Editing Human–animal marriage

'''Human–[[animal marriage]]'''  is a marriage between a (non-human) animal and a human. This topic has appeared in mythology and [[magic in fiction|magical fiction]].<ref>[http://www.diacronia.ro/en/journal/issue/4/A58/en/pdf Naithani, Sadhana (2014). Folklore Theory in Postwar Germany.] University Press of Mississippi. pp. 48–52. {{ISBN|9781617039942}}.</ref> In the 21st century there have been numerous reports from around the world of humans marrying their pets and other animals. Human–animal marriage is often seen in accordance with [[zoophilia]], although they are not necessarily linked. Although animal-human marriage is not mentioned specifically in national laws, the act of engaging in [[Zoophilia and the law|sexual acts with an animal]] is illegal in many countries under animal abuse laws.

== Animal–human marriage in mythology ==
The practice of animal-human marriage has made appearances in several [[Mythology|mythological]] stories and [[folklore]], and is often understood to mean a deity-human marriage involving gods or heroes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Miller|first=Alan L.|date=1995-01-01|title=The Woman Who Married a Horse: Five Ways of Looking at a Chinese Folktale|jstor=1178945|journal=Asian Folklore Studies|volume=54|issue=2|pages=275–305|doi=10.2307/1178945}}</ref> The Chinese folktale "The Goddess of the Silkworm" is an example of a tale where a woman marries a [[horse]].<ref name=":0" /> A similar Irish [[legend]] tells of a king who marries a horse, symbolizing a divine union between the king and the goddess of the land.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/stpatrickofirela00phil|url-access=registration|title=St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography|last=Freeman|first=Philip|date=2004-03-17|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9780743267496|language=en}}</ref> Also the indigenous [[Cheyenne]] have a story of animal-human marriage in "The Girl who Married a Dog".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Stensland|first=Anna Lee|date=1977-01-01|title=The Indian Presence in American Literature|jstor=815804|journal=The English Journal|volume=66|issue=3|pages=37–41|doi=10.2307/815804}}</ref> In addition, there are many Native American stories about people who married animals. In these Native American myths, animal spirits frequently assume human form.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Mi-Ni/Native-American-Mythology.html|title=Native American Mythology – Myth Encyclopedia – god, story, legend, names, ancient, animal, snake, world, creation, life|website=www.mythencyclopedia.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref> They are not seen as literal animals, but representatives from the animal kingdom.<ref name=":1" />

According to [[Bernard Sergent]], "human–animal marriage is an union that is too remote as incest is a too close one. Compared to a balanced marriage, between humans but from another clan or another village, that is to say–depending on the society–within the framework of a well measured [[endogamy]] or [[exogamy]], incest transgresses the norm because it is an exaggerated endogamy, and animal marriage transgresses it because it is an exaggerated exogamy."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sergent|first=Bernard|date=1999|title=Un mythe lithuano-amérindien|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/dha_0755-7256_1999_num_25_2_1536|journal=Dialogues d'histoire ancienne|volume=25|issue=2|page=36|doi=10.3406/dha.1999.1536|via=}}</ref>

== Animal–human marriage in reality==
Although it is uncertain if there is a legal basis for marrying an animal, several individuals claim to have done so. The [[Sudanese goat marriage incident]] made big headlines in 2006 when a man was forced to marry a goat after being caught in a sexual interaction with the goat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1550479/Man-marries-goat-captivates-millions.html|title='Man marries goat' captivates millions|last=Staff|first=By Our Foreign|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en}}</ref> Other reports of marriage include animals such as dogs, cats, frogs and a dolphin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3004930.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} South Asia {{!}} Girl weds dog to break 'evil spell'|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/11/13/man-in-india-marries-dog-to-atone-for-stoning-to-death-mating-canines.html|title=Man in India Marries Dog to Atone for Stoning to Death Mating Canines|date=2007-11-13|work=Fox News|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8658327.stm|title=BBC News - German man 'marries' his dying cat|website=news.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-03-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4290761/Seven-year-old-Indian-girls-marry-frogs.html|title=Seven-year-old Indian girls 'marry' frogs|last=Delhi|first=By Dean Nelson in|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/01/03/british-woman-marries-dolphin.html|title=British Woman Marries Dolphin|date=2006-01-03|work=Fox News|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref> Other incidents of human animal relations took place in 2010, when 18-year-old Balinese man Ngurah Alit was found having sexual intercourse with a cow butt, who he claimed flirted with him.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=http://jakartaglobe.id/archive/bali-teenager-passes-out-marrying-cow-he-had-sex-with/|title=Bali Teenager Passes Out Marrying Cow He Had Sex With {{!}} Jakarta Globe|work=Jakarta Globe|access-date=2017-03-11|language=en-US}}</ref> As part of a Pecaruan ritual, the man was forced to marry the animal.<ref name=":02" /> The ceremony was thought to cleanse the village of the immoral act of [[bestiality]].<ref name=":02" /> The cow was drowned in the ocean, while Alit was symbolically drowned as well.<ref name=":02" />

==See also==
* [[Choupette]]
* [[Human bonding]]
* [[Human-animal hybrid]]
* [[Speciesism]]
* [[Anthrozoology]]
* [[Zoophilia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Types of marriages|state=autocollapse}}
{{zoophilia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Human-Animal Marriage}}
[[Category:Animals and humans|Marriage]]
[[Category:Animal law]]
[[Category:Marriage]]

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