this post was submitted on 22 Sep 2023
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to prevent child marriage and protect minors.

The bills raise the minimum age for a person to consent to marriage to 18, according to Whitmer's office.

"Keeping Michiganders safe and healthy is one of my top priorities, and today's bipartisan bills will build on our efforts to protect young people—especially young women—from abuse," said Whitmer. "As a county prosecutor, I went after those who used their power to prey on young people, and as governor, I am proud to sign legislation to strengthen protections for children and survivors into law. Together, we can make Michigan a safe, welcoming state where you can grow up and pursue your potential."

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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 74 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Now this will disappoint a lot of "religious conservatives"!

[–] arefx@lemmy.ml 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They're gonna try to kidnap her again

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 9 points 1 year ago

Lol "We'll just human traffic the people who try to stop us from human trafficking."

[–] aeronmelon@lemm.ee 63 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 57 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Still isn’t in many states. Something many people pretend isn’t a huge issue.

[–] Pinkrose@reddthat.com 54 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Wait a minute child marriage is legal in Michigan?

[–] TheCelticPirate@lemmy.world 86 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Surprisingly it's allowed in a lot of states. Unsurprisingly Republicans are fighting laws like this.

[–] WHYAREWEALLCAPS@lemmy.world 38 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Right? It's like people forgot about that one Republican talking about how he knew women who'd gotten married when they were 12 and were happy when defending their state's child marriage laws.

[–] Algaroth@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That was so bizarre. He thought he was making a point for child marriage but any sane person would see it as the opposite.

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For a long time, (certain) people thought that the best way to deal with a rape victim who got pregnant was to marry her to her rapist. Marriage makes everything ok!

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

That's literally what the Bible says to do.

Good book, my ass.

[–] electrogamerman@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wait a fucking damn one minute! I as gay man im damaging children by wanting them to learn that there are different families and each deserves respect, but marrying a child is legal?

[–] jumperalex@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Correct.

Next question.

I want off this timeline!

[–] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago

It was, thanks to conservatives. And now it's not, thanks to normal people.

[–] jeffw@lemmy.world 47 points 1 year ago (1 children)

House Bill 4296, sponsored by Rep. Betsy Coffia, D – Traverse City, is a grandfather law that ensures minors who are currently married do not lose their spousal benefits under the new laws.

That’s just weird to read

[–] parrot-party@kbin.social 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's horrible but trying to force-ably separate them at this point would only lead to the minors being hidden from view, deepening the abuse. Additionally, the minors are highly unlikely to actually leave their spouse, no matter how bad their situation is. Adding fuel to the "society doesn't want us together" would only serve to deepen the minor's distrust in everyone but their spouse, making it much harder to help them from any ongoing abuse.

[–] jeffw@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Yeah, not saying it’s bad… just weird

[–] Ulrich_the_Old@lemmy.ca 47 points 1 year ago

Fantastic news!!! Child marriage laws are state sanctioned Child Rape!!!

[–] sarcasticsunrise@lemm.ee 43 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm not too well versed on Whitmer's political stance, but she keeps pissing a certain kind of people off. She could be some milquetoast lib for all I know but this is clearly a win, amirite? I can't conceive of how any village elders who trot about PROTECT CHILDREN could possibly object to this. Couldn't happen in my America

[–] Justas@sh.itjust.works 23 points 1 year ago

Protect children... BUT NOT FROM ME!

[–] paddirn@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

Yay, but also... it's 2023, why wasn't this already the case?

[–] ArugulaZ@kbin.social 23 points 1 year ago

Now the rednecks will want to kidnap her even more.

[–] TenderfootGungi@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

Child marriages should be illegal federally with zero tolerance or exceptions.

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 20 points 1 year ago

Christian conservatives be like "Oh no, what transparently thin veil will I use to cover child sex slavery now?"

[–] xc2215x@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

A good move from Governor Whitmer.

[–] Smacks@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It wasn't illegal in the first place?!

[–] TurtleJoe@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Lol, it's legal in the vast majority of states.

As of July 2023, ten states have banned underage marriages, with no exception: Delaware (2018),[3] New Jersey (2018),[4] Pennsylvania (2020),[5] Minnesota (2020),[6] Rhode Island (2021),[7] New York (2021),[8] Massachusetts (2022),[9] Vermont (2023),[10] Connecticut (2023)[11] and Michigan (2023).[12]

It's especially super cool when parents marry their underage teenage daughter to her rapist, and then he becomes her legal guardian. I'll let you guess which major political party overwhelmingly supports this.

[–] nelly_man@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Not only is it legal in most states, it's actively kept legal. It's not just some old, irrelevant law that only exists because people haven't noticed.

E.g., here's an exchange from Missouri a few years ago where a state senator references an attempt to end child marriage.

https://youtu.be/9H6UJ-uCrgc?si=hihhxIuOJl7N9ror

[–] SayJess@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Binthinkin@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Most days it’s hard to believe how much we don’t know about our own backwards ass country.

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The article doesn't mention it, are parents allowed to consent that their child be married off before the age of 18?

[–] CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No, that’s what child marriage was. Two 15 year olds couldn’t just go off and get married on their own before.

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

oh, good! thank you!

[–] hypna@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

I was curious how often this actually happened and found this other article with some figures.

https://www.iosconews.com/news/state/article_3280a3fa-bc08-54ae-80e1-a92d10aab51b.html

"More than 5,400 minors were married in Michigan between 2000 and 2021, according to the nonprofit Unchained at Last. More than nine in 10 of the minors were girls, with 12 under the age of 16."

So I guess it was mostly 16 and 17 year olds who now have to wait to 18.

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Remember when the FBI spooked a bunch of yokels to try and kidnap her.

[–] Arthur_Leywin@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Good job Whitmer

[–] Neon@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

congrats to Michigan

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