This is rooted in genetic concerns: close relatives who marry one another are more likely to have children with diseases or other issues. Matrilateral cross-cousin marriage in societies with matrilineal descent meant that a male married into the family his mother's brother, building an alliance between the two families. [169], The U.S. state of Maine allows first-cousin marriage if the couple agrees to have genetic counseling, while North Carolina allows it so long as the applicants for marriage are not rare double first cousins, meaning cousins through both parental lines. LEXIS 1605 (2002). Of the three types of institution of exogamy rules, dual organization, and cross-cousin marriage, the last was most significant, making the analysis of this form of marriage the crucial test for any theory of marriage prohibitions. [51] Pragmatic reasons for the husband, such as warmer relations with his father-in-law, and those for parents of both spouses, like reduced bride price and access to the labor of the daughter's children, also contribute. However, because we have two copies of every gene, theres usually a healthy version of the genes too. Islamic view The Islamic view is that, while it is permissible to marry cousins, it is preferred to choose a partner to marry from outside one's family. Alaska. Arizona marriage license fee is $83. However, this statute was amended in 2009; while sex with close adult family members (including first cousins) remains a felony, the more serious penalty now attaches to sex with an individual's direct ancestor or descendant. However, there are a few countries where it is legal to marry your cousin. [126] There has been discussion of whether laws prohibiting cousin marriage should be enacted. While readily conceding that banning cousin marriage cannot be justified on genetic grounds, Saletan asks rhetorically whether it would be acceptable to legalize uncle-niece marriage or "hard-core incest" between siblings and then let genetic screening take care of the resulting problems. It was during the last part of his exile, while staying at the Dvaraka residence of his cousins, that he fell in love with Subhadra. Hol cited the Berta people of Sudan, who consider the FBD to be the closest kinswoman to a man outside of the prohibited range. The Middle East has uniquely high rates of cousin marriage among the world's regions. [195] Jack Goody describes this theory as a "legend". [131], There has been a great deal of debate in the United Kingdom about whether to discourage cousin marriages through government public relations campaigns, or ban them entirely. The writings of Scottish deputy commissioner for lunacy Arthur Mitchell claiming that cousin marriage had injurious effects on offspring were largely contradicted by researchers such as Alan Huth and George Darwin. [102] Morgan himself had married his cousin in 1853. While the chance may be increased, it isnt as high as most people think. Contact us. A consistent positive association between consanguinity and disorders such as ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect has been demonstrated, but both positive and negative associations with patent ductus arteriosus, atrioventricular septal defect, pulmonary atresia, and Tetralogy of Fallot have been reported in different populations. This is not a huge chance, but it is real! [citation needed] In the 1980s researchers found that children to closely related Pakistani parents had an autosomal recessive condition rate of 4% compared to 0.1% for the European group. [181], Anthropologists Robert Murphy and Leonard Kasdan describe preferential parallel cousin marriage as leading to social fission, in the sense that "feud and fission are not at all dysfunctional factors but are necessary to the persistence and viability of Bedouin society". However, even in the states where it is legal, the practice is not widespread. There is however a big matter of contention surrounding the morality. [187], Cousins are not included in the lists of prohibited relationships set out in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in Leviticus 18:818 and 20:1121 and in Deuteronomy.[3]. The HGC states that similarly, it is appropriate to offer genetic counseling to consanguineous couples, preferably before they conceive, in order to establish the precise risk of a genetic abnormality in offspring. For example, in So Paulo in the mid-19th century, the rate of cousin marriage apparently was 16%,[123] but a century later, it was merely 1.9%. [205], Although marrying his cousin himself, Umar, the second Caliph, discouraged marrying within one's bloodline or close cousins recurringly over generations and advised those who had done so to marry people unrelated to them, by telling a household that did so, "You have become frail, so marry intelligent people unrelated to you. [36], Cousin marriage has been allowed throughout the Middle East for all recorded history. [45] In Egypt, estimates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries state variously that either 80% of fellahin married first cousins or two-thirds married them if they existed. (Image: Getty) Marriage between cousins is a contentious topic across the globe, but you may be surprised to hear it's. Cousin marriage - Wikipedia FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. [154][155][156] In some areas, higher proportion of first-cousin marriages in Pakistan has been noted to be the cause of an increased rate of blood disorders in the population. Studies consistently show a lower rate of primary infertility in cousin marriages, usually interpreted as being due to greater immunological compatibility between spouses. According to Andhra Pradesh oral tradition, Abhimanyu himself married his first cross-cousin Shashirekha, the daughter of Subhadra's brother Balarama. [13][14] In the Middle East and South Asia, cousin marriage is still strongly favored. [120], First-cousin