In this age of modern equality and movements like #metoo is it right to be assigned to one person before you even reach the age of consent? Or should we all be arranging marriages for our families. Does it save time and heartache to have one pre-matched partner or does it reward the historical terms of inequality?
Parents start to look for a companion for their children when they are around 10 years old. In countries like India, arranged marriage is something only a few do not do. Advertisements in local newspapers ‘promoting’ their children to find a dashing and hopeful young boy or girl that will bring wealth into the family.
Divided by factors like caste, profession and religion the newspaper spread is titled Soulmate, love fins its match. With this ever so cheesy tagline, the appearance of the spread takes the aesthetics of housing listings. Which makes you question the thought, are people still just property to others.
Gender inequality is still just as prevalent as it was in 1910s as it is now. As the term feminism is thrown about more and more with more virility it is hard not to judge anything with a hint of right or wrong for both sexes.
From the times of being seen but not heard, a women’s place in society has grown dramatically yet there are still criticisms against women that stem from when our only role was to marry and have children, to serve and obey our husbands.
It is hard to not see the pages of advertisements as a fall back in times to the 1900s. But, in India it is not always seen as a derogatory sale but a tradition, just like mistletoe at Christmas time.
90% of marriages in India are still arranged and throughout the world 55% are arranged marriages, but do they last? “In an arranged marriage, the man is usually 4.5 years older than the woman in the formed relationship. 48% of the girls who are involved in an arranged marriage in South Asia are under the age of 18. The divorce rate in India is just 1.1%. In some countries, the man or woman can refuse a selected spouse”.
Marriage percentages from Medium
Marriage is considered a sacred bond between two souls but is the idea of arranged marriage taking the romance out of finding a partner and turning it into a convenient transaction of people. However, both types of marriages, arranged and non are neither subject to guaranteed to last.
Discarding arranged marriage, is it marriage that is the trap for both men and women? Both agree to a commitment, but does this promise impose the pre destined ideals for men and women?
