There's polygamy (having more than one spouse at a time); there's bigamy (having two spouses at the same time); there's monogamy (having only one spouse at a time), and there's also such a thing as sologamy.
As defined by Christian author and academician Timothy George, 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."
Although this weird "marital arrangement" has purportedly been in existence for more than 20 years now, it has not gained much following—until recently.
Writing for Charisma News, political analyst Bethany Blankley says there appears to be a revival of this bizarre lifestyle choice.
Although sologamy is not recognised in the U.S. or Europe, reports are starting to come out about individuals marrying themselves, Blankley says.
The first person to marry herself to herself was Linda Baker in December 1993, according George, the dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Alabama.
Another is Sara Sharpe, "who wrote about her self-marriage in A Dress, A Ring, Promises to Self," says George in First Things.
But since last year, at least four women have already married themselves to themselves—in lavish ceremonies that resemble marriage between a man and a man.
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."
The ceremony was illegal and not recognised by the government, but this did not prevent Yasmin and her family from doing it. She even went on a honeymoon with herself to "Cambodia, Laos, and a jazz festival in Dubai."
Over at CNN, Anderson Cooper interviewed a North Dakota woman, Nadine Schweigert, who also married herself in front of some 40 close friends. CNN quoted her as saying in her vow to herself as saying this: "I, Nadine, promise to enjoy inhabiting my own life and to relish a lifelong love affair with my beautiful self."
A Dutch woman, Jennifer Hoes, was also reported to have married herself to herself, according to Aeon Magazine, which featured a documentary on her called "Marrying Me."
Then there's British Sophie Tanner who married herself last year in a ceremony performed by her friend at a Unitarian Church, according to a report by Jeff Dunetz of TheLidBlog.com, which was excerpted in Stylist Magazine. Tanner reportedly had 20 bridesmaids and she even rented a bishop's costume worn by a friend who "officiated" the ceremony.
George says this highly unusual act shows the extreme narcissism of the people doing it.
Blankley, on the other hand, says this lifestyle choice is indicative of the growing perversion in today's society.
She says people who engage in sologamy "reject God," exchanging "the truth of God for a lie."
