Sexism and discrimination in marriage laws?

[MindPilot]

This link to a state-by-state comparison of minimum marriage ages was posted in another thread.

http://straylight.law.cornell.edu/topics/Table_Marriage.htm

It got me to thinking just how discriminatory and sexist these disparate rules are for both genders.

First of all I don't advocate anyone getting married until they are old enough to know better--or can afford a divorce--which is for most people somewhere around retirement age.

In almost every state the male has to be at least eighteen. That says the male has reached an age where he is allowed to work, and will fit into his societal niche of supporting the woman.

The female of course can be younger; in some cases much younger (two states have no lower limit) but most states set the age between 15-17. The message to girls is: If you can find a man to take care of you, you can relieve your daddy of the burden. And you don't need an education since you'll be staying home and having babies.

The laws push both men and women into stereotypical roles; in no state--at least without judicial/parental consent--would it be permissible for an 18-year-old female to marry a 15-year-old male. But there are plenty of states where the opposite is legal without consent furthering the older man/younger woman stereotype.

I'm reminded of a wedding I went to once (I absolutely detest going to weddings) where the preacher began by telling about the first wedding God performed which was Adam and Eve when "...Adam was 21 and Eve was 18."

[China_cat]

1. Did anybody ask him if

that was before or after Adam divorced Lilith?