I don’t know if this Supreme Court session will take a case that could overturn marriage equality before Hannah Ruth and I are ready. But I know that there are hundreds of rabbis who are willing, able and even excited about meeting us where we’re at when the time is right.
Tag: Marriage
Divorce Could Spell Economic Disaster for Women During the Pandemic
The pandemic is undoing decades of progress, reinforcing a breadwinner/homemaker division of labor for all too many women. When rising divorce rates get added to the mix, history teaches us the combination can be volatile.
There’s a Simple Solution to End Child Marriage in North Carolina
New studies by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) reveal the grim consequences of child marriage in the U.S., which occurs at particularly high rates in North Carolina. North Carolina is becoming a common destination for adults to take children when their marriage is illegal in their home states. Between 2000 and 2015, almost 9,000 minors were listed on marriage license applications in North Carolina.
But there’s a simple solution: Set the minimum age of marriage at 18, without exceptions.
Tools of the Patriarchy: The Naming Tool
“Tools of the Patriarchy” is a biweekly column on the tools that establish men’s dominance in society, or, in other words, uphold the patriarchy. Whether or not these tools are used intentionally, they contribute to a world in which women are not equal to men.
The naming tool is a long-standing tradition dictating that after marriage, a woman should give up her birth name and take on her husband’s last name. Children also frequently take their father’s last name, carrying the tradition on into the next generation.
LISTEN: Eve Rodsky Lays Down the Rules for Fair Play in Feminist Partnerships
In her book “Fair Play,” Eve Rodsky lays out strategies—and rules—for couples interested in forging equitable partnerships. In an exclusive audio clip from her self-narrated audiobook, she walks us through Rule #1: “All Time is Created Equal.”
Reinventing Pygmalion: Tracey Emin’s “Rocky” Marriage
The British artist Tracey Emin is famous for uncompromising displays of female vulnerability in the most fleshly and confessional of forms. From the dirty underwear and tampons of her 1998 “My Bed” installation to the visceral sexuality of her autobiographical paintings, Emin’s work is filtered through a desirous—and often distressed—mortal body defined by a raging […]
Love in the Time of Homophobia: Considering the Use of Confidential Marriage Licenses
When I began Los Angeles County’s online marriage license application a few nights ago, I was asked to choose between either a public or confidential marriage license. I confess that it was the nominally lower price tag of the confidential option that led me to do a quick Google search. There were a few differences between […]
No Comment: Target’s “Trophy” T-Shirt Is Sexist
Target is selling a shirt with the word “Trophy” printed across the front in big, bold letters—in its juniors section. (!) After stumbling upon the shirt in her local Target about a month ago, a Wisconsin woman launched a petition on Change.org calling for the company to stop selling the shirt. For a bit of background, […]
How Feminism Helped Pave the Way for Marriage Equality
The Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality is, as President Obama declared in his remarks following the ruling, “a victory for America.” It’s also a major win for feminism. In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy recounted the history of marriage in brief, emphasizing that even though the institution has existed for millennia and across civilizations, “it […]
The Great Last-Name Debate
Here is a fun experiment for you to try on your husband-to-be. Ask him if he would have considered taking your last name instead of keeping his own when you got married. Based on what I have experienced, I bet that most men will immediately say no and provide you with a very creative answer. […]