Final answer:
Societies with various marriage customs reflect different societal values, with practices ranging from 'monogamy' and 'polygamy' to 'exogamous' marriages. The legalization of 'same-sex marriage' has broadened these customs, demonstrating a shift in norms surrounding family structures and the acceptance of different types of unions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Do societies characterized by different marriage customs permit other types of marriage? Societies with varying marriage customs often reflect larger societal values and structural developments. Anthropologists identify two primary forms of marriage in human cultures: monogamy and polygamy. Monogamy is the practice of having a single spouse, and it can include both opposite-sex and same-sex unions. The recognition of same-sex marriage has expanded significantly, with 30 countries legalizing it as of the most recent information available.
The struggle for the legalization of same-sex marriage mirrors historical changes in marriage laws, such as the legalization of interracial marriage in the 1960s. Changes in societal norms, such as those seen in Iceland, where there is a high percentage of children born to unmarried couples, demonstrate the evolving concept of marriage and family structures. In the United States, after the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriages are entitled to the same federal benefits as heterosexual marriages. Lastly, across different societies, the expression of sexuality includes same-sex practices, although individuals may still face pressure to form heterosexual marriages.
Marriage patterns can also include exogamous marriages, which are unions between spouses from different social categories such as class or ethnicity. These types of marriages often prioritize love and compatibility over social standing or economic factors. However, societal pressures may still encourage endogamous marriages, where individuals marry within their own social group. Overall, marriage customs and the acceptance of various types of unions are deeply intertwined with cultural, legal, and socio-economic contexts.