Is sex with a first cousin incest?

[Eukaryote]

It's a simple question. Many would argue not because it's been done around the world for thousands of years and cousin marrages are legal in all western countries except 24 US states,* and it is not prohibited in the bible either. On the other hand, they are your freakin cousin. Your thoughts?

*I looked this stuff up here: http://www.cousincouples.com/info/facts.shtml​

 

[illram]

Gross dude.

 

[plarq]

No, although in many places, marriage between cousins are illegal.

However, sex between cousins is not prohibited.

 

[Firstlady]

1) My first cousins are all dead.
2) My second cousins are my parents age
3) I'm the oldest of my third cousins.

I wouldn't even consider thinking about my third cousins like that.

 

[silver 2039]

No. Aterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Archbob]

Yes,

And I remember seeing a article that says you shouldn't do it inside of a 5-generation link if your thinking about marriage.

 

[Eukaryote]

No. At least I hope not. My cousins are hot as hell, and I believe my grandfather married his cousin.

:rofl: Dude! Now this is one honest guy folks!

 

[emzie]

I had a brief relationship with a first cousin. Never made it to home base persay.

incest is a stupid taboo as long as it's a consensual relationship.

 

[silver 2039]

:rofl: Dude! Now this is one honest guy folks!

 

[Eukaryote]

I had a brief relationship with a first cousin. Never made it to home base persay.

incest is a stupid taboo as long as it's a consensual relationship.

Well I guess you had to make sure to still be friends afterward, how did you manage that? Seems like an awkward thing that would have had to be done.

 

[mangxema]

I've always though of incest as the immediate family. Sister, father, that sort of thing.

 

[Archbob]

I've always though of incest as the immediate family. Sister, father, that sort of thing.

Cousins, up to like 4th cousin or so are still bad, but each additional generation between gets better.

For proof of why incest(marriage between cousins) is bad, just look how far it got the latter hapsburg rulers and their deformed offspring.

If you are jealous of them, you can become them too!

 

[mangxema]

The thing is... we're all technically distant cousins, so whatever line you draw is completely arbitrary. Immediate family is different though 'cause you're around each other all the time. To think of siblings, parents, or children sexually is just creepy.

 

[Archbob]

The thing is... we're all technically distant cousins, so whatever line you draw is completely arbitrary. Immediate family is different though 'cause you're around each other all the time. To think of siblings, parents, or children sexually is just creepy.

No, your missing the point, there is a genetic reason why marriage between close relatives tends to lead to genetic defect. Its about the 4th or 5th generation when % chance of this happening compared to normal finally becomes an acceptable risk.

 

[Eukaryote]

I think I heard something in Dr. Phil a long time ago (don't make fun of me, I was bored) that 2nd cousins increase the chance of birth defects by an almost trivial amount, and the real danger is continued inbreeding. Basically the gist of the show was it's okay to have kids with a cousin, just make sure it's not a family tradition or in 100 years or so you'll be a bunch of freaks.

 

[Archbob]

Well here:

it leads to an increase in the frequency of homozygotes. A homozygote encoding a congenital birth defect will produce children with birth defects, but homozygotes that do not encode for congenital birth defects will decrease the number of carriers in a population. If children born with this type of heritable birth defect die (or are killed) before they reproduce, the ultimate effect of inbreeding will be to decrease the frequency of defective genes in the population.

Overall in the long run of thousands of years, it may actually decrease the overall defects in society. But on a per case level since you do increase the appearance of homozygotes, it will increase the chances of defects for the direct kids of that union.

And since most people don't care about what happens to society 5000 years into the future, there's a good reason to avoid sexual relationships with close relatives.

 

[Miles Teg]

It's a bit squicky, but the risk of deformed children is very, very low. Then again, even if you do it with your sister, the risk is only hundreds of times greater. It goes from a .001 chance to to a .01 chance. On the other hand, make a family tradition out of marrying your 4th cousin, and things will go bad in a few generations.

 

[Shekwan]

Well I guess you had to make sure to still be friends afterward, how did you manage that? Seems like an awkward thing that would have had to be done.

Why would you have to remain friends afterwards?

 

[Archbob]

It's a bit squicky, but the risk of deformed children is very, very low. Then again, even if you do it with your sister, the risk is only hundreds of times greater. It goes from a .001 chance to to a .01 chance. On the other hand, make a family tradition out of marrying your 4th cousin, and things will go bad in a few generations.

So we conclude that the best solution is not to do your close relatives.

 

[plarq]

Incestuous reproduction is bad for the gene pool, but not incestuous sex.