Returning "the Gaze": An Exploration of Child Marriage in Developed Countries

Almost all countries—regardless of wealth and location—contain constitutional provisions that allow for exceptions to marriage for those below the age of 18. While it is inarguable that such unions are more widely practiced in developing countries, if the goal is to “eliminate” or “eradicate” the practice—as if often the language used in development practice, then this requires a comprehensive and fully global response to the issue. By exploring the recent child marriage in the context of developing countries, this paper looks at how race, nationality/legal status, and gender intertwine regarding minimum age of marriage legislation. More specifically, I uncover the ways that the issue of child marriage is a vehicle by which developed countries reinforce heteronormative ideals of marriage and reproduction, while also (re)creating boundaries between progressive/White, Western cultural ideals and “static”/non-White cultural norms.