This wasn't the first time Kurly made his outraged speech against how dare the government interfere with what consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedrooms. And I'm sure it won't be the last.
The problem is, his legal troubles (such as they are, or as he imagines them) don't have to do with what consenting adults are doing in the sack. The problem is that *marriage* is not just a societal or religious state; it's a legal state in the US, and whether you're married or not makes a big difference in how we as individuals interact with our government, starting with taxes and continuing through (but not ending at) property ownership and inheritance laws. I know Kurly knows this; why does he pretend we don't?
Edited to add: Does his church absolutely insist that the polyg families have actual, legal marriages in order to inherit their planets in the afterlife? Why couldn't it count if a polyg man just hooked up with however many "wives" he wanted, understanding among themselves that they were married but not shoving it down the throats of the rest of us? Children born of these unions could be given their father's last name, and they could all live together if they wanted to. Of course, they would have to give up the governmental protections legal wives enjoy, but that's kind of the case anyway, isn't it? There are cults where a man has many "wives" without marrying them, and they don't risk rail or a parking ticket. Why do the polygs even want to bring government into their bedrooms, or their kitchens, or their rumpus rooms, in the first place?
These are complicated and so far unsolvable problems. Good for Robyn for mentioning abuse of women and children, but that's not what is upsetting Kurly and his pals.
Edited February 22, 2021 by MothrancG1vNJzZmien6fCrr%2BNqamipZWptq6x0WeaqKVfqbyxtcJoaGptZ2qEbr%2BQbpxpal2bsq27zaxkp6ddoryzsY4%3D