Polygamy is an ongoing controversy both in Canada and around the world. Polygamy is referred to as a form of marriage or social practice in which a male individual has more than one spouse or wife (Campbell, 2005). The act of polygamy is illegal and against the law in many countries, though this marriage structure still rarely occurs in some societies or families. Worldwide, the cultures and societies that have accommodated the act of polygamy are well aware that emotional, societal, economic, and physical factors are inflicted upon the well-being of women along with their families. This act has been outlawed in Canada since 1892, and there are many debates in progress of determining whether or not Canada ought to legalize the practice of foreign polygamous marriages (Campbell, 2005). The ban on polygamy should be overturned in Canada, for the reason that different religious and cultural practices that involved polygamy do in fact exist within this diverse nation, as well, it is beneficial to women and their children in terms of financial support and domestic assistance between the wives. However, this practice is contrary to the values and notions of equality between males and females in the Canadian and western society.
Canada, as a multicultural nation, should legalize the act of polygamy as it is practiced within many religions and cultures that exist in the country. Canada is a diverse country and consists of various individuals who have different beliefs and values and carry out certain roles subsequent to their cultures and religions. Many religions, such as Islam, which is practised by many individuals in Canada today, allow the tradition of polygamy under certain circumstances. Individuals who pursue this religion and ...
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In fact, the number of divorces in Canada for every 100,000 people has decreased from a high of 362.3 in 1987 to 220.7 in 2005 (Wyman 1). Yet when we exclude the large and sudden jump of the Page 2 divorce rate in the 1980’s, we can see the overall national divorce rate is still gradually increasing from those of an earlier time period, which is to be expected due to the continued changes in societal norms.... ... middle of paper ... ... A senseless census reform."
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Polygamy is not something many Americans are accustomed to. Western culture teaches that monogamy, as opposed to polygamy, is the proper, accepted form of marriage. Western culture places that morality into it's people, often from youth.
Women throughout history have been considered to have an active role in the family life as the caretakers, while the men are considered the “breadwinners” of the family. However, a few women still have had to provide for their families throughout the years and as a result have sought employment in industries that “were highly segregated by sex” (Goldin 87). Women employm...
The Canadian family structure has changed greatly in recent years. While divorce rates have jumped, and marriage rates have plummeted, the resulting change has been single parent families (Myles, 2010). As a result of this, single parent families do not have the benefit of dual...
Natalier, K (2003). ‘I’m Not His Wife’: Doing Gender and doing Housework in the Absence of Women. Journal of Sociology, 39(3) 253-269.
Multiculturalism is a significant fabric of Canadian society that defines its unique identity among the rest of the world. Enactment of the Canadian multicultural policy (1971) affirmed government position and recognition of multiculturalism as a vital element of Canada. It is imperative to understand that multiculturalism is a static concept that keeps changing overtime and has a multidimensional entity. Canadians have always and will continue to revise the concept of multiculturalism to suit the ever expanding needs of Canadian society. In this paper, I will evaluate the reasons behind Canada’s adoption of multicultural policy and assess whether the policy should be maintained or not. I will defend the thesis that Canada’s multiculturalism
Mason, Karen Oppenheim, An Jensen, and Janet Saltzman Chafetz. "Chicken or Egg? A Theory of the Relationship between Feminist Movement and Family Change." Gender and Family Change In Industrialized Countries. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1995. 63-68. Print.
In today’s world many people have had different views and ideas on what polygamy really is, is it morally wrong? In this paper you are going to learn what polygamy is, who practices it, the affects that it has on children, wives and the husbands, risk factors, and most importantly why it is morally wrong.
The Western Religious leaders and moralists believe only one spouse for life is the highest form of marriage. Some of the most "primitive" peoples are strictly monogamous in their ideals, while some "highly advanced" cultures have moved away from the stri...
Mention the concept of polygamy in any “civilized” gathering, and you just may be able to see the shiver of repulsion that ripples through the crowd. By substituting the word “polyamory” in, you will be able to circumvent this reaction – but only because everyone is staring at you in baffled silence instead. So we begin, as always, with definitions.
Many people would happily accept an opportunity to have their daily stress reduced by employing help with not only their children but also with daily household responsibilities of cooking and cleaning. Especially in this fragile economic state the average family living in America cannot afford the luxury of hiring a house cleaner, cook or nanny. However, there are polygamists families in America have the abilities of multiple adults contributing to the same household because of the lifestyle choice of having multiple spouses. The extra help comes at a price for woman, by having to share her husband with other woman and raising her children in the difficult and uncommon lifestyle. Polygamy takes a total acceptance and understanding of it by the mothers, in order for polygamy not to have a negative psychological impact on her children. Children are the innocent victims of polygamy; consequently, they grow up witnessing a tense environment filled with their mother’s insecurities and rivalries with the other wives, which sequentially end up harming the child in the end. Furthermore, polygamy can be psychologically damaging to children because of the increased rates of not only welfare fraud, domestic violence, and underage marriages but also child abuse and neglect.
As Utah polygamist Tom Green recently learned, laws against multiple spouses are still liable to be enforced. Green, who boasted five wives and an estimated twenty-five to thirty children, was convicted of four counts of bigamy (and one count of nonsupport). He was not a particularly sympathetic defendant: one of his wives was only fourteen when he married her, and he could not support all the children he promiscuously fathered. So, it’s probably not fair to say he was prosecuted because of his religious beliefs, but he was prosecuted in spite of them. He is not a particularly virtuous man, but he is, after all, a religious one.
Equality is meant to be used for religious view, every person on this earth, and everything created. Let people be who they are and be with who they love, whether it is just one or multiple people. It would not affect society and children negatively if people did not act negatively towards it. After this quick overview on the polygamist practice and viewing the different sides opposing and for the religion, it is hoped that there are better or more educated opinions on the subject. If people still think negatively towards the religion then that is fine, because the main purpose to this essay was to help better educate and form better justifications on the subject. Maybe this could be an eye-opener for most and possibly help people be more accepting of others who do not believe the same as they do.
In today’s society the assumption asserts that there must be only two adults integrated in a relationship, however in polygamous environments, having more than one spouse is traditional. Some may argue that Polygamy is simply just an alternate lifestyle. This, however, ceases to be true. Young girls are being forced to marry older men and sometimes relatives. Little boys are often abandoned because it appears to be competition for older men. Children are victims of sexual and physical abuse. Whereas, for women, they generally become stripped of their money and experience competition against the multiple wives a husband. Although Polygamy is viewed as immoral by society, the main focus point should be saving young children and women because