First Cousin Marriages

[jimmy jazz]

[DISCLAIMER: This topic was created by a curator or admin who split it from its parent topic]

A hot topic in the UK right now, talk of banning marriage between first cousins.

This is no surprise to people in Bradford, Birmingham and so on but for those who are not aware, the reason it's a hot topic is because roughly half of British Pakistanis are born to parents who are first cousins and this leads to health issues for the kids and a horrendous drain on public services.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British Pakistanis scroll down to health issues.

Documentary for those who want to know more, BTW this is Channel 4 not some far-right YouTube weirdo -

[Guybrush]

A hot topic in the UK right now, talk of banning marriage between first cousins.

This is no surprise to people in Bradford, Birmingham and so on but for those who are not aware, the reason it's a hot topic is because roughly half of British Pakistanis are born to parents who are first cousins and this leads to health issues for the kids and a horrendous drain on public services.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British Pakistanis scroll down to health issues.

Documentary for those who want to know more, BTW this is Channel 4 not some far-right YouTube weirdo -

Yikes. Why? Don't do it!

I remember when this came up when I studied biology. Cousin marriage was obviously too much of a genetic gamble, especially if you make it some sort of a tradition. It's not good.

Interestingly, in 1091 in Europe, the Catholic church made a rule that forbade marriage within 7 (!) degrees, so that meant you had to go all the way to fourth cousin before it was considered legal and proper. Norway's first convicted witch, Ragnhild Tregagås, was sentenced in 1325 and one of the things she'd done wrong was banging her second cousin as they shared great grandparents.

So that's some unwarranted historical info 🍷

[jimmy jazz]

Cultural thing @Guybrush

Marrying inside the family keeps the wealth in the family and forms 'closer bonds'.

I knew it was a thing but when I saw the stats I was truly shocked.

I don't think it should be allowed. And you can't deny the kids the healthcare. You have to stop it before it happens. What else can you do?

[Weekender]

A hot topic in the UK right now, talk of banning marriage between first cousins.

This is no surprise to people in Bradford, Birmingham and so on but for those who are not aware, the reason it's a hot topic is because roughly half of British Pakistanis are born to parents who are first cousins and this leads to health issues for the kids and a horrendous drain on public services.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British Pakistanis scroll down to health issues.

Documentary for those who want to know more, BTW this is Channel 4 not some far-right YouTube weirdo -

Luckily cousin marrying is on a sharp decline in those communities already. How long was it the accepted norm in England? What's remarkable is how fast their culture is changing between generations.

While you'll get no argument from me that it's gross, keep in mind cousin inbreeding causes only a minor increase in birth defects. That's why it's able to continue as a tradition, when obviously it should not.

[jimmy jazz]

Luckily cousin marrying is on a sharp decline in those communities already. How long was it the accepted norm in England? What's remarkable is how fast their culture is changing between generations.

While you'll get no argument from me that it's gross, keep in mind cousin inbreeding causes only a minor increase in birth defects. That's why it's able to continue as a tradition, when obviously it should not.

Not that this matters(as it isn't accepted norm now), but if you're trying to make out that this is an English thing, then surely it won't be bigoted to ban it.

Sharp decline or not, it's still approximately half of children who are born to first cousins.

[Weekender]

No, the point is you can most likely expect this to sort itself out on its own.

[jimmy jazz]

And if it doesn't?

Not that banning it will solve the problem, but not banning it for that reason doesn't make any sense.

[Saulaac]

This topic came up yesterday on my news feed on my French phone as well. It was a BBC News link. From what I remember, there is some science behind it. Although one generation doing it on a whim may not be risky, it can become a problem if repeated over several generations.

Why this is coming up now on my phone and in the House of Commons is anyone's guess. My guess is that a couple of conservatives from slightly different cultures are debating it out with a couple of progressives from slightly different cultures. 4D debating. Funky.

[Weekender]

And if it doesn't?

Not that banning it will solve the problem, but not banning it for that reason doesn't make any sense.

Then you can go from there. When the trend already points to this phasing out over generations, it doesn't make sense to involve the government.

There's also a large number of risk factors for birth defects that are not outlawed, so I question the motives of such laws.

[jimmy jazz]

We're already several generations in so we are 'there'.

[Buck_Mulligan]

I was surprised to learn that 25/26 US states permit some form of 1st cousin marriage. Some, where it was previously illegal have recently made it legal (Maryland 2010). Others have various age and medical limitations to prevent consanguinity.
Companionship for elderly, and inheritance/tax issues seem to be the main drivers. Most US states do not recognize common-law marriage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States

[Weekender]

We're already several generations in so we are 'there'.

Why involve the government in an issue that is solving itself?

Again, that makes no sense.

[jimmy jazz]

Why involve the government in an issue that is solving itself?

Again, that makes no sense.

Because we're a few generations in and it hasn't solved itself.

Makes far more sense than 'do nothing and hope for the best'.

[Weekender]

It's in the process of solving itself. The same way the English used to fuck their 1st cousins and now they don't.

Are you just racist, or stupid and racist?

[jimmy jazz]

haha and there we have it.

Imagine being that scared of the R word that you'd rather do nothing and let more children suffer.