On June 26th 2015, the Supreme Court made history by legalizing same-sex marriage. The flurry of celebrations that followed, along with a rainbow-hued White House, showed there were many Americans who were happy with the new definition of marriage — and also many who weren’t.

What had been traditionally seen as a sanctified institution between one man and one woman now has a much broader definition. This new way of defining the most precious relationship predictably opened a Pandora’s Box of sorts when it comes to the way the marriage relationship is viewed.

The Deterioration of The Marriage Relationship

Although the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage was a significant blow against marriage, the institution has been losing its prominence in society for a while.

For example, according to a recent CNS News article, only 52% of American adults are married today. To put this in perspective, in 1970, some 80% of all adults were in a marriage relationship. In addition, 25% of millennials say they want to forego marriage altogether, and many say they will remain unmarried at least through the age of 40.

Living together, on the other hand, has become commonplace for the Millennial generation. However, living together is far from the craziest alternative to a traditional marriage relationship. On that note…the inception of sologamy.

The Birth of Sologamy Ceremonies

This sad trend basically is when a person, in this particular case Emmajane, decides to simply do away with the traditional one man one women element of marriage and marries themselves in a sologamy ceremony.

The term sologamy is formed through the combination of the words “monogamy” and “solo”. Emmajane filmed her sologamy ceremony, which was posted by UNILAD in an effort to “share it with the world.”

According to the video, “Emmajane had a number of failed relationships.” Having given up on marriage to another person, the emboldened feminist proposed to herself on Valentine’s Day, which began her journey to the sologomy altar.

The Strange New Trend

Much like a regular wedding ceremony, Emmajane walked down the aisle holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. As she held up a mirror on a picturesque beach in Australia, Emmajane repeated the following vows to herself:

“I love the way you are so compassionate about what you do and have such a creative drive. I love how you have compassion and empathy for others.”

Emmajane then carefully places the ring she bought herself on her ring finger.

Erika Anderson, another feminist whose story was featured on the Daily Wire, described her own sologomy ceremony.

“I would describe it as women saying yes to themselves,” she said. “It means that we are enough, even if we are not partnered with someone else.”

Anderson celebrated her own sologomy union in New York City. She said the motivation behind her own “union” was because “she grew tired of people asking why she was still single. So, in front of family and friends, she married herself.” (As noted by WUSA9)

A Budding Business

Emmajane and Erika might have been alone at the altar, but they are far from alone in the sologomy trend. In May, the Daily Wire reported on a site called IMarriedMe.com that offers kits that will assist anyone wished to plan their wedding ceremony to themselves. The kits come complete with “self-wedding” rings as well as self-affirmation cards. The site says the following about “self-weddings”:

“A self-wedding is a symbolic ceremony-about reconnecting and staying connected with you,” the site reads. “Wear the ring to remind you every day to LOVE YOURSELF.”

Some of these self-wedding or sologamy ceremonies can get quite elaborate. They can include the traditional white wedding dress, the “bride’s” family and friends and all the décor one would expect to see at any wedding ceremony. The only thing missing is the addition of another person to marry.

Although sologomy unions aren’t a legally recognized institution, their existence simply showcases the growing attacks on traditional marriage. Marriage between one man and one woman is something of a dying notion in today’s society.

This new trend for a person to marry themselves simply proves how little respect the traditional institution of marriage now garners. With the legalization of same-sex marriage, it was only a matter of time before all kinds of “alternative” marriages begin taking place, and sologomy is just one of the most recent examples.

~ Liberty Planet