ECU Libraries Catalog

You'll do : a history of marrying for reasons other than love / Marcia A. Zug.

Author/creator Zug, Marcia A. author.
Format Book and Print
Publication Info Lebanon, New Hampshire : Steerforth Press, [2024]
Copyright Notice ©2024
Description322 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
Subject(s)
Variant title You will do
Portion of title History of marrying for reasons other than love
Contents The marital bargain -- The government loves a gold digger -- The power couple : marrying for status and power -- The marriage defense -- The married parent -- Marrying for money part deux.
Abstract "An illuminating and thought-provoking examination of the uniquely American institution of marriage, from the Colonial era through the #MeToo age. Americans hold marriage in such high esteem that we push people toward it, reward them for taking part in it, and fetishize its benefits to the point that we routinely ignore or excuse bad behavior and societal ills in the name of protecting and promoting it. In eras of slavery and segregation, Blacks sometimes gained white legal status through marriage. Laws have been designed to encourage people to marry so that certain societal benefits could be the population would increase, women would have financial security, children would be cared for, and immigrants would have familial connections. As late as the Great Depression, poor young women were encouraged to marry aged Civil War veterans for lifetime pensions. The widely overlooked problem with this tradition is that individuals and society have relied on marriage to address or dismiss a range of injustices and inequities, from gender- and race-based discrimination, sexual violence, and predation to unequal financial treatment. One of the most persuasive arguments against women's right to vote was that marrying and influencing their husband's choices was just as meaningful, if not better. Through revealing storytelling, Zug builds a compelling case that when marriage is touted as "the solution" to such problems, it absolves the government, and society, of the responsibility for directly addressing them."-- Goodreads.com
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 249-322).
Issued in other formOnline version: Zug, Marcia A. You'll do. Lebanon, New Hampshire : Steerforth Press, [2024] 9781586423759
ISBN9781586423742 (hardcover)
ISBN1586423746 (hardcover)
ISBN(ebook)

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner New Books HQ535 .Z84 2024 ✔ Available Place Hold