Marriage

Abstract

Along with most Western nations, Australia has witnessed a decline in marriage, an increase in divorce, and a growth in the number of couples choosing to cohabit prior to, or instead of, marriage. In the mid-1970s, just 16 % of couples lived together before marrying. Now, more than three-quarters of couples do so. Same-sex marriage is commonly debated, and most states in Australia recognize same-sex relationships as a legitimate form of intimate partnering. Marriage is no longer considered an essential foundation for raising children with growing numbers of people raising children outside marriage, either as single parents or in cohabiting relationships. Despite these substantial social shif..