Sologamy

A self-marriage ritual, designed to be printed on a standard Australian-size business card (90mm x 55mm). The images include a 5mm bleed/trim margin. For home printing, paste them into a document, print, trim and stick them back to back. Alternatively, use the text only version - which should also work with screen readers.

If you're based in or near Naarm/Melbourne, Australia, and happen to be reading this before 20 February 2025, you can obtain a free printed copy of this ritual at the Louis Joel Gallery in Altona, as part of Nonlimerent // Monosexual: An Aromantic and Asexual History. See further details on the Midsumma website.

Self-marriage practices have been formally recognised in various places and times throughout history, from the vows of Western European anchorites to the “self-combing women” of South China. A few modern examples have been covered in the media, including Linda Baker in the USA (1993) and Emmajane Love from Australia (2017) - latter of which took place shortly before Australia's AU$80.5m non-binding postal opinion poll over whether the narrow definition of a legally binding marriage should be slightly broadened.

Modern sologamy is NOT legally binding, at least in Australia, though it also isn't illegal. Maybe the real marriage equality was the sanctity the polite queers promised not to destroy along the way.