Not saying he's gross, but just saying that the thought of my cousins (or my siblings) having sex just sort of repulses me! I just don't like thinking of my family that way. I never even liked the term "kissing cousins". Yuck!
But not everyone feels that way. Apparently many states now allow for first cousins to marry! The list can be found at http://marriage.about.com/cs/marriagelicenses/a/cousin.htm . I couldn't believe it! I know in some areas of the world that is the norm, but wasn't that taboo in America?
Looking deeper into the subject, I found many web links about cousin couples. It seems that prior to civil laws were passed and religious creeds were established to ban cousin marriages, this was actually a preference.
I've always been told that if relatives (like first cousins) were to conceive and give birth to children, the offspring had a greater chance of having developed birth defects. This is a possibility, but those thoughts came before modern genetic testing was invented. Did you know that scientifically speaking simply marrying within your own race increases the odds of birth defects just as marrying within your own town further increases your chances? Factually, couples that are related by blood only have a slightly higher chance for birth defects than non-related couples. Here are the facts from cousincouples.com (a very interesting website):
Fact:
Children of non-related couples have a 2-3% risk of birth defects, as opposed to first cousins having a 4-6% risk.
Genetic counseling is available for those couples that may be at a special risk for birth defects (e.g. You have a defect that runs in your family)
In plain terms first cousins have at a 94 percent + chance of having healthy children.
The National Society of Genetic Counselors estimated the increased risk for first cousins is between 1.7 to 2.8 percent, or about the same a any woman over 40 years of age.
Worldwide, the percentage of cousins marrying is 20%. 1 in 1,000 cousin couples marry in the U.S., and in Japan it's 4 in 1,000. Per CousinCouples.Com, "It is estimated that 20 percent of all couples worldwide are first cousins. It is also estimated that 80 percent of all marriages historically have been between first cousins". The site goes on further to say that "Albert Einstein married his first cousin. And so did Charles Darwin, who had exceptional children". Other famous names that came up have been Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sir John A. MacDonald (The first Prime Minister of Canada), and even in the bible they mentioned couple marriages.
Each U.S. state, however, prohibits marriages between parents and children, sisters and brothers, uncles and nieces, and aunts and nephews. There are strict "incest" laws in the states, thus not making those types of marriages even legally possible.
Though legal the United States of America (26 states allow first cousin marriages and 26 states do not), it is still very taboo here. However, there is an old saying in West Africa that roughly translates to "cousins are made for cousins". The U.S. is somewhat alone among developed nations in outlawing marriage among first cousins. In European countries, there is no prohibition. In some cultures, particularly Islamic ones, first-cousin marriage is encouraged. And let us not forget about Royalty (they like to 'keep it in the family').
American society is so skeptical about first cousin marriages because of very poor research done in the 19th century. It was the Europeans that first discovered more scientific knowledge on the subject, eventually discrediting American findings. This is for "cousin couples" only, not other relationships (father/daughter, etc)between relatives, which has shown 7 to 31 percent of offspring having adverse medical outcomes.
Then there's the biblical/religious views on it. The bible is very specific about which relationships should not be made, and none of them include first cousins.
Forbidden Marriages Scriptures:
Between parents and children - Leviticus 18:7-8
Between stepparents and stepchildren - Leviticus 18:8, 17
With your paternal or maternal aunt - Leviticus 18:12-13
With your uncle or aunt - Leviticus 18:14
Between brother and sister and half-brother and half-sister - Leviticus 18:9
Between stepbrothers and stepsisters - Leviticus 18:11
With your daughter-in-law - Leviticus 18:15
With your sister-in-law - Leviticus 18:16
With your granddaughter - Leviticus 18:10
With your step-granddaughter - Leviticus 18:17
I've found that the Roman Catholic Church does allow First Cousin Marriages. As strict as they are, this surprised me very much! Not because the Roman Catholic Church is perfect, but because their stance on things has always been so "this can be done or this is forbidden".
The scare of genetic deformities has always been the root why it was taboo for couple marriages. But because most state marriage laws have gotten away from mandatory blood tests, it would be safe to say that the concern is not serious enough to warrant steps preventing such mishaps.
So the next time you're at a family reunion and you see someone that appeals to your eye there's no need to worry; chances are it's legal! lol
Copyright ©2007 Attica Lundy
1 comment:
The risk you mentioned 4-6% - only applies to cousins whose families do not themselves practice the tradition of cousin marriages.
The problem with cousin marriages in third world countries is that cousin marriages are not very infrequent. What happens over there is that the first cousins parents' are themselves cousins and their grandparents are also cousins, so there has been generations of cousin marriages within the family. Therefore the risk of birth defects are high. Pakistani's in Britain have 10x higher rate of birth defects compared to the normal population!
Post a Comment