: In the 19th-century U.S., a shift began as medical and religious authorities began associating cousin marriage with "idiocy" and genetic defects. This led to many states enacting bans that remain today; 30 states currently prohibit first-cousin marriage.
: Elvis Presley famously starred in the 1964 musical film Kissin' Cousins , where the title track lightheartedly suggests that a "distant cousin" is fair game for romance.
: Since the 1930s, dictionaries have defined a "kissing cousin" as a relative known well enough to be greeted with a formal kiss, such as a peck on the cheek. Kissin' Cousins
: Throughout much of human history, marrying cousins was common to preserve wealth, maintain social status, or secure political alliances. An estimated 80% of all historical marriages were between first or second cousins.
These videos explore the cultural history and linguistic nuances of 'kissing cousins': Kissing Cousins | Ancestral Findings Podcast YouTube · Ancestral Findings : In the 19th-century U
: For first cousins, the risk increases to roughly 6%. While this is a doubling of the baseline, some researchers argue it is not as high as public stigma suggests.
: Children of unrelated parents have a 3% risk of congenital defects. : Since the 1930s, dictionaries have defined a
: Shows like 30 Rock and The Nanny have utilized the "accidentally dating a cousin" plotline to create humorous social friction.