Polygamy is a marriage with multiple spouses, common in some areas. Polyandry involves a woman and two or more men, while polygyny involves a man and two or more women. Bigamy means having two spouses at the same time. The preferred term is plural marriage. Controversy surrounds the concept of polygamy, with concerns about its impact on society and whether it should be legalized.
Polygamy is a marriage involving multiple spouses, rather than two. Polygamy has been practiced for centuries, but has been phased out in most modern societies. There are different types of polygamy. A union involving a woman and two or more men is rightly called polyandry, while a union involving a man and two or more women is called polygyny.
The latter arrangement is by far the most prevalent demographic. While polygamy is illegal in the United States and other countries, it is still practiced in many areas. In fact, there is a movement going hand-in-hand with the same-sex marriage movement in the United States that hopes to include polygamy in the redefinition of marriage.
Bigamy is sometimes used interchangeably with polygamy, although they are not necessarily the same thing. Bigamy technically means having two spouses at the same time, and the term is often used to describe two separate marriages, often when one spouse does not know about the other. Bigamy can also refer to having two spouses in one family, but such arrangements are usually referred to as polygamy.
The preferred term in this and other similar debates is plural marriage, rather than polygamy. Within polyculture, words such as polyfidelity can also be used. The terms polygamy, polyandry, and polygyny are often seen as anthropological in nature and not particularly effective at describing the different types of poly relationships in detail.
The concept of polygamy, especially polygyny, tends to be a fertile topic for controversial debate. While some say polygamy is a religious principle, others say it is a simple matter of choice, which they believe should be open to all free people. However, the definition of free people often includes minor children, which leads to the other side of the argument. Those who are against polygamy, or plural marriage, believe it is an unhealthy living arrangement, due in part to the headlines and news stories reflecting the most extreme cases.
Other concerns center on whether legalized polygamy leads to an unbalanced society. Simple math leads to this conclusion. If a man marries two or more women, he may leave two or more other men without a potential mate.
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