The Marriageable Age

A child bride

The Marriageable Age considers the minimum age at which one can marry either as of right or subject to parental consent. After analyzing the marriageable age difference between males and females, it is clear that female’s age to marry is, on average, much lower compared to the marriageable age for males. This may be the result of scientific research proving that women mature quicker compared to men which means that women are able to bear children at younger ages. It must also be considered that, in general, younger women tend to bear healthier babies. The younger minimum age for women allows more time to reproduce and have more healthy offspring. The marriageable age is usually set in the high teens but can be years lower due to given parental consent by the couple’s parent and or pregnancy. This law defines an “adult” as one that has gone through puberty and is able to reproduce children. The age difference also allows women to be considered “adults” at a younger age compared to men. 

Even though, the younger age may bring optimal reproduction it doesn’t allow the women to truly make a choice for her life and her future. The argument in Nussbaum’s Sex and Social Justice would be valid for this set age to marry. Nussbaum believes that women need to have the resources to make a decision dealing with their futures and marriage at such a young age doesn’t allow for rational judgments to occur. Women who get married at such young ages may miss out on things such as education and childhood and many suffer the consequences for the rest of their life. Therefore, it can be argued that at such a young age a person is unable to deal with the responsibilities that come with a healthy, happy marriage.