Is it really that bad to marry my cousin? | Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi

TL;DR

This content discusses the prevalence of cousin marriage throughout history and challenges the common assumptions and stigmas surrounding it.

Transcript

there are things we accept as obvious truths that aren't necessarily backed up by data for example the idea that cousin marriage is to use a scientific term icky first off cousin marriage is way more common than you may think approximately 10 of the world's families are headed by couples who are second cousins or closer that's more than 750 million... Read More

Key Insights

• 📊 Cousin marriage is more common than commonly perceived, with approximately 10% of the world's families being headed by couples who are second cousins or closer, totaling over 750 million people globally.
• 📅 In the past, cousin marriage was much more common, with historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Albert Einstein all marrying their first cousins.
• 💑 Between 1650 and 1850, the average person was fourth cousins with their spouse, indicating that many individuals shared a great great great grandparent with their romantic partner.
• 🌎 Factors such as keeping money and power within the family, maintaining social relationships, and proximity played a role in the prevalence of cousin marriage, even with the advent of railroads and the industrial revolution.
• ⚖️ In the United States, cousin marriage became illegal following the Civil War, with 32 states today either outright banning the practice or imposing restrictions.
• 📉 Less than 1% of American couples are cousins, but the illegality and social stigma make accurate quantification challenging.
• 🩺 The fear of birth defects and genetic disorders has influenced the change in social norms surrounding cousin marriage, but studies show that the increased risk is relatively minor in the general population.
• 🌍 People's perceptions of cousin marriage are shaped more by cultural norms and taboos than by objective danger, and without cousin marriage, many individuals wouldn't exist today.

Questions & Answers

Q: How common is cousin marriage globally?

Cousin marriage is much more common than we might think. Approximately 10% of the world's families are headed by couples who are second cousins or closer, which translates to over 750 million people.

Q: Was cousin marriage more prevalent in the past?

Yes, cousin marriage used to be a much more common practice. Influential figures such as Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe, Albert Einstein, and even President Franklin Delano Roosevelt married their first cousins. Between 1650 and 1850, one study found that the average person was fourth cousins with their spouse.

Q: Why did cousin marriage decline in popularity in Western society?

There were multiple factors that contributed to the decline of cousin marriage in Western society. Increasing mobility, greater autonomy for women, smaller family sizes, and societal norms all played a role. Additionally, the American government's interest in overseeing daily life led to the outlawing of cousin marriage in the United States following the Civil War.

Q: What are the laws and social stigma surrounding cousin marriage today?

Currently, 32 states in the US either outright ban cousin marriage or restrict it to those who seek genetic counseling, are beyond reproductive age, or are sterile. It is estimated that less than 1% of American couples are cousins. The widespread illegality and social stigma make it challenging to quantify the prevalence accurately. However, it's important to note that cultural norms and societal taboos influence our perception of cousin marriage rather than purely objective factors like health risks.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Approximately 10% of the world's families are headed by couples who are second cousins or closer, totaling over 750 million people.

• Cousin marriage used to be more common in Europe and North America, but has since become less popular due to factors such as mobility, autonomy for women, and smaller family sizes.

• In the US, cousin marriage became illegal following the Civil War, and today 32 states either ban it outright or have restrictions on it. However, the risk of birth defects associated with cousin marriage is relatively minor.