Texas Review of Law & Politics, Volume 19, Number 1, Fall 2014 Page: 75
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Natural Law
not all things that are related are married. I am related to my
sisters, my parents, my friends, and my students, but I am
married to none of them. What has to be present in a
relationship to make it a marriage? As asked before, can I
actually be married to my job instead of my wife? A wife can
accuse her husband of being married to his job, but that does
not make him a bigamist-to suggest such a thing is clearly
absurd. Or is it? The argument over the definition of marriage
takes place in the theater of the absurd. We can and should ask
whether or not that which we marry must even be. human.
Recently, a woman "married" a Ferris wheel.58 France granted a
woman a marriage license to "marry" her dead boyfriend.59 In
2006 a woman "married" a dolphin.60 The list goes on. In
Germany a man "married" his cat,61 in China a man "married"
himself,62 and in South Korea a man "married" his pillow.63 All
of these "marriages" boast a romantic attraction. Yet, as
determined earlier, romantic attraction is not essential to
marriage. Further, the romance is one-sided. Ferris wheels and
pillows cannot reciprocate romantic love, and neither can dead
bodies or other species. Although those who claim to be married
to objects may feel romantic attachments to them, they do not
possess that which is necessary for a true marriage.
One might argue that commitment is-an essential property of
marriage. I can agree with this. However, commitment covers too
much ground. That is, though commitment may be necessary for
a marriage, it is not unique to marriage. I am committed to my
work, but I am not married to it in the way that I will be to my
fiance. I am committed to being a good father to my son, but I
am neither his husband nor his wife. Commitment is necessary
58. David Moye, Linda Ducharme Gets Married To Ferris Wheel Named 'Bruce,'
HUFFINGTON PoST, Nov. 19, 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/linda-
ducharme_n_4298963.html [perma.cc/VB8-KPMD].
59. Corpse Bride: French Woman Marries Her DEAD Boyfriend, DAILY MAIL, June 24, 2011,
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2007803/Karen-jumeaux-marries-DEAD-boyfriend-
Nicolas-Sarkozys-blessing.html [perma.cc/5WGP-52JV].
60. British Woman Marries Dolphin, Fox -NEWS, Jan. 3, 2006,
www.foxnews.com/story/2006/01/03/british-woman-marries-dolphin [perma.cc/H8UX-
6HDS].
61. German Man 'Marries' His Dying Cat, BBC NEWS, May .3, 2010,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8658327.stm [perma.cc/R6Y-PUL3].
62. Geozone, Chinese Man Marries Himself, DIGITAL J., Jan. 29, 2007,
www.digitaljournal.com/article/102003 [perma.cc/R6Y-PUL3].
63. Dan Abramson, Korean Man Marries Pillow, HUFFINGTON POST,. May 10, 2010,
www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/10/korean-man-marries-pillown_494122.html
[perma.cc/V879-P9SA].No. 1.
75
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University of Texas at Austin. School of Law. Texas Review of Law & Politics, Volume 19, Number 1, Fall 2014, periodical, Autumn 2014; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth638673/m1/89/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.