marriage is allowed in Japan, though the incidence has declined in recent years. Jackson, LG. The report states that these children are 13 times more likely than the general population to produce children with genetic disorders, and one in ten children of first-cousin marriages in Birmingham either dies in infancy or develops a serious disability. By the early to mid-20th century, anthropologists described cross-cousin marriage in China as "still permissible but generally obsolete" or as "permitted but not encouraged". In April 2002, the Journal of Genetic Counseling released a report which estimated the average risk of birth defects in a child born of first cousins at 1.12.0 percentage points above the average base risk for non-cousin couples of 3%, or about the same as that of any woman over age 40. Jacob's brother Esau also married his first half-cousin Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael, Isaac's half-brother. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states. There are 15 counties where you can apply and obtain a marriage license from the state's county superior court . Currently, like in the old days, before courtship commences, thorough enquiries are made by both families to not only ascertain character traits, but to also ensure their children are not related by blood. Double first cousins have twice that of first cousins and are as related as half-siblings. Christopher Bayly, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 17701870, p. 49, arranged marriage in the Indian subcontinent, National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "When Did Cousin Marriage Become Unacceptable? Help us create the next chapter of a Silicon Valley landmark that inspires the innovator in everyone. [30] In Chinese culture, patrilineal ties are most important in determining the closeness of a relation. Congenital anomalies account for 41 percent of all British Pakistani infant deaths. Arranged marriages, albeit in great decline, was also done to consciously prevent accidental consanguineal and bad marriages, such that the impending in-laws were aware of each other's family histories. [37] Anthropologists have debated the significance of the practice; some view it as the defining feature of the Middle Eastern kinship system[38] while others note that overall rates of cousin marriage have varied sharply between different Middle Eastern communities. Most crucially, cross-cousin marriage is the only type of preferential union that can function normally and exclusively and still give every man and woman the chance to marry a cross-cousin. What is it called when you marry your first-cousin? [125], Cousin marriages remain legal in Germany. Laws regarding first-cousin marriage in the States Legal Allowed with requirements Banned with exceptions 1 Statute bans marriage 1 Criminal offense 1 1 Some states recognize marriages performed elsewhere, while other states do not. "[206], The Hindu Marriage Act prohibits marriage for five generations on the father's side and three on the mother's side, but allows cross-cousin marriage where it is permitted by custom. ", "You searched for united_states/Maine/Index U.S. "According to the Marriage Act of 1961 [cousins] can marry," Genealogy SA's Beryl Schahinger told ABC Radio Adelaide 's Afternoons program. [citation needed]. [157] While recent studies have cast serious doubt on whether cousin marriage is as dangerous as is popularly assumed, professors Diane B. Paul and Hamish G. Spencer speculate that legal bans persist in part due to "the ease with which a handful of highly motivated activistsor even one individualcan be effective in the decentralized American system, especially when feelings do not run high on the other side of an issue. Isaac married Rebekah, his first cousin once removed (Genesis 24:1215). Where it's legal to marry your cousin, in one map - indy100 "So it's partly economic, and it's also partly cultural." [80][81] After 1215, the general rule was that while fourth cousins could marry without dispensation, the need for dispensations was reduced. Instead of corporate units, Arab society is described as having "agnatic sections", a kind of repeating fractal structure in which authority is normally weak at all levels but capable of being activated at the required level in times of war. Estate of Levie (1975, Cal App 1st Dist) was a California case on a purported first-cousin marriage contracted in Nevada. Which countries do not allow cousins to marry? Where Is It Legal To Marry Your Cousin - isalegal [7][18][105], In the Far East, South Korea is especially restrictive with bans on marriage out to third cousins, with all couples having the same surname and region of origin having been prohibited from marrying until 1997. (See Incidence. [95], For some prominent examples of cousin marriages in ancient Rome, such as the marriage of Octavian's daughter to his sister's son, see the Julio-Claudian family tree. The percentage of consanguinity between any two individuals decreases fourfold as the most recent common ancestor recedes one generation. [4] Some states prohibiting cousin marriage recognize cousin marriages performed in other states, but despite occasional claims that this holds true in general,[5] laws also exist that explicitly void all foreign cousin marriages or marriages conducted by state residents out of state. Illinois. This is the case even if either person lives in Ireland but you marry outside of Ireland. It was estimated in 1960 that 0.2% of all marriages between Roman Catholics were between first or second cousins, but no more recent nationwide studies have been performed. What does it mean to be a first cousin? Some variants are responsible for physical differences, such as hair or eye color. [66], The Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, who are predominantly Christian, strictly practice non-consanguineal marriages, where kinfolks and cousins are not allowed to marry or have intimacy. [20] The average age at marriage is lower for cousin marriages, the difference in one Pakistani study being 1.10 and 0.84 years for first and second cousins, respectively. [194], The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia refers to a theory by the Anglican bishop of Bath and Wells speculating that Mary and Joseph, the mother of Jesus and her husband, were first cousins. [33][34], In Ku-feng hsien, in the district of Ch'u chou [Kiangsu]. "[109] This was then encompassed in the Civil Code, which takes effect in 2021, as its Article 1048. John P. Beal, James A. Coriden and Thomas J. It existed in Medina during Muhammad's time, but at less than today's rates. By the 1920s, the number of states banning cousin marriage had doubled. