Okay, odd adoption question but my friend and I are debating over it. Really odd, okay?

cantstopLinnyG

Depends on which state. In Ohio, you are legally allowed to marry a 2nd cousin, but hop the river to Kentucky, and you have to be "3rd" cousins...hence the term "Kissin' cousins".

http://www.cousincouples.com/?page=states

I could "legally" marry my n brother, as the government does not recognize us as siblings, because I was put up for adoption. Im just not partial to cyclops babies, so I think Ill pass. ;)

Philippa

In the UK cousins can legally marry regardless of whether they are blood relations or not such as cousins due to adoption.

Romany

Strange as it may seem - if a state's laws prohibit marriage between cousins - any "legal" cousin is included, which means adopted cousins. On the flip side - since a cousin by blood who is adopted out of the family is not a cousin in the "legal" sense - I believe it would be allowed even if marriage to a "legal" cousin would not.

Rachael

It would be a little creepy, but I guess you could legally marry your cousin if you were adopted. There's no medical reason that you couldn't since there's no blood relation. But still-- creepy.

What's even weirder is that story I heard about these two people, both adopted, who fell in love because they had so much in common and ended up getting married, only to later discover that they were fraternal twins who were adopted out to different families as infants. I don't know if that's true or not, but that would definitely be worse than marrying a cousin who isn't even blood related to you.

Lena

I dunno, to me...it's creepy.

Redheaded Stepchild

Legally, you can't. It's the same as if you were blood related. Morally, there really isn't any reason not to. If it gives you the creeps, obviously don't do it. But if you didn't grow up around them, met them as an adult, and it's not creepy to you, I can't see any reason why not. It's not like you're going to produce two-headed babies or anything (which is a myth anyway).

gypsywinter

" . . . Lynn Youst was not the daughter of
the accused as we understand that relationship.
She was an adopted daughter only; she
was not of the blood of Samuel Youst or of
his wife. None of their blood coursed through
the veins of the adopted daughter. The relationship
was not actually one of father and
daughter, or mother and daughter, but that of
adopted daughter, and the fact that she was
an adopted daughter could not by the wildest
stretch of the Imagination constitute her
the natural daughter of the accused.""
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/opinions/43carr/op/1963/pdf/wc0097.pdf

You would have to check on the individual state laws on 'consanguinity', 'incest', 'adoption'.

This taken from another website...

""Besides wasn't it normal practice in the "old days" when the rich wanted to keep the money "in the family" so prearranged marriages were in order.""

""Jerry Lee Lewis married a cousin. So did Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. "" (blood cousins)

peash

I think it would look frowned upon if somone did that. But i know alot of muslim people who are married to their first cousin actually, so I guess it depends on the beliefs of the family. Legally you are not allowed to marry anyone who is related to you. Adopted people have the problem of NOT knowing who they are related to by blood. I mean since you're adopted you don't know if your biological parents had more kids and who your blood cousins really are.

Randy B

I'd have to go back and check again but here in Canada essentially "no person shall marry another person if they are related lineally, or as brother or sister or half-brother or half-sister, including by adoption. " Province of Manitoba Marriage Act, SCHEDULE A (Section 24)

Each Province has a different Marriage Act however the provisions are the same across Canada.

monkeykitty83

Different states and countries have different incest laws, so this will vary somewhat.

But in general, once an adoption is finalized it is seen no differently by the law than a biological relationship. An adoptee is still the legal child of the adoptive parents. So marrying a close family member in the adoptive family would still be prohibited by incest laws, lack of blood ties aside.

Mei-Ling

May be legally permitted, but is still wrong on a moral level.

Corn is not dog food! No wheat!

The only reason humans "can't" marry our cousins is for fear of genetic problems that come from having babies with people that are too closely related to you.

When "blood kin" marry, it's possible their kids will be deformed and have genetic problems.

If the cousins aren't genetically related, there's no problem with them getting married. It's creepy, yes, but no real reason for them not to.

Carol c

My opinion is that legally one could marry their cousin if they are not blood related. Why couldn't they? Woody Allen was able to marry his adopted with Mia Farrow daughter. (or was he the step adoptive father?)

It was weird but to my knowledge not illegal.

IDK!!

legally, you are considered "blood related" by the law, stupid I know. it all hinges of falsification of records a piece of paper, that's all. When 2 decide to marry it is asked if you are blood related, saying no would not be a lie and i doubt anyone checks records.

I don't think it's THAT creepy, not for me, but not entirely creepy though.

Ms. Naieve

I would have to agree with your friend technically, since you are (probably) not blood-related, however, I'm on your side if you were raised in close proximity with your cousin, because it would seem "creepy" to you. How is that for keeping the peace!

Emily D

Genetically speaking, it's "okay" to marry your first cousin even if you are blood related. It was very common up until the most recent times. Anymore it's a social taboo. Unless there are known family genetic problems such as cystic fibrosis or hemophilia, there's no reason a child resulting in the union of cousins would be an different than any other. Personally I would seek a genetic counselor just to be on the safe side, but that's just me.

I was adopted. No, I wouldn't even think of marrying any of my male cousins. Not because of genetic issues, but they're too much like big brothers to me. I feel the same way with some close male friends.

â™¥â™¥Mum To Superkidsâ™¥â™¥

In many countries you can legally marry a first cousin, blood related or not.
Personally the idea of marrying relatives creeps me out, but in the case of adoption there is no blood tie, therefore no risk of interbreeding...so it really comes down to personal choice and values of those involved. I suppose it all depends on how closely you've grown up together and the feelings that have developed between you.

Still a bit 'eww' for me though. :-)

HappyMomAnna

Depends on the State laws... Some states yes--other's no!

Legally, no because the "adoption" makes it "legally" as if they are related.

I do know of two non-related adopted siblings who didn't get married but may as well have... if you know what I mean. And they concluded it was acceptable because there was no blood between them... The law did not agree and there were incest charges brought.

Under the Law of the Court adoption is the same as birth even if under the law of nature it is not.

durdenslabs

Since you are not related, technically, you can. However, anyone that you knew growing up ( as well as family ) are going to see it as very weird and usually unacceptable.
You grew up with these people and called them mom, dad, sister, cousin for however many years. Now you want to marry one of your own family??? Blood or adopted, that's just wrong. If not on a legal level, definitely a moral one.

TylerJ

ever heard of Woody Allen? look him up you can, but its gross

Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T.

What about their adopted brother/sister.. they might not be blood related to him/her either.

I say no on both accounts. to me there are two types of siblings, and you could extend this to cousins as well

1. a person that is biologically related to you. Marrying them is bad and disgusting, because it's shown to biologially create genetic problems.
2. a person you "grew up" with, you know, fought with in the back seat of the car on road trips. Whether biologically related or not, this is a different type of relationship that should also exclude romance..

Sufi

legally you can marry your cousin anyway i think. or even your brother/sister in that case, but usually you don't want to because you feel about them more like a brother/sister/cousin instead of a romantic partner.
those things are cultural taboos that kind of vary from culture to culture.
you CAN marry your cousin but usually you don't want to.

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