Jordan Carlson
Staff Writer
Representative Charles Pelkey, D-Laramie, plans to end child marriage. Something that is legal in the state of Wyoming, despite the US State Department deeming it a serious abuse of human rights.
Pelkey said this bill is to protect those under the age of 18 from making a life altering choice, or for many of those involved in child marriage, protecting them from being victimized by adults.
In Wyoming, teenagers can legally get married without parental consent at the age of 16. With parental consent and a judges approval however, there is no minimum age requirement. This has caused children as young as 10 to get married in Wyoming. Most child marriages are not at the choice of the minor however, it is usually a choice made by the parents.
The legal age of emancipation in Wyoming is 17. That means that children or teenagers who enter into marriages before that age are not recognized as adults in a legal setting. This creates complications such as not being able to leave home due to an abusive relationship without it being considered running away, and those who would help them be considered kidnappers. After speaking to an employee at the Self Help Center Inc. in Casper, Wyoming. they said the Self Help Center cannot provide the necessary resources to minors such as a place to stay without accruing kidnapping charges unless the minor is emancipated.
While being under the age of 18 even if emancipated, minors still do not have certain rights.
“My daughter pointed out she was able to buy dry ice at Walmart only once she turned 18.” Pelkey said.
From small things such as buying dry ice at walmart to not being able to vote, minors are still allowed to get married in 48 states.
Another complication for unemancipated minors who marry is not being able to divorce until the age of 18. Facing similar legal challenges such as not being able to get a credit card, rent a home, open a bank account, have a car loan, get a tattoo, get a piercing or enter into any legally binding contract.
Pelkey said the biggest argument was certain legislators believing this bill would take away parental rights.
“It does not take away parental rights unless you consider your children as property,” said Pelkey. Other arguements against child marriage restriction bills across the country are for religious reasons such as keeping children from being born outside of wedlock.
The first bill went through legislation in 2019 and failed with a narrow vote of 31-26 will be reintroduced during the legislative session starting Feb. 10, 2020 with the hope to pass and effectively stop child marriage in Wyoming, including making any current child marriages void in the state.
In the United States alone more than 248,000 children entered marriage between 2000-2010, according to a Washington Post op-ed in 2017. Some of these children, most being girls, are as young as 12, and most of these girls marry men over the age of 18. In all child marriage cases in the United States between 2000-2010, 77% of these children married adults.
“It is a human rights abuse that contributes to economic hardship and leads to under-investment in girls’ educational and health care needs…,” stated a document produced by the US State Department. “It produces devastating repercussions for a girl’s life, effectively ending her childhood. Early marriage forces a girl into adulthood and motherhood before she is physically and mentally mature and before she completes her education… and preventing her from contributing fully to her family and community”.
Children who are involved in underage marriages are three times more likely to have a minimum of at least five children, are 50% more likely to drop out of high school and are 70-80% more likely to have a divorce.
The new bill would make it impossible for minors to get married under the age of majority in Wyoming, which is 18, unless emancipated before the marriage contract is formed. It will also void any marriages in Wyoming with a minor involved. It is planned to go into effect July 1, 2020 if the bill is passed in the legislative session.
The United States does not condone child marriage in foreign countries but it somehow still has legality in the nation itself. A bill to end it in this state will encourage other states to do the same.
For further information the bill itself can be found at WyoLeg.gov/Legislation/2020/HB0067, for those in Wyoming local legislators can be found on the WyoLeg.gov website including their contact information to discuss approval or disapproval of this bill.
