Would Gen Z Abandon Marriage if Griswold v. Connecticut is Overturned?

Gen Z and its younger sibling Gen Alpha are already slated to be the most marriage-reluctant generations the United States has seen so far. Although plenty of Americans get married, they tend to marry later, have fewer children, and wait later to start a family than ever before. This raises the question: what could happen to already stagnant marriage rates if Griswold v Connecticut was overturned or, more likely, that contraceptive access were limited? 

 

(To be clear, there’s no immediate threat to Griswold, but several recent attempts to limit access to contraception and Justice Thomas’s comments on reconsidering the right to contraception have renewed interest on the topic. It’s a speculative question, but one worth asking if you spend time thinking about marriage rights.)

 

The oldest Gen Zers are now 28 years old – which happens to be the average age for women to marry in the US. Many of these younger adults are already hesitant to marry because they see it as a high-stakes legal and financial gamble – shaped by high divorce rates, gender inequality, money stress, and the potential loss of personal freedoms. Access to birth control would seem to be a key factor in preserving a sense of choice and control. That’s where Griswold comes in.

 

Related: How Old Do You Have To Be To Get Married In Each State?

 

If you aren’t familiar with the case, Griswold v Connecticut is the 1965 Supreme Court decision which recognized the right of married couples to decide privately whether or not to use contraception as part of their family planning. Before this case was decided, it was illegal for married people to be prescribed birth control in many states. 

 

The Griswold decision was focused on marital privacy and birth control, but it also laid the foundation for legalizing same-sex marriage: Griswold v Connecticut was cited in Obergefell v Hodges, the 2015 case that established marriage equality. 

 

Griswold v Connecticut changed the way marriage looked in the US: Women could decide when to have kids, which made it easier to pursue education and careers. With fewer children to provide for, working families became more financially stable and poverty rates dropped. Maternal and infant mortality rates also dropped dramatically. 

 

If Griswold was overturned or laws limiting birth control became widespread, it’s possible that the marriage rate might go up for a time in response to unplanned pregnancies. But it’s just as likely that it would fall.

 

While it’s easy to assume that unplanned pregnancies would push more couples into early marriages, the opposite could also occur. A forced return to traditional family dynamics – with one parent at home raising kids and the other working long hours to make ends meet – might actually deepen distrust in the institution of marriage. 

 

If marriage comes to represent a loss of bodily autonomy or an inability to plan for the future, many young people, already cautious about the commitment, might opt out altogether, or choose a platonic alternative. Especially considering how reluctant young Americans already are toward marriage when compared to past generations! 

 

Instead of a return to marriage trends of the 1940s and 1950s, it’s likely that more people might avoid romantic relationships in order to pursue their own goals. Since the right to birth control has always been the baseline for these younger people, restricting it might feel too regressive to overcome. Instead of marrying young, they might hit pause on relationships altogether – similar to women leading South Korea’s 4B movement.

 

Related: Marry Your Gal Pal! Let’s Bring Back ‘Boston Marriage’

 

In South Korea, the 4B movement (or 4 ‘nos’) is a feminist movement that encourages women to say no to (heterosexual) dating, sex, marriage, or childbirth. The movement has gained momentum in response to dissatisfaction with gender inequality, which some causes some women to feel pressured into prioritizing marriage and having children. Although the two cultures are very different, American women and men, especially younger ones, might embrace a similar sentiment if access to birth control is limited. (In fact, the 4B movement is already gaining attention here.) For many people, the ability to control when or if to become a parent is deeply linked to the decision to marry.

 

Now that young people have an idea of what gender equality and personal freedom look like, would they really be interested in giving it up? And how could fewer reproductive rights impact marriage as a whole? 

 

It’s something to think about! 

 

For more insight on current & potential marriage trends, check out: 

 

• Could Short-Term Marriage Contracts Replace ‘Til Death Do Us Part’?

 

• Is Open Marriage Legal in the US? Like, Actually Legal?

 

• Why Lavender Marriage is Making a Modern Comeback

 

• The Average Cost to Be a Bridesmaid: Itemized List of Expenses

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and conversational purposes only. It explores cultural and historical trends related to marriage in the United States and isn’t legal advice or advocacy.
 

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