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California bans child marriage, a practice still legal in 32 US states

83 points · 136 comments · dabinat

  1. zeroonetwothree · · focus · HN ↗
    You can’t enter into other contracts until 18 so why was marriage an exception?
    1. legitster · · focus · HN ↗
      Not true, you can certainly enter into military service contracts and student debt obligations! And unlike marriage, there is no easy way to dissolve those.
      1. toomuchtodo · · focus · HN ↗
        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.congress.gov&#x2F;bill&#x2F;118th-congress&#x2F;senate-bill&#x2F;4990&#x2F;text" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.congress.gov&#x2F;bill&#x2F;118th-congress&#x2F;senate-bill&#x2F;499...

        The Findings section has a long, detailed list of child marriage harm. In short, preventing marriage before 18 provides for immense harm reduction in the aggregate and improved odds of life success. I’d push the age to 21 if I could. Rental car companies always had it right to restrict rentals to &lt;25 age cohort due to frontal lobe development timeline.

        (The US allows student debt and military obligations at an age when this cohort is vulnerable to systemically exploit young people, these should not be used as examples imho)

        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;31590741&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;31590741&#x2F;

        <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3621648&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3621648&#x2F;

        1. tstrimple · · focus · HN ↗
          You assume harm reduction is everyone&#x27;s goal. Some people just want to fuck young girls. Many of the current political party in power included. It&#x27;s pervasive. Just grab them by the pussy and no one takes the victims seriously. If you go after them for their many crimes it&#x27;s &quot;lawfare&quot;.
          1. toomuchtodo · · focus · HN ↗
            Oh no, I agree there are predators out there everywhere and support anything that protects people from them. My comment tone is intentionally academic, as well as facts and evidence based.

            (I am also a small annual donor to the non profit performing this state by state advocacy work, no other affiliation)

      2. BobaFloutist · · focus · HN ↗
        I also think you shouldn&#x27;t be able to enter into those.

        Honestly, if anything the gray area should work in the other direction: no entering into life -changing legally-binding contracts until you&#x27;ve had the full right to vote, work, and to self determination for...oh, let&#x27;s say one to two years?

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