Final answer:
Marriage laws have evolved, with a key moment being the 2015 recognition of same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court. This expansion of rights reflects both the cultural diversity of marital norms and the broader shift towards equality within society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marriage, a fundamental right recognized under the Equal Protection Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment, has evolved over time. In the United States, marriage is primarily seen as a mutual agreement based on love, yet in other societies, it can involve arrangements by families or other systems.
With the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case in June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, changing the legal landscape and providing over 1,100 rights to gay and lesbian couples which had been previously denied. Anthropologists classify marriages as either monogamous or polygamous, with the former now including same-sex unions and adapted to more mobile postindustrial societies. Although marriage is culturally relative and societal norms like endogamy and exogamy rules differ from one culture to another, the legalization of same-sex marriage marks a pivotal moment in the recognition of equal rights for all.