I auctioned my United States citizenship at the Marriage Market in Shanghai, China. The offer was sincere. The prospect of marriage was real. The Marriage Market is a weekly market place for parents to arrange marriage for their adult sons and daughters. Frequently, marriage prospects are chosen based on age, education, and income. The men and women post their statistics on paper and display them publicly to show their assets. I participated as the locals do and showed what I had available. As a non-Chinese resident, who didn’t fit the demographic, I did not have what men typically seek in a wife. However, I did have one thing which people frequently expressed interest in: a United States passport. At this time, Trump was newly elected. There was talk of a travel ban and a strict immigration policy. I addressed these violations of the constitution by offering a pathway into the United States for a person who might want it and who might be denied otherwise.

In addition to immigration policy, I posed a question of desirability. In this market, brides are often sought after for what they they have to offer. The amount that a man can expect to compensate a woman’s family in exchange for her hand, can vary depending on her market value. After Trump’s election, I was curious to see what value a person might assume my United States citizenship status to hold. I opened it to bidding.

There were no bids. I found this to be the most telling statement of worth.