ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I consider monogamy and marriage from an ethical perspective. Is a life of monogamy the best way to live – and is it fair to expect our partners to be monogamous? I discuss gay marriage, which, though now legal in most western jurisdictions, continues to be debated. Beyond the debate over gay marriage itself, the achievement of marriage equality for gays and lesbians raises many issues that are still to be resolved. What do the arguments in favour of marriage equality imply for those who want to marry more than one person? I consider arguments for and against the legal recognition of plural partnerships. Then I ask a broader question: Should the state in a liberal democracy, which is expected to remain neutral with regards to people's life choices, be in the business of sanctioning marriage at all? Does state-sanctioned marriage leave single people the target of discrimination? I consider arguments to redefine marriage radically, to allow for legal recognition of non-romantic relationships, and arguments to transform it into a private contract between partners, with no state involvement at all.
