ABSTRACT
Contrary to various public opinions, marriage in America has become a public, politicized institution, entrenched in American societal structures, “in the Western model, people expect
marriage to satisfy more of their psychological and social needs than ever before, free of the
coercion, violence and gender inequalities that were tolerated in the past” (Coontz, 2005, p. 23).
Policies have been passed about who can marry whom and what should occur within the confines of marriage. As a romanticized society, getting married is a major social benchmark, equally weighted
with a college degree, military rank, and home ownership. However, if one is wealthy with
adequate resources, marriage is easily eluded. Yet, for poor populations, particularly historically
vulnerable racial and ethnic groups, the absence of marriage has had ramifications on resources, child rearing, relationships, social power, and family structure. Social workers trained in the
academy evaluate the sustainability, virtue, and success of family life on the basis of the presence
and endurance of long-lastingmarriages. In fact, the mere absence of marriage stigmatizes families, subjecting divorced or never-married women as less virtuous if they are in need of relief and
assistance.
