Timothy George highlights a revived trend in lifestyle choices in First Things, called “sologamy,” which began over 20 years ago. George writes: “Sologamy is the marriage of someone to one’s own self—the his- or herness of it is not relevant, although it seems to be mostly women who are doing it.” Self marriage is not recognized in the U.S. or Europe, but nevertheless, more reports are surfacing of individuals marrying themselves.
The first person to marry herself to herself was Linda Baker in December 1993, George reports. Another is Sara Sharpe, “who wrote about her self-marriage in A Dress, A Ring, Promises to Self.” Last January, the Houston Chronicle reported that Yasmin Eleby “married herself at the Houston Museum of African American Culture … in a lavish ceremony with 10 bridesmaids in attendance, plus family and other guests on hand to celebrate the event.” Her ceremony was illegal, not recognized by the state or federal government as marriage. Her sister performed the “ceremony,” and Yasmin went on a honeymoon with herself to “Cambodia, Laos, and a jazz festival in Dubai.” And CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewed a North Dakota woman, Nadine Schweigert, who married herself in front of her roughly 40 close friends. These were her vows: FULL REPORT
