Social monogamy is an image most often portrayed by many of the human species. Originally spread by the Greeks and Romans, the tradition was maintained mostly through Christianity, one of the biggest champions of monogamy within history. As wide spread as monogamy is, it may have driven society into darker corners of human nature than was originally expected. With the rise of monogamy came such things as the rise of the objectification of both human males and females through marriage. This is mostly shown by just how marital laws were imposed and how the customs related to …show more content…
The purpose of this paper is not to highlight the benefits of non-exclusive relations but rather to criticize a far from perfect institution that is at the center of western culture and is an implicit rule that is rarely or never questioned. Within these societies the seeming social dependence on such sexually and romantically exclusive relationships leads to the objectification of both men and woman, the creation of a stigma for those who do not follow its practice. It is here where the journey of questioning the social norm of monogamy begins.
What is Monogamy?
Before we can analyze the negative effects of monogamy one must be able to understand just what monogamy is and how it has risen to be the most popular and socially acceptable form of relationship. The dictionary definition according to the Oxford definition for the word monogamy are:
1) “The practice of marrying or state of being married to one person at a time”
2) “The practice or state of having a sexual relationship with only one partner”
3) “Zoology The habit of having only one mate at a