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states. Professor Alan Bittles of Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University in Australia has studied cousin marriages for the past 30 . To many (Morgan included), cousin marriage, and more specifically parallel-cousin marriage, was a remnant of a more primitive stage of human social organization. Also, Isaac's son Jacob married Leah and Rachel, both his first cousins (Genesis 2829). [44], In-marriage was more frequent in the late pre-Islamic Hijaz than in ancient Egypt. [189] In the other 25 states permitting at least some first-cousin marriage, double cousins are not distinguished.[190]. [177], Cross-cousin marriage also establishes a division between prescribed and prohibited relatives who, from the viewpoint of biological proximity, are strictly interchangeable. Bennett, RL et al., Genetic Counseling and Screening of Consanguineous Couples and Their Offspring: Recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors." They can provide a more accurate risk estimate based on your situation and can discuss if there is any testing available. [116], World map showing prevalence of marriage between cousins, up to and including second cousins, according to data published in 2012 by the United States National Center for Biotechnology Information. Marriages between relatives occurred strongly during a period that goes more or less between 1760 and the entire 19th century, both in the countryside (mostly) and in the city (to a lesser . Marriages between first cousins are against the law in 24 states. [229], A BBC report discussed Pakistanis in Britain, 55% of whom marry a first cousin. That means in each of those conditions, we typically dont have to worry about developing the disease. However, enforcement proved difficult and by the subsequent Qing dynasty, the former laws had been restored. [235], Comprehensive genetic education and premarital genetic counseling programs can help to lessen the burden of genetic diseases in endogamous communities. Can Kissing Cousins Wed in the US? - VOA [233] According to a statement by the UK's Human Genetics Commission on cousin marriages, the BBC also "fails to clarify" that children born to these marriages were not found to be 13 times more likely to develop genetic disorders. The HGC goes on to compare the biological risk between cousin marriage and increased maternal age, arguing that "Both represent complex cultural trends. [244], Patai, Golden River to Golden Road, 145153, Women in Ancient Persia, 559331 BC By Maria Brosius, p. 68, Patai, The Myth of the Jewish Race, "Cousin Marriage", Elementary Structures of Kinship, Chapter 9, pp. [103] This includes most of the major US denominations, such as Baptist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist. [99] Finally, Edward Westermarck states that marriage among the ancient Teutons was apparently prohibited only in the ascending and descending lines and among siblings. A cousin marriage is a marriage where the spouses are cousins (i.e. Is it legal in Scotland to marry your cousin? - TeachersCollegesj Can I marry my cousin in the UK and does it affect our children? Whether it is legal to marry a relative can vary depending on where you live. Getting married requires you to pay a fee for a marriage license. It found the marriage void per the usual rule. [70] In contrast to the Nigerian situation, in Ethiopia, Islam cannot be identified with a particular ethnicity and is found across most of them, and conversions between religions are comparatively common. [162], Texas passed a ban on first-cousin marriage the same year as Amrhein and Andrews married, evidently in reaction to the presence of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). OFFENSES AGAINST THE FAMILY", "State Laws Regarding Marriages Between First Cousins", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States&oldid=1152611347, States of the United States law-related lists, Articles with dead external links from November 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Articles containing potentially dated statements from February 2014, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2010, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from April 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 08:15. Their view is that the Christian injunctions against cousin marriage were due more to ideology than to any conscious desire to acquire wealth. [221] First-cousin marriage is taboo among Amish, but they still have several rare genetic disorders. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states. [11] Children of more distantly related cousins have less risk of these disorders, though still higher than the average population. [182] Per Murphy and Kasdan, the Arab system of parallel cousin marriage works against the creation of homogenous "bounded" and "corporate" kin groups and instead creates arrangements where every person is related by blood to a wide variety of people, with the degree of relationship falling off gradually as opposed to suddenly.

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