Final answer:
The policy that equates marriage with men asserting authority in the home reflects patriarchal ideology, with historical legal backing from policies like the Lex Julia and DOMA. Over time, movements and legal changes have challenged these norms, leading to the recognition of marriage equality and a shift away from traditional gender roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The policy described by the statement "marriage = men's right to assert their authority in the home" aligns with a patriarchal ideology. This view historically accorded men decision-making power and control over family resources such as money and property, while women were often relegated to support roles and marginalized in terms of power and authority. Studies have shown that in such marital arrangements, power imbalances can lead to marital discord, and men holding more power as they typically had access to more valuable resources such as money from paid labor.
This patriarchal perspective has been reflected in various policies and laws throughout history. For instance, the Lex Julia prohibited wives from bringing criminal accusations of adultery against their husbands, highlighting legal gender disparities. Additionally, under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal government defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, thus excluding same-sex couples from legal marital benefits.
Changes have been made over time, challenging these traditional viewpoints. The 1960s saw the legalization of interracial marriages, and more recently, the Supreme Court's United States v. Windsor decision and subsequent rulings have recognized marriage equality, further altering the concept of marital rights and undermining the historical patriarchal dominance in marital policies.