During a debate in the New Hampshire House of Representatives this week, Republican state Rep. Jess Edwards voiced his opposition to a bill setting the minimum age of marriage to 18 — because it would induce "ripe and fertile" 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to have more abortions instead of settling down and having a family.
The remarks were reported by the New Hampshire Bulletin, following extensive and spirited debate that ultimately saw the bill pass the state house. The legislation would replace current state law that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to get married if they have the consent of a guardian.
"If we continually restrict the freedom of marriage as a legitimate social option, when we do this to people who are a ripe, fertile age and may have a pregnancy and a baby involved, are we not in fact making abortion a much more desirable alternative, when marriage might be the right solution for some freedom-loving couples?" said Edwards.
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Edwards' remarks in the New Hampshire House, a place known for its colorful political antics, provoked a strong reaction on social media — including from multiple of his colleagues in the legislature.
"This is the frickin' mentality that we have to deal with in New Hampshire. Children (girls) should be allowed to get married because they are 'ripe and fertile,'" wrote state Rep. Wendy Thomas. "Looking for groomers? Look no further."
"I’m tired of being called a groomer when Republicans are the ones fantasizing about 'fertile' teenagers and demanding legal child marriage," wrote fellow state Rep. Alissandra Murray, an openly transgender and nonbinary community organizer who has worked on abortion access. "Anyway, they lost - once Sununu signs SB 359, child marriage will finally be illegal in the state of NH."
"Females are walking fertile vessels to these creeps," wrote local special educator Lea Benson.
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