Ending the Child Bride: State Legislative Action on Low-Salience Gender Issues

• In Event: Gender Dynamics on the Campaign Trail and in the Statehouse

Abstract

How did the issue of child marriage go from relative obscurity in the United States to the agendas of the majority of state legislatures in the span of a few years? This question explores how a low salience gender issue, such as underage marriage, can ascend to the legislative agenda without the benefit of high public scrutiny or the backing of powerful lobbying groups. A majority of state legislatures have now at least considered eliminating underage marriage loopholes and raising the minimum marriage age, including four states that have banned underage marriage outright. I complete a case study of efforts to ban underage marriage in Pennsylvania, which became the third state to completely ban underage marriage in 2020. I argue that social movements were integral in heightening public attention to this low salience issue, using tactics to draw attention through traditional media and social media. Evidence in this study includes analysis of traditional and social media campaigns on child marriage as well as in-depth interviews with social movement actors and legislators. This analysis adds to our understanding of how low-salience issues can rise to the legislative agenda in state legislatures. It also provides new evidence for how social movements are uniquely positioned to use strategic issue frames and media events to exert new pressure on overlooked issues.

Author

• Amber N Lusvardi, Purdue University