that Africans should understand what happens in the western culture. This will prevent judging things based one’s culture without understanding the other culture hence great co-operation.

4.3 Conducting conferences which includes both African feminists and Western feminists

It is very important to be conducting different feminists’ conferences where policies relating to gender issues and protection of women’s rights may be generated. When these policies are made at international level, participants from different states should import them to their respective countries, educate other women in their communities and also fight for the policies to be included in the legislations. In so doing there will be greater co-operation since the feminists actions will be universal.

5.0 Conclusion

African women respect and accept African culture as a belief and behaviour objects shared by groups of people. African cultures place significant values on ceremonial practices and other things in which gender of certain people is portrayed. For instance FGM and virginity testing portrays the female gender and are very important practices for women in most of the African societies. They are also assist women in preventing the modern pandemic e.g. HIV and Aids and also STIs. But the fact that these mechanisms for achieving these ends are uniquely African in origin and orientation they are not accepted by the West. To my understanding FGM is just the same as male circumcision because they all involve the painful cutting of the private parts for certain goal. On the one hand there is no place for abortion in Africa because it is a disgrace and evil thing in African society, and motherhood will never be an oppressive thing in Africa because every woman at a certain age expects to be a mother and is happy with it. Women without children are useless in African society. However western feminist cannot continue to erase Africa but there is need to do more research, conducting conferences and use technology to connect worldwide so that African and Western feminism can have a greater co-operation and work together. Western and African feminism can also work together in fighting for women’s rights, reproductive and family planning women’s participation in politics.