Should incest be illegal when both partners are of legal age, and there’s no possibility of pregnancy?
Why shouldn’t it be legal when they’re consenting adults and there is a possibility of pregnancy?
I don’t know how much of a risk there is, but mental retardation occurs at higher rates amongst incestual conceptions. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
It’s a problem with humans having certain genetic defects. The odds of complete strangers having the same defect that gets passed down to the next generation is not as high as people with similar genetic heritage having the same defect.
Or at least that’s what I recall from biology lessons at school.
As did I. Frankly, consenting adults…none of my business, or that of the state
Clarification: The above should read “with all humans”
Well, it’s not illegal for people not related to each other to have sex without a blood test to determine compatibility. Unless, of course, it’s flat-out illegal for people to have premarital sex in that state.
A lot of the safe sex propaganda I’ve seen–friends first, lovers you trust with your life, people you care about and love for a long time and expect to care about for years to come–seems to be slanted towards incest being a good idea.
Yet another of my socially inappropriate opinions.
Anyway. What are the justifications for the state making any laws about who gets to boink whom?
Hangovers from the bad old days?
There is no really justifiable reason, except for the protection of children (note, I did not say minors which is a whole other story…not all ‘minors’ are children, although all children are minors)
Cite? I’d love to take your word for it…but well, I just don’t believe it’s true.
“Children of non-related couples have a 2-3% risk of birth defects, as opposed to first cousins having a 4-6% risk”
Not much of an increased risk, but a small one. Still 94% chance of having a healthy baby.
Here’s a better link. Straight from the mouth of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
"The consensus of the task force and those who reviewed the recommendations “is that beyond a thorough medical family history with follow-up of significant findings, no additional preconception screening is recommended for consanguineous couples.” They should, of course, be offered genetic screening tests that would routinely be offered to other couples of their ethnic group. "
http://www.washington.edu/newsroom/news/2002archive/04-02archive/k040302a.html
The problem I see is that not all incestuous relationships have two consenting adults.
If first cousins or siblings, for example, become of legal age and decide to pursue a relationship as partners then they should probably be allowed legally although in sibling relationships there is generally an implied hierarchy within the family usually determined by birth order. (This varies within families and with the age differences of the children.)
If you are talking parent/child or uncle/niece or aunt/nephew (or any other combination of intergenerational relationship) the consent issue becomes murkier. When a child grows up with someone in a position of power over them it is difficult for the child to ever see that person as an equal in a relationship. For example; think of an adult you knew as a kid as Mr. lastname that you simply cannot call by their first name even though you’ve been asked to for years. Even though you are an adult this person still holds a position slightly more ‘powerful’ than yours in the relationship.
I was in an incestuous relationship with my father completely against my will. One of the reasons it took me so long to escape was that he had groomed me since early childhood to fear him and to never speak to anyone outside the family about things that were private family business.
Should incest be illegal between consenting adults? Probably not - if the adults are both truly consenting. That is almost impossible to determine objectively.
Yes.