Get Inspired, Be Empowered Forums Gender Justice Shouldn’t the legal age for marriage be the same for girls and boys both? Reply To: Shouldn’t the legal age for marriage be the same for girls and boys both?

Shubhangini Shaktawat
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Shouldn’t the legal age for marriage be the same for girls and boys both?
The Indian government has set the minimum age limit for marriage on 21 for boys and 18 for girls. Why? Shouldn’t the legal age for marriage be the same for girls and boys both? A very ancient stereotype in society says that a man should always marry a woman who is younger to him in age and a woman should always marry a man who is older to her in age, only so that the man can always boss around and be controlling and dominant towards her.
How is it fair to have a different age criteria for marriage for both the genders? Does a girl not have to follow her dreams and make them come true? They say the minimum marriageable age for girls should be lesser than boys because they mature earlier than boys. What does that have to do with a girl’s minimum marriageable age? Families that are socially backward use this law as a weapon and forcibly get their daughters married at an age as young as 18. I understand that this is the minimum age limit and not the mandatory age requirement, but people with narrow mindsets do not.
Getting married young in such rural areas results into bearing children young. Also, there are multiple issues and problems in the handling of the household and marriage. Things get toxic and by the time the girl realizes that she too has her rights to live her life on her own terms, it gets too late. Despite that, once she realizes, the marriage starts facing serious problems as conflicts start happening between the couple. Eventually she is left with multiple children as she got pregnant first when she was 18. She is left with no job, hence no source of money as her in laws and husband would never permit her. A lack of education and information about health and hygiene and money results into diseased children. Why to lead such a miserable life? She cannot provide the life to her children that she wished for them and cannot even educate them.
The legal age for marriage should be the same for boys and girls, without a question. It will help India feel a little more educated or up to date about how to go about things in modern times, and also prevent lives of thousands of girls from getting ruined.
A woman myself,
Shubhangini Shaktawat