BUST Magazine contributor, Kelly Kathleen, spoke with musician and activist Courtney Stodden about being one of the most notorious “child brides” in America, surviving media misogyny and why we need to change the insane laws that allow adults to marry children in 44 out of 50 US states today

In 2011 50-year-old actor Doug Hutchison, of Green Mile infamy, married 16-year-old Courtney Stodden. Stodden was blood in the water, quickly becoming America's favorite "child bride" supervillain. And although the public outcry was strong, Monster chugging middle America and Hollywood sleaze bags saved up the best of their venom for the 10th grader. No one did anything to protect the child Hutchison could now call his bride, and no one legally could.

This is Stodden in their own words.

♦️ KELLY KATHLEEN ♦️ Follow BUST Magazine contributor and Pink Princess Phone creator at https://www.instagram.com/mskellykathleen/?hl=en

📍 PINK PRINCESS PHONE 📍 Stay up to date at https://www.instagram.com/pinkprincessphone/?utm_medium=copy_link

💌 Courtney Stodden 💌 https://www.instagram.com/courtneyastodden/?hl=en

📕 BUST MAGAZINE 📕 Read my feature on Courtney Stodden and Child Marriage at https://bust.com/feminism/198553-behind-the-veil-how-girls-in-the-usa-today-are-forced-to-marry-their-rapists.html

Learn more about forced & child marriage and what you can do to help at https://www.unchainedatlast.org/child-marriage-shocking-statistics/