The practice of child marriage is far more common throughout the world than many might suspect. According to UNICEF, as many as 50 million girls in developing countries were married before they turned 18 and 100 million more are expected to marry in the next decade. Child brides can be as young as 5 or 6 when they enter marriages, often with much older men.

Stephanie Sinclair has spent nearly a decade photographing the communities that practice child marriage. She has documented the weddings and lives of young girls in Nepal, India, Yemen, Afghanistan, the United States and elsewhere. In each country, Sinclair said, the community uses religion to justify the tradition.

avocadosalad:

“The president has said that states should decide the marriage issue and that New York was an example of that process. Do you believe the people of your state have the right to decide the issue at the ballot?

They have the legal right, now. Do they have the moral right? No. I just think that marriage equality is a right for everyone. I mean, marriage is the best thing that happened to me. This idea that same-gender couples are a threat to marriage … first of all, it’s ridiculous logically. Elizabeth Taylor—wonderful woman—was married how many times? Is that less of a threat to marriage than a same-gender couple being married once?”

I have yet to feel regret for voting for this man.

I only wish I could have voted for him.