Post by auntym on Aug 19, 2012 13:35:05 GMT -6
io9.com/5935961/would-human+alien-or-human+supernatural-marriages-be-recognized-under-us-law
LAW
Would human-alien or human-supernatural marriages be recognized under US law?
By Lauren Davis
You've had your eye on that cute alien for a while now. You've gone on some dates, really hit it off, and you're thinking you'd like to pop the question. But even if your extraterrestrial beau or belle says "Yes," would the US government recognize your union?
The fine legal geeks at Law and Multiverse placed this question under consideration. Would the US government let you marry the djinn or alien of your dreams? Unfortunately, probably not. Marriage in the US is determined by individual states, but it's helpful to look to the federal definition of personhood when determining the meanings of terms like "man," "woman," and "person" in state marriage statutes:
At the federal level, 1 U.S.C. § 8 defines "person" to include "every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development." This is an inclusive rather than exclusive definition (and it's not specifically about marriage), but it underscores the point that only humans are people. The federal Defense of Marriage Act provides (for now) that "the word ‘marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife." Combined with 1 U.S.C. § 8 and the plain meaning of the words, federal law also appears to only contemplate marriage between humans.
CONTINUE READING: io9.com/5935961/would-human+alien-or-human+supernatural-marriages-be-recognized-under-us-law
MORE READING: MARRIAGE & THE MULTIVERSE: lawandthemultiverse.com/2012/08/17/marriage-and-the-multiverse/
LAW
Would human-alien or human-supernatural marriages be recognized under US law?
By Lauren Davis
You've had your eye on that cute alien for a while now. You've gone on some dates, really hit it off, and you're thinking you'd like to pop the question. But even if your extraterrestrial beau or belle says "Yes," would the US government recognize your union?
The fine legal geeks at Law and Multiverse placed this question under consideration. Would the US government let you marry the djinn or alien of your dreams? Unfortunately, probably not. Marriage in the US is determined by individual states, but it's helpful to look to the federal definition of personhood when determining the meanings of terms like "man," "woman," and "person" in state marriage statutes:
At the federal level, 1 U.S.C. § 8 defines "person" to include "every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development." This is an inclusive rather than exclusive definition (and it's not specifically about marriage), but it underscores the point that only humans are people. The federal Defense of Marriage Act provides (for now) that "the word ‘marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife." Combined with 1 U.S.C. § 8 and the plain meaning of the words, federal law also appears to only contemplate marriage between humans.
CONTINUE READING: io9.com/5935961/would-human+alien-or-human+supernatural-marriages-be-recognized-under-us-law
MORE READING: MARRIAGE & THE MULTIVERSE: lawandthemultiverse.com/2012/08/17/marriage-and-the-multiverse/