Why Courtney Stodden Wants California to Ban Child Marriage
Summary
Courtney Stodden, who married at age 16 with parental consent, is campaigning for a California law to ban all child marriages under 18. Her advocacy gained attention after actor Jason Alexander apologized for a 2012 comedy sketch involving Stodden when she was 17. A bill to prohibit all marriages under 18 in California has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate Judiciary Committee.Key Facts
- Courtney Stodden married actor Doug Hutchison in 2011 when she was 16 and he was 51; the marriage was legal with parental consent.
- Stodden divorced Hutchison in 2020 and has spoken out against child marriage since then.
- Child marriage is still legal in 33 U.S. states under some circumstances, like parental consent or judicial approval.
- California Assembly Bill 1267 would ban marriage for anyone under 18 with no exceptions.
- Jason Alexander apologized for a 2012 comedy sketch featuring Stodden when she was 17, calling it inappropriate.
- Stodden says the sketch was harmful and uses the situation to highlight the need for laws protecting children.
- The bill was authored by both Republican and Democratic California Assemblymembers.
- The bill has passed the California Assembly and is under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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