General Discussion

Cleita

(75,480 posts)

20. For myself, I'd say no closer than third cousins.

Sat Nov 30, 2013, 07:10 PM

Nov 2013

Otherwise, I would gag but that doesn't mean others would. But I think the reason I feel this way is that none of my cousins are attractive to me. I like them but even the two who turned out to be very handsome and babe magnets do nothing for my libido. I think you need to poll your relatives and acquaintances, whom I suspect you are concerned about, what they think.

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how distant must a cousin be before one can date them [View all] arely staircase Nov 2013 OP

Three feet. RagAss Nov 2013 #1

Depends on the state. Some say first cousin marriages are okay, others Cleita Nov 2013 #4

forgetb what I legal arely staircase Nov 2013 #12

For myself, I'd say no closer than third cousins. Cleita Nov 2013 #20

you are assuming this is about me and not the arely staircase Nov 2013 #21

Whoever, including the friend. n/t Cleita Nov 2013 #22

ok. they are third cousins and though their families aren't real close arely staircase Nov 2013 #24

Are the great grand parents alive? Cleita Nov 2013 #55

parties involved are middle age arely staircase Nov 2013 #59

No, that's what happens with kids with cou-- NuclearDem Nov 2013 #9

I see what you did there. arcane1 Nov 2013 #11

... LadyHawkAZ Nov 2013 #23

Are you bragging? baldguy Nov 2013 #30

only that I am kin to the both of them nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #35

This'll end well. NuclearDem Nov 2013 #2

Depends tiredtoo Nov 2013 #3

About 30 miles, because more would make dating inconvenient and costly because of gas prices. nt tblue37 Nov 2013 #5

at least third for the sake of the kids! madrchsod Nov 2013 #6

Go ask a teabagger... I think they would CAG Nov 2013 #7

Two counties over. (n/t) Iggo Nov 2013 #8

lol nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #10

Why do you ask? countryjake Nov 2013 #13

intelectual curriosity arely staircase Nov 2013 #16

There is no "knowledge" to be gained here jberryhill Nov 2013 #25

well indeed arely staircase Nov 2013 #26

Alas, I married a woman unrelated to me jberryhill Nov 2013 #36

Big thanskgiving gossip subject among the broader "staircase" clan nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #38

Meh jberryhill Nov 2013 #48

Yes there is. At some distance, the chance of offspring Hosnon Dec 2013 #100

Coupla things.... jberryhill Dec 2013 #112

Well then, for your edification... countryjake Nov 2013 #40

trust me arely staircase Nov 2013 #49

It must have been an interesting Thanksgiving. rug Nov 2013 #14

lol nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #17

I mean, I don't like arguing with relatives at Thanksgiving NuclearDem Nov 2013 #19

yeah at some point keeping peace in the family hits the point of diminishing returns nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #27

If you have to ask if they're too close they are too close. n/t leeroysphitz Nov 2013 #15

Second cousin IMO Freddie Nov 2013 #18

Cousin marriages have often happened IphengeniaBlumgarten Nov 2013 #47

Yeah, used to be more common laundry_queen Dec 2013 #124

Planning on going to a family reunion looking for women? Vashta Nerada Nov 2013 #28

lol nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #29

Not sure. CorrectOfCenter Nov 2013 #31

that is actually the case in question arely staircase Nov 2013 #32

I'd need a picture of your third cousin first jberryhill Nov 2013 #57

If you have to ask the question then you are TOO damn close! TheDebbieDee Nov 2013 #33

First cousins are OK in some parts of the country Warpy Nov 2013 #34

my personal opinion just based on ick factor arely staircase Nov 2013 #37

Clearly, it's a fine thing to do then! Because it kept everyone from discussing MH1 Dec 2013 #119

Siblings are okay in other parts Kaleva Nov 2013 #46

Depends on the context... yawnmaster Nov 2013 #39

Depends on her age FarCenter Nov 2013 #41

Here's definitive advice struggle4progress Nov 2013 #42

After watching that I feel like I need therapy davidpdx Dec 2013 #86

Imagine if they decided to get married, and their last names were Duran.... MADem Nov 2013 #43

lol Renew Deal Nov 2013 #44

in which case Duran Duran should play the reception for tips. nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #50

Now that, as the kids would say, would be EPIC! nt MADem Nov 2013 #63

Third cousins? Jenoch Nov 2013 #45

sorry about the stalinist unpleasantness (no snark) arely staircase Nov 2013 #52

Would you tell us which part of the U.S. it is that your family resides? Jenoch Nov 2013 #54

