Married to Your First Cousin?

the only real reason that cousin marriage is frowned on or illegal is the propensity of genetically passed on diseases, syndromes and conditions to occur with more frequency in the pairings of couples whose genetic make-up is remarkably similar. it was quite common for royalty to ONLY marry within their family and as a result... there were several odd conditions and abnormalities that were common in royal lines (most markedly anemia, apparently). I cannot really answer about falling for my own 1st cousin, but I have to think I would have naturally avoided the situation given our societal training as children.

No way!!! I really don't even see how someone could fall in love with a first cousin. I could never think of my family that way. I actually didn't realize that it was legal to marry your first cousin in any state. Also, I don't think those birth defects you mentioned could be tested for until the woman was pregnant. Interesting question though...

I saw my first cousins several weeks every year when I was growing up, they are the closest thing I have to brothers and sisters (I'm an only child), so I can't even imagine thinking about my male cousins in a romantic way. I do think it is a bad idea for first cousins to have children anyway. Even if the risk of defects is slight at first, if it became more prevelant, then I'm sure the risk of defects would increase. Just look at any isolated populations where inbreeding has happened for more than a few generations; lots more defects usually result. I think once you get out to second and third cousins, there is so much more genetic differention that it wouldn't matter as much. Also, your less like likely to have been raised with a more distant cousin, so there is less of the "ick" factor, too.

I would call the slightly higher risk of birth defects 'scientific data'. Why would you even risk having that happen?

not me personally.that's way too close for comfort. it wouldn't be a good idea either with the amount of cancer in my family.odds would most likely be even worse for it.

If is is only done once in a blue moon, the risks are small, but if it is consistently done, generation after generation, the risks keep increasing. Some of the Bedouin tribes here marry mostly first cousins and they have more birth defects that other tribes or groups who don't.

I see no problem with marrying your first cousin. As far as genetics go, the Pharoahs married their own daughters for 5000 years and I know of no instance in Egyptian history where there was a mentally challenged ruler.

I new a real live situation like this... One of my friends was dating a guy and found out later that he was her first cousin on her dads side... the family is kind of distant but when he mate her father and saw some pictures they found out he was family... and she had been courting him before she found out he was family and decided to stay with him because she loved him... she now has a baby girl and they got married ... I for one wouldn't do it, and don't know how I would deal with it if my husband now is family... I love him to the point I would probably stay with him.

A lot of cousins grow up together and are very close. I could not imagine falling in love with my cousin, that is just something that shouldn't happen. It's like falling in love with your brother or sister. Now if the families were estranged, and you did not know the person was your cousin, that is something else. Actually, I had an aunt who liked this boy when she was in high school. The day the boy and his mother were going to visit and meet her mother they found out that they were cousins, I think something like seconc cousins. They continued to be friends, (relatives now) but the prospect of a romance was dismissed.

No, not at all. It is just wrong. Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. Especially if you have seen my cousins, more Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.

I wouldn't be okay in getting romantically linked with a first cousin, let alone marry him lol. It just feels weird considering that it would feel like getting married to one in your family. I think there was one incident that took place in UK or something that a brother married his sister accidentally as they were separated at birth and after they met they fell in love. They later found out the truth and got divorced immediately. Besides it is not a good idea as it could cause genetic problems in the child. It is always good to mix genes and the farther the relation the better it is, so I have heard as the child would be stronger.

Hi Aurone, this is a very interesting discussion! I personally wouldn't even think about marrying my first cousin or anything like that but I do know someone who knows someone who is seeing their first cousin. I feel sorry for people who fall in love with their cousins as it would be so hard to deal with!

This would be just an insane thing to do. There is way t oclose of a gene pool for two 1st counsins to marry. The offspring would be certainlly high risk and that is not something that would be advised. The family would be against this in most cases and that would be another reason.

No, I can't fall in love with my first cousin and I can't accept this if any chance he falls in love with me. A bit disgusting to think about the lovers relationship between relatives in my country.

there is no way i would do it. my dad dated a cousin once. he thought it was alright because my dad was addopted and they are not blood. i think that it is all gross. there are enough people in the world to date. you don't have to date family

No I dont think its the right thing to do, but I know that some people may feel its ok, but was raised differently and I wouldnt even think of marrying a cousin first or second cousin it just dosent seem appropriate, but thats just my opinion.

no way!! i would never marry my cousin, thats family for Gods sake; family. if you dont know, its different but the thing is what if you get married then you find out (God forbid)!

Even if I did fall in love with my first cousin, I dont think I could marry them, or in that case even date them, that would be a scarlet letter where I live...but, it is an interesting topic.

to catholic belief, its not allowed. the church would not allow the two of you the get merried. they will not give there blessing to your relationship..

I'm in the same boat as irishfury. I'm a hmong person, and our culture heavily forbids marriage to blood relatives (Distant might be okay), or people with the same last name. If you were to ask me though, I think all hmong people are related in some way or another, due to how small our clan is (We don't even have our own country!), and also because our parents or grandparents are somehow related to another hmong family. I mean, I just met most of my hmong friends for the first time, and I never knew that we were all connected in a way. Example: My dad is related to her dad, because her dad was born from my dad's father's brother/cousin. So, I guess you can say that I would never marry a first cousin.