Marriage strike - Definition and Overview

Marriage strike is a social movement motivated mostly by men, whereby they vocally express intentions of never marrying. This movement has been compared to a strike action, but it is in abstract institution rather than a specific firm the "strikers" protest. Measures similar to marriage strikes have been initiated by both men and women since the 1960s.

Reasons

People "marriage strike" for varying reasons: the most common is the difficulty and possible loss, both financial and social, that accompanies divorce proceedings. Divorce can be very costly for both parties, given the price of legal services and attorneys.

There is a perception among some men that divorce courts favor women, and generally no dispute that women are favored in custody battles. Marriage striker Matthew Weeks says, "If we accept the old feminist argument that marriage is slavery for women, then it is undeniable that -- given the current state of the nation's family courts -- divorce is slavery for men."

In the United States, 50 percent (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/divorce.htm) of marriages end in divorce. In states with no fault divorce laws, 2/3 of divorces are initated by the wife (http://health.discovery.com/centers/loverelationships/articles/divorce.html). The father (or the mother) may lose custody of the child. The parent denied custody is required to support the child financially, but often has no control over how the payments are spent, nor guarantee that they will be spent on the child. Those who oppose child support and alimony law liken this to an unjust transfer payment; others support these payments on the grounds that they protect the woman's rights. For example, a woman might forgo career opportunities in a marriage, and alimony is the only way to offset her loss of earnings. The losing parent of a custody battle may also have his or her visitation rights restricted or denied. In extreme cases, parents are tried for kidnapping after violating these restrictions, even when there was no danger to the child.

Some marriage strikers assert that family judges, divorce attorneys, and government enforcement agencies are biased against men. In some cases, fathers are allowed only to visit two days out of fourteen, yet expected to take an equal role in the financial support of the child. In some cases, up to half of a person's income can be garnished for child support and alimony. In some cases, an order of protection can be issued threatening the father, if he is unable to pay for the child, with imprisonment.

See also

• Bachelor
• Erotophobia
• Families Need Fathers
• Family law
• Fathers' rights
• Father
• Feminism
• Feminist history in the United States
• Libertarians
• Masculism
• Misogyny
• Misandry

Research

• The National Marriage Project, Rutgers University (http://marriage.rutgers.edu/Publications/SOOU/SOOU2003.pdf) Recent academic research that follows the marriage strike movement building since the 1960's.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: National Center for Health Statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/divorce.htm) Current government statistics on marriage and divorce rates
• State's District Court (http://www.eleventhdistrictcourt.state.nm.us/stats/mckinley/dvcumulative.pdf) Recent court report that indicates 86% of order of protections were awarded to females and 7% of these petitions were denied in the same forty-six month period
• Alliance for Non-Custodial Parents Rights (http://www.ancpr.org/affects_of_fatherlessness_on_chi.htm) -- Research report that supports striker's concern of affects from family court orders
• The American Association of Suicidology (http://www.suicidology.org/associations/1045/files/Suicide2002.pdf) -- Recent government statistics of suicide as highest among divorced/separated than married and highest among men than women by 400%.
• The Federal Reserve Bank (http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/re/1998/d/re1998d4.html) -- Government banking report on bankruptcy caused by divorce.

External Links

• The National Marriage Project (http://marriage.rutgers.edu/publicat.htm) -- Academic research and analysis supporting marriage strike from Rutgers University
• Americans for Divorce Reform (http://www.divorcereform.org/) -- Cultural and legislative efforts to reduce divorce
• Stephen Baskerville, PhD (http://www.stephenbaskerville.net/) -- Insightful writings on the drivers of the movement, divorce industry
• Eagle Forum (http://www.eagleforum.org/column/) -- Collection of pro-family articles that sympathize marriage strikers
• Unity in the Body of Christ (http://www.unityinchrist.com/marriage_strike.htm)
• Matthew 19:1-12  (http://bible.gospelcom.net/passage/?search=Matt%2019:1-12;&version=47;/) – Biblical perspective on marriage, divorce, and men avoiding divorce.
• The Marriage Strike (http://www.mattweeks.com/strike.htm) - Matthew Weeks explains his reasons for "marriage strike".

Further Reading

• Why Men Won't Commit: Exploring Young Men's Attitudes About Sex, Dating and Marriage by Barbara Dafoe Whitehead PhD and David Popenoe PhD (http://marriage.rutgers.edu/Publications/SOOU/TEXTSOOU2002.htm)
• ‘Marriage Strike’ Set To Continue Indefinitely Until Family Law Is Reformed (http://www.jointparenting.org.au/marriage_strike.htm)
• Fatherhood Faces Stacked Deck in Family Court by Phyllis Schlafly (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/phyllisschlafly/ps20050131.shtml)
• The Marriage No-Shows by Carey Roberts (http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3609.html)
• Have Anti-Father Family Court Policies Led to a Men's Marriage Strike? By Glenn Sacks and Dianna Thompson (http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2002/0709a.html)
• Women Lose When Feminists Bash by Carey Roberts (http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2004/0324roberts.html)
• The Marriage Strike by Wendy McElroy (http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2003/0812.html/)
• A Loss for No-fault Divorce by Michael J. McManus (http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20050128-083216-9360r.htm/)