General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCousins in love petition to be able to marry in Utah
A Utah couple is petitioning for the right to get married; they say their love shouldn't be limited just because their parents are siblings. Angie Lee's father is the oldest of 12 children; Michael Lee's mother is number five in the same family and the two say they have loved each other since childhood. They were reunited after 10 years apart this winter and say they are finally ready to disregard the risks.
Angie told ABC4's Sarah Martin, "We said OK this is crazy but we're adults now, we're single now, we're just going to go for it and who cares what our family thinks." They are crossing two big hurdles to get married; the most obvious is genetics. According to researchers at Columbia University, first cousins share 12.5 percent of their DNA. First cousins who have children face a 4-7 percent chance of their child having a genetic disorder as opposed to a 3-4 percent chance for an average couple.
The second major hurdle is the law. Here in Utah, it's illegal for first cousins to get married unless they are 65 years old, 55 if they can prove they are infertile. But there is no such law in Colorado, so the two went there Monday to tie the knot. Angie and Michael Lee say Utah's law is antiquated and has no real basis for the restriction. Michael said, "We would like to have enough exposure to where we can go into a congressman or senator, someone with political clout and present a case sound enough to get the law changed."
They have started a petition to gather support for a change in the law. Michael said, "No one I've ever been with will make me feel as perfect as she does. Her being my cousin and some of the responses is a small price to pay."
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/cousins-in-love-petition-to-be-able-to-marry-in-utah/1829458715
Kitchari
(2,168 posts)they're going to generate future Trump voters?
Freddie
(9,275 posts)Is all descended from a pair of first cousins, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Wasnt at all uncommon not that long ago.
Hekate
(90,842 posts)It shows up in numerous portraits. One of the Spanish kings ended up with real difficulties chewing and swallowing, which led to chronic dyspepsia and other health problems.
Royal marriages have always been about alliances between nations, which drove the inbreeding across Europe. The British royals have gotten lucky in this generation, with not one but two "commoner" brides.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)among the aristocracy dating back to ancient civilizations, the Assirians, Egyptians, Persians, Babylon right through the 20th century, and there were a lot of genetic disfunctions, malformations and diseases that went with it. Take the Julio Claudian dynasty of Rome... Julius Caesar probably was an epileptic or at least he had seizures, Octavian was probably ok, Tiberius had sex with nursing babies (mental), Caligula was utterly insane, Claudius had either cerebral palsy or tourets, and the worst of all Nero... he was a musician.
2naSalit
(86,818 posts)Utah actually has such a law. Wonder when that went into effect. Lots of inbreeding there anyway... but that might be incest related instead.
JI7
(89,276 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)thing. So they go to Nevada and get Married. If you have ever lived in Utah,you just go,oh well it is after all Utah.