Thus, the relationship between mates is more important than the relationship of a citizen to government or society. Hardly anyone argues that people must be married. Few today support compelled or arranged marriages. Marriage is nevertheless encouraged by every means of persuasion society has. It is easy to enter legal marriage.
Marriage has no substantial qualifications.
There is no test of competence as partner or parent, no requirement that there be sex, no penalty for failing to have children, no proof that love be present. Marrying persons must be of opposite sexes, able to complete the applications, take required blood tests, competent to make a contract, and not too closely related by blood. Criminals, prisoners, child molesters, serial batterers, the infertile, and asexual are able to get legally married. Marriage is the ticket of admission to true adulthood. There are many responsibilities and protections of law in marriage.