Surprise! Children can no longer get married in New York City

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If that headline had you checking your iPhone to tell you what year it was never fear you are far from alone. In 2021, many were surprised to learn this week that child marriage was still legal in New York City. In fact — multiple websites report that the act is still legal in a majority of America (only 6 states prohibit such from happening.)

But this week Andrew Cuomo signed a law into legislation that otherwise blocks child marriages from happening. In the states (including New York before they outlawed it) children beginning usually at the age of 14 could marry. It is perhaps one of the archaic holdovers from the previous century where such was not entirely frowned upon.

Called Nalia’s Law (a young woman who survived the very definition of child marriage) the law takes effect immediately.