The Cultural and Economic Injustices of Marriage Discrimination: Book Review of Nicola Barker, Not the Marrying Kind: A Feminist Critique of Same-Sex Marriage

Abstract

The author uses a play-reading undertaken by law students as the vehicle for exploring this text which marries a compelling and careful telling of the story of the Western idea of marriage to a powerful feminist critique of the march to inclusion. The author argues that this text is both a critique of same-sex marriage, and a refreshing look at how voices of queer legal theorists are essential for a transformative and transgressive rethinking of family idelogies. The author argues that the powerful messages of the book complemented the diverse student learnings in myriad and unexpected ways.

Keywords: marriage, sexualities, legal education, same-sex marriage, feminist critique

JEL Classification: J71; J12; J16