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There are different forms of marriage.
Polygamyis having more than one spouse at a time, so one must engage in bigamy to experience polygamy.
Read further to explore these two notable non-traditional systems of romantic partnership.
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you will find out there are additional similarities and differences between bigamy and polygamy.
Other related practices will be examined as well.
What Is Bigamy?
Bigamyrefers to a marriage between two people, where one-half of the couple is already in an existing marriage.
It can also be intentional andnotcompletely consensual, where two spouses may not be aware of each other.
It can also be unintentional, as the result of an attempted divorce that was never legally finalized.
Bigamy is widely illegal, with all parts of the United States outlawing the practice.
People who are in bigamous unions are viewed as committing crimes.
However, how that crime may be punished varies by state.
What Is Polygamy?
Polygamyis the general union of three or more people into marriage is known as polygamy.
For most people, this marriage is believed to be reserved for a man and multiple wives.
This is, however, not always the case.
Polygamy is a general description of a marriage carried out by any gender with multiple partners.
The three types of polygamy arepolygyny,polyandry, and group marriage.
Polygyny
When a man marries multiple women at the same time, it is known aspolygyny.
This marriage is not a popular choice in most societies.
There are many reasons this form of marriage may be adopted.
A man capable of partnering with multiple women is usually considered wealthy.
This is because he must have the means to care for them all.
Forms of Polygyny
Here are the different types of polygyny:
What Is Polyandry?
Polyandry is a marriage practice where one woman has more than one husband at a time.
Polyandry is observed in very limited communities.
These women also report more mental health issues in comparison to their monogamous counterparts.
Group Marriage
Group marriage is also a form of polygamy.
This is an arrangement in which all parties involved engage in a marriage-like agreement.
It may include more than one man and more than one woman.
However, these relationships are not identical.
They typically all live together and have agreed to this form of marriage.
With bigamy, however, one or both parties are often oblivious to their partner’s other marriage.
In some cases, one spouse may be living a double life.
Different Classifications in the Law
In some countries, bigamy and polygamy are considered legal for men.
Usually, a man marries his first wife, and additional marriage ceremonies occur with time.
A marriage ceremony joining one person to multiple people at the same time is largely viewed as illegal.
Style of Living
A bigamist will typically maintain two households to accomodate the separate partners.
In contrast, polygamists may keep one household with all spouses present.
The Influence of Religion
Polygamy may be observed as the custom of a specific culture.
In other instances, it may receive religious backing.
This form of marriage is very rare, and may be observed for economic reasons supported by the partners.
These extramarital relationships are not considered cheating, as they are engaged in with mutual knowledge and consent.
Polyamorous Relationships
Apolyamorous relationshiprecognizes that monogamy is only one of the ways romantic relationships may be forged.
This relationship bang out accepts the possibility of loving more than one person at a given time.
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