California has officially banned child marriage, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing legislation to end the practice that is still legal in 32 US states.

The new law, which will come into effect on 1 January, states people must be 18 to get married in the Golden State.

Newsom called it a "long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors". He signed the bill into law with Courtney Stodden, whose parents allowed her to marry a 50-year-old Hollywood actor when she was just 16.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 17 points 1 week ago* (5 children)

Children’s freedom to marry? How oxymoronic. Might as well argue for selling yourself into slavery as a “pathway to emancipation.”

Or that kids should be able to sell their own organs as a “path to financial independence.”

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [+] -9 points 1 week ago (4 children)

    What is oxymoronic about a child's freedom to marry? An oxymoron is two ideas that are contradictory expressed together. Which two words from those 3 are contradictory? I guess I can see an argument for freedom and marry if you are super anti-marriage.

    Also, do you think all marriages involving underage people are sex slavery situations?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 15 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    I think any kind of legally binding commitment for kids is at best problematic, even before bringing marriage and sex into the question.

    And I think the whole emancipation angle (especially when talking about marriage as a path to emancipation, that just sounds coercive from the get go) is more of a sign of how our society at large fails kids stuck in situations they want to get out of.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago

    Agree completely. It would be better if we dealt with both why a child needs to be emancipated and how to help them become so with adequate support systems in place that doesn't require them to marry someone, regardless of that person's age. I am only saying that there are reasons why a 16 year old might want to marry another 16 year old that do not involve sex slavery.

  • source
  • parent