Courtney Stodden Fights to Ban Child Marriage in California After Calling Out Hollywood Figures

Courtney Stodden is turning a personal public reckoning into a major political crusade. The media figure recently opened up about her determined efforts to outlaw child marriage across the United States, placing a heavy focus on closing legal loopholes in California's state legislation. Speaking exclusively to reporters while attending the GBK Brand Bar's Annual Pre-TV Awards at the Sun Rose venue in West Hollywood, Stodden shared key details regarding her current activist campaign. The star revealed a close partnership with the non-profit organization Unchained at Last, working on the frontlines to protect young people from predatory unions. Their primary target is Assembly Bill 1267, a specific piece of legislation making its way through the state pipeline. Stodden explained that AB 1267 aims to completely eradicate child marriage in California, introducing a strict prohibition with zero legal exceptions for individuals under the age of 18. ## Is child marriage legal in California? The legislative fight exposes a startling reality about domestic marriage laws. Child marriage—legally defined as any marriage involving a person under 18—remains fully legal in 34 states nationwide. Even more surprisingly, California joins Mississippi and New Mexico as one of only three states in the nation that fails to enforce any minimum age requirement at all. The real-world impact of these open legal standards is substantial. Nationwide data recorded between 2000 and 2018 shows that nearly 300,000 minors were legally married in the United States over that eighteen-year span. Reports confirm that the vast majority of those underage unions involved young girls. ## What is Courtney Stodden doing now? For Stodden, advocating for systemic reform has meant pounding the pavement in the state capital. The star described making continuous trips to Sacramento to lobby lawmakers directly, standing side-by-side with a dedicated collective of fellow survivors who have turned their shared experiences into a movement. These lobbying efforts come on the heels of Stodden publicly speaking out against several prominent men in showbiz, including reality television physician Dr. Drew Pinsky and former *Seinfeld* actor Jason Alexander. As the push for AB 1267 continues, Stodden remains committed to ensuring that California finally closes the door on underage marriage for good.