East Texas nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #58

Six blocks minimum agent46 Nov 2013 #51

Ask Eleanor and Franklin... llmart Nov 2013 #53

Second cousins, right? arely staircase Nov 2013 #56

Eleanor and Frankin were 5th cousins once removed. dflprincess Nov 2013 #71

but started with rhe same surname arely staircase Nov 2013 #80

You can marry first cousins in these states Blanket Statements Nov 2013 #60

wow arely staircase Nov 2013 #62

I think it comes down to preference Blanket Statements Nov 2013 #65

I think in the case of firsts the birth defect problem is there nt arely staircase Nov 2013 #67

I didn't know first cousins could marry in Florida. RebelOne Dec 2013 #130

Depends on what state you are in liberal N proud Nov 2013 #61

If they're a cousin, it's icky. nt geek tragedy Nov 2013 #64

No one else's business. nt Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #66

It's all relative. LumosMaxima Nov 2013 #68

Neanderthals are close enough... hunter Nov 2013 #69

I read an essay in anthropology that suggested that most marriages in human history LeftyMom Nov 2013 #70

As an anthropologist, I doubt that. Coyotl Nov 2013 #74

To my great surprise I found the article. God bless the internets. LeftyMom Nov 2013 #76

I just sent off my mouth swabs arely staircase Nov 2013 #79

If you're Jerry Lee Lewis BlueToTheBone Nov 2013 #72

That effectvely ended his career Zambero Dec 2013 #110

It depends on the state Blue_In_AK Nov 2013 #73

It's ok if you don't hear banjo music. nt bluestate10 Nov 2013 #75

haha! hopemountain Nov 2013 #78

how distant? MFM008 Nov 2013 #77

third cousins nothing removed arely staircase Nov 2013 #81

'Date?' Anytime. elleng Nov 2013 #82

Marriage between first cousins was not uncommon in pre-Victorian times Retrograde Nov 2013 #83

Depends ... dawg Dec 2013 #84

Third cousins likely share something like 3% of their DNA. Thirties Child Dec 2013 #85

I don't know for sure davidpdx Dec 2013 #87

Second cousins are probably as close as you need to be if you're procreating. LuvNewcastle Dec 2013 #88

I could date one of your cousins dipsydoodle Dec 2013 #89

Third cousin, I think, hardly counts. nt raccoon Dec 2013 #90

I believe the answer is first legally, and second relatively safely, but don't quote me on that. Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2013 #91

Thomas Jefferson's wife was his 3rd cousin KentuckyWoman Dec 2013 #92

I don't even know if I have any third cousins. MineralMan Dec 2013 #93

Yes, the risk of birth defects is only slightly elevated as I understand it. LisaL Dec 2013 #94

Well, I really advise some sort of genetic counseling for all couples. MineralMan Dec 2013 #97

interesting list hfojvt Dec 2013 #99

As a matter of practical information, I do not know of a single MineralMan Dec 2013 #101

"they do so ... in half the states" hfojvt Dec 2013 #106

I have no information on how many first cousin marriages MineralMan Dec 2013 #109

Old school was 7 degrees of separation. JNelson6563 Dec 2013 #95

And that is why Kevin Bacon is doomed to remain single cthulu2016 Dec 2013 #116

lol Touche'! JNelson6563 Dec 2013 #122

There is no reason to date any relative BainsBane Dec 2013 #96

and all people in the world are related hfojvt Dec 2013 #98

That's my favorite statement of the internet so far today. Iggo Dec 2013 #125

Unless you have had your geneology done, you could marry a distant cousin and never even know DebJ Dec 2013 #102

I think she meant in a more closer sense... Like, if you share more than five family members on penultimate Dec 2013 #104

My wife is a distant double cousin to President Obama. trackfan Dec 2013 #126

I think you're right, but it really should be a personal choice if all parties are adults. penultimate Dec 2013 #103

Every society has cultural taboos against insest BainsBane Dec 2013 #105

But if we get rid of the risk by ensuring they don't procreate penultimate Dec 2013 #108

How do you ensure they don't procreate? LisaL Dec 2013 #113

Well it wouldn't be forced, as they'd do it on their own accord so they can get married legally penultimate Dec 2013 #114

Should that be done just to cousins or to everyone that carry some mutation? LisaL Dec 2013 #117

That's a good point. penultimate Dec 2013 #120

But then also preservation of property treestar Dec 2013 #118

Old tradition says 2nd cousin. jwirr Dec 2013 #107

Cousin Couples Forum MineralMan Dec 2013 #111

In a lot of states you can still marry a first cousin treestar Dec 2013 #115

Second cousins are fine in all 50 states, I believe. MineralMan Dec 2013 #127

I feel that if your talking about the icky factor RGinNJ Dec 2013 #121

Ask "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis he married his 13 year old cousin at 22 then doc03 Dec 2013 #123

How many people here know their third cousins? muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #128

I don't know any of mine. I assume I have some, but MineralMan Dec 2013 #129

First was good enough for Darwin Rochester Dec 2013 #131