Child marriage is still legal in most of the U.S. Here’s why.
Child marriage is still legal in most of the U.S. Here’s why.
Story at a glance About 300,000 children and teens were legally married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, according to data from Unchained at Last, a nonprofit that works t…
About 300,000 children and teens were legally married in the United States between 2000 and 2018, according to data from Unchained at Last, a nonprofit that works to help women and girls in forced marriages.
Laws prohibiting minors to marry have struggled to pass. Only 10 states have a law prohibiting people under 18 from marrying.
Pushback to setting 18 as a minimum age for marriage comes from both conservative and progressive groups.
Earlier this year, for instance, a bill that would have prohibited minors from getting married in West Virginia was rejected by Republicans in the state Senate. Some opponents of the bill argued that teen marriage was part of West Virginia’s culture.
Great argument, guys
One of them even said that he personally knows 12 year olds that got married and defended it by saying "Guess what? They're still married."
No shit, probably because she's still a teenager who's probably saddled with a couple of kids by now and no financial support if she tried to leave.
Republicans
The party of forced birth for child brides.
And forced birth for raped children as we’ve already seen since Roe v wade was flipped
The use of the term "progressive" here is infuriating. No one who actually wants progress is okay with kids getting married.
Surprised you’re the first to bring that up (and that I didn’t get more downvotes on the post). I don’t think many progressives are out here defending child marriage, although as another commenter shared on this thread in their personal story, there are rare occasions where it may have an upside. The groups named in the story aren’t usually ones you’d think of as aiding and abetting child abuse.
Can confirm. And in support of changing age of consent when it comes to sexual matters to 21. I'm also against huge age gaps regardless of whether the people are adults or not.
No true Scotsman fallacy, with a massive number of upvotes. No attempt to address the argument, just empty and thoughtless virtue signaling.
Ehhhh, I'm less worried about the social effect of kids getting married at 16 or arranged marriage at 14 than I am 25 year olds using dating apps to get triple digit body counts, or the proliferation of strange kinks like furries
I married my first wife when she was 16 and I was 18, because she was put in foster care due to her mom beating the living shit out of her constantly. We did it as a method of emancipating her so she could get out of the system and adopt her sister who has cerebral palsy, and they had separated in the system.
The foster system is alllllll sorts of fucked. My situation is pretty unique though, and I'm not arguing that underage people should be allowed to marry. That shit is wild, and it's mostly religiously based.
A bit unrelated but you are a legend for doing that. Good on you for helping save some kids. And agreed, the foster system is broken in thousands of pieces.
And that's very noble of you, but in general, these children are girls being married to much older men, sanctified by their church. And that's what Republicans want to preserve as part of their Handmaid's Tale worldview.
This isn't 16 year olds marrying their girlfriend/boyfriend after getting knocked up. This is 16 year olds marrying 30 year olds (after getting knocked up)
The worst part is specifically so the 30 year old doesn't go to jail. This is a legal loophole for adults to have sex with children.
It's a "you broke it you bought it" law from the days when children were property (apparently including today)
Wasn't there also some weird loophole that prevents married minors from getting a divorce?
It's not a loophole it's the while point
Minors can't sign a contract. Their parents have to sign for them. Maybe that's related?
(after getting knocked up)
and getting knocked around, probably.
Republicans
There is a lot of reading involved for that one word answer.
Pedophilia
Not technically, no. Pedophilia is a sexual attraction to prepubescents. Teens aren't prepubescent, outside of those with medical disorders.
Even if they were married, I would still call sex with them satutory rape though. And since they haven't reached the age of consent, I wouldn't think they could legally sign a marriage contract either. So I have no idea how any of this is even really possible as the law currently stands.
I have no idea how any of this is even really possible as the law currently stands.
I think I know how it happens, if one doesn't want their day to be more depressing, one should stop reading now...
I know someone who got married at 15 years old. I remember her being pregnant when I met my wife in 2007. As I recall her mom had to sign something for permission. The woman is in her early 30's now, her husband is mid-40's. They don't have the best relationship, but they've been married a long time and have four children, they've been in a few self-inflicted bad spots and have managed to make it. I don't know the specifics, but it appeared that the girl had a decision between a guy with a job who liked her, and a mom who was too busy chasing men and doing drugs to take care of her children.
Permanently Deleted
Honestly surprised at the list of worst states.
Because in a negative law system things are legal unless there's a specific law against them.