Marriage and Romantic Relationships: US vs. Trinidad & Tobago

Table of Contents

Summary
Age for Marriage
Meeting and Initiating Romantic Relationships
Common Practices and Cultural Values Surrounding Marriage
Marital Difficulties and Subsequent Divorce
References

Summary

Marriage and courtship customs differ among nations around the world depending on social expectations, standards, and norms. Therefore, comparing the traditions and patterns between countries is particularly revealing of important differences (Kassin, Fein, & Markus, 2017). In particular, the US customs and traditions of marriage and courtship have been considered standard for the majority of the western world, while in such countries as Trinidad and Tobago, the traditions differ significantly (Kassin et al., 2017). This paper aims to discuss the courtship and marriage customs in the United States and compare them with those from Trinidad and Tobago. The core aspects of love and relationships will also be discussed.

Age for Marriage

Under the Civil Marriage law in Trinidad and Tobago, future spouses must be at least eighteen years old, even though exceptions may be granted due to religious reasons. For Muslim marriages, the minimum age is twelve, while for Hindu marriages, the minimum age is sixteen years old. In the United States, all citizens can get married without the consent of their parents at eighteen years old, except in Nebraska, where the minimum age is nineteen. When at least one of the partners in marriage is under the age of eighteen years old, the marriage is considered underage and will require parental consent as well as judicial authorization, usually under special circumstances.

Meeting and Initiating Romantic Relationships

In Trinidad and Tobago, couples can meet as friends and further develop their relationships into romantic ones. However, it is essential to note that early and forced marriages take place, and they represent a serious human-rights problem prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean (Tahirih Justice Center, 2022). No significant improvements have been made in the rates of child marriage in the country for the last three decades, which is quite problematic, with no laws explicitly addressing either forced or child marriages.

In the United States, most romantic relationships start as friendships and develop into stronger bonds over time. This was found by Stinson, Cameron, and Hoplock (2021), who revealed that friend-first initiation is the most prevalent way of romantic relationship initiation. Arranged marriage also has a place in the United States because many people seek companionship and financial stability, and one of the ways to achieve that is through arranged marriage (Yandura, 2019). However, by no means do they represent the standard practice of meeting and initiating romantic relationships in the country.

Common Practices and Cultural Values Surrounding Marriage

In Trinidad and Tobago, marriage is considered to be the union between a man and a woman as husband and wife. In the country, there are four kinds of marriages, such as Civil, Muslim, Hindu, and Orisa marriage. The Marriage Officer performs Civil, Muslim, and Orisa marriages, with civil marriage being the most common form taking place in the country. Besides, all Christian marriages are considered civil under the circumstance that a Marriage Officer licenses them. Cultural practices on marriage differ in the country depending on class and ethnicity, even though the kinship of Blacks and Indians has a bilateral structure.

In the United States, the subject of gender is no longer included in the definition of marriage; it is considered a legal union of a couple as spouses. It is notable that US marriages are also differentiated into two types, such as civil and religious marriages, with the majority of them combining the two types. For example, to be considered legal, religious marriages must be licensed and recognized by the state in which they are performed. Conversely, civil marriages, although not sanctioned under religious law, are respected.

Marital Difficulties and Subsequent Divorce

Marital difficulties occurring between spouses can be considered reasons for divorce in Trinidad and Tobago. According to the countrys law, at least one out of five conditions must be met for divorce to be granted. For example, one of the spouses may have committed adultery and the other one may find it intolerable to live in marriage, or one of the spouses may have exhibited behavior that the other finds unacceptable. Besides, divorce is highly likely because of the problem of arranged marriage, early marriages, and the persistence of gender-based constraints (United Nations, 2002). Nevertheless, it is essential to consider the limitations of religious marriages and their taboo on divorce, which means that it is harder to get divorced.

In the United States, research on marriage problems and divorce is more extensive than in Trinidad and Tobago, with the reported divorce rate being 2.7 per 1,000 of the population (CDC, 2019). The reasons for divorce in the US are extensive and include communication challenges, boundary issues, money issues, differences in values, emotional and/or sexual infidelity, and many others. In the US, divorce represents a complicated challenge, with the majority of couples having to hire attorneys, including considerations of the finance organization, child custody, and so on. Therefore, a couple must undergo a longwinded process of divorce to finalize it amicably.