Can I legally date my first cousin?

that basicaly all I want to know we are allready seeing eachother in private bt want to know if we can make it public. please wb in serious need of info. thanks g x

NO

Some people may have crushes for their cousins.. some may even take it further!!.. Dunno if you are from England, but years and years ago there was a soap called Emmerdale (still runs now) and there was a storyline of two cousins marrying each other... THAT was illegal.. so I guess dating is too as its blood... some people may even consider it sick as it is in a way incest

As far as I know marriage between 1st cousins is legal everywhere except 24 of the 50 states in the US. Even here states that don't allow marriage between 1st cousins recognise these marriages from other states.

While marriage between 1st cousins is rare in the US and Japan it is rather common elsewhere. Worldwide it is estimated that 20% of all marriages are betweeen 1st cousins.

Umm... NO!!

Legally, you can date your first cousin, but if you are considering marriage, laws vary by state and country. In the US, twenty - five states (AR, DE, ID, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, any, NV, NH, and, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX, WA, WV, WY) legally forbid first cousins from marrying, and Maine requires genetic counseling before legal union can take place.

amblessed is correct but I'd add that if someone lives in a state that forbids marriage between 1st cousins they can travel and marry in a state allows it and their home state will recognise the marriage under the full faith and credit clause.

There is a slightly higher chance of birth defects between first cousins than unrelated couples but on the other hand the rate of miscarriages is lower in 1st cousin marriages.

As a Christian amblessed might note that there are many marriages between cousins in the Bible. Also, there are no prohibitions against marrying cousins in the Bible.

Looking at your profile I see all the American information is of no great use. You should contact Harley1375 she's from your side of the pond
http://www.funadvice.com/my/harley1375

filletofspam you might note: If you read Leviticus 18: 6-19, this prohibition is addressed.

The prohibited relationships are listed in Leviticus but relations between cousins are not among the forbiden.

Georeinab. . . find you answer here.
http://www.helplinel...
I believe the relationship such as you discribed is illegal in BRITAIN. . .

filletofspam, you said: 'The prohibited relationships are listed in Leviticus but relations between cousins are not among the forbiden' - that is your belief fine - I'm not an extreemly educated Bible scholar but I know some - consulted same and they disagree - their belief - I know them and trust them so please pardon if I believe their understanding...Take care !!

mealw: I went to your link and and found the requirement: 'They must not closely related members of the same family.' I guess it comes down to is being cousins considered being closely related? My guess is no but I'm still open minded about this so if you have any more information I'll be glad to look at it.

amblessed: I read through Leviticus line by line but I saw nothing that forbade marrying a 1st cousin. Again, I'm open minded here; if I'm misreading a passage or if there is some controversy over translation (I use KJV since it is what I grew up with and is the most poetic of the translations) I'll reconsider.

I Consider My Cousins close relatives, I Grew up with them Having a relationship with them is unthinkable. . . And that kills me because Some of the prettiest Girls I know are MY CLOSE RELATIVES. . . I consider anyone that shares a common grandparent Really close As does Most of the southern US. Also Jerry Lee Lewis was Chased out of England for Marrying his cousins daughter. . . Chew on that one. . . Oh Did you consider that Abraham Married his stepSister. . . An act we would find unthinkable. . . Personally I wish all the US citizans would drop this and let the British give an answer.

Jerry Lee Lewis chased out of England? I never heard that story. I do know that marrying his cousin killed his career but I suspect her being 13 at the time was the main problem since she wasn't even a 1st cousin.

The prohibition against marrying 1st cousins is very much an Americanism and even here not all states disallow it. Albert Einstein and FDR both married 1st cousins.

Here Filletofspam You win. . .
A social anthropologist, Martin Ottenheimer questioned U.S. laws against cousin marriage because his international research into marriage patterns showed no European countries prohibit such unions. He examines the historical development of U.S. laws governing marriage, contrasts them with European laws, and analyzes the genetic implications of first cousin marriage. Modern genetic evidence, Ottenheimer says, doesn't support the concept that children of these unions are at any special risk.

MARTIN OTTENHEIMER, a professor of anthropology at Kansas State University, is the author of Marriage in Domoni and Historical Dictionary of the Comoro Islands.

But the fact is Georgeinab who ask the question is British so this US study is of no great value to him. . .
Fact is I think I'm the only one that looked at his profile before answering to see he is British. And a close look at british law and asking a couple of english folk I know.
I found it is not illegal for Georgeinab to Date or marry his first cousin in the United Kingdom. . . They Can legally date. .. . . .

NNOOO you need to get a boyfriend thats not your cousin!!! or get a life thats reallly far away from him!!

first off all its not illegal to marry your cousin its a culture thing in a lot of countries people marry there first cousins there is nothin wrong with that unless your family dont like it then good luck

You shouldnt date your cousin; why dont you see what other fish are outside your family!!!

well please do what you feel rite 2 do!!! Go with your heart it always knows what to do Hope I helped!! '
Good Luck!
P.S. DONT FORGET ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

uh no and ewww!!!