I don't understand why America still allows child marriage.

[FermatsTheorem]

www.nytimes.com/2017/05/26/opinion/sunday/it-was-forced-on-me-child-marriage-in-the-us.html

11 year old taken out of elementary school (i.e. primary) and forced to marry her rapist.

I agree Seneca.

What surprised me was there seems little consistency in which states have no minimum age and which have 16 or older.

I'd have assumed that the northern, eastern seaboard states would have a minimum age as would the western seaboard. Whereas for example Alabama is 16 , South Carolina is 16 and Tennessee is 17 but California, Pennsylvania and Maine have none and New Hampshire is 13/14.(assuming this wiki article is correct)

If it is , it seems a bit simplistic as some posters have done to refer to it being a "bible belt" problem. I certainly would not think of California, Maine, New Hampshire and Pensylvania as "bible belt"

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_marriage_in_the_United_States?wprov=sfla1

No, it is certainly not just a Bible Belt issue. And one of the biggest Bible Belt states, Texas, has recently enacted one of the strictest laws, limiting marriage of anyone under 18 to emancipated minors. And while many people might not readily think of Florida as a Bible Belt state it actually is and much of it is culturally, as well as geographically, very Southern.

Legal child abuse and exploitation. Slavery. Revolting.

On a human interest note, Sherry Johnson, the woman mentioned in the article linked in the OP, who was forced as a child to marry in Florida, worked hard for the recently enacted legislation and was in the gallery when the Florida Legislature passed the bill. She has vowed to continue working for reforms in other states.

Well done that woman.

Unfortunately I think the status of child marriage as horrific in a lot of states (and even at a federal level) is being argued against by the fundy christian lobby. The same groups who encourage giant mega-families of 20+ children, who are all "educated" read: brainwashed into believing that this view is legitimate and who grow up to vote a specific way, work in politics and law (the males) and have their own epic brood of brainwashed voters (the women).

It's all very depressing

seneca thanks for that! Will do some research into her work, I am glad she has been able to campaign so well but wish she hadn't had that experience as a child.

The US also allows child labour: www.hrw.org/report/2015/12/09/teens-tobacco-fields/child-labor-united-states-tobacco-farming

(Not to derail the thread OP, just throwing that in as an adjacent issue that many people might not know about.)

Hi OP,

I haven’t managed to track down the article about the politicians who strengthened the legal case for child marriage. From memory one of them was part of a Christian sect who have high levels of child marriage.

What the fuck? This is news to me, and its disgusting news.