Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating of individuals who are closely related. Inbreeding is taboo worldwide due to the high potential for sexual abuse, especially child abuse, and lasting trauma. Additionally, the chances of inheriting genetic disease significantly increase among children who are the result of inbreeding.
Researchers from the University of Queensland observed 450,000 genomes from people of European descent born between 1938 and 1967. Out of the group, 125 people met the inbreeding criteria, meaning the parents were either first-degree relatives (siblings) or second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, etc.). In this group, researchers found common health issues such as decreased cognitive abilities and muscular function, reduced height and lung function, and a greater risk of contracting diseases in general.
While inbreeding is incredibly taboo in the United States, it is somewhat legal in some states. While not widely practiced, first-cousin marriage is legal in 19 states, and some first-cousin marriages are legal in six states. Sexual relations and cohabitation are only prohibited in nine states. Approximately 0.2% of all marriages in the United States are between second cousins or closer. That means that there are about 250,000 Americans that are in these relationships.
Inbreeding is more common in the following states: Washington, Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Maine. Generally, inbreeding is more common in the southeast region of the U.S. and more rural states. Approximately 70% of inbred families live in desolate areas.
Inbreeding is common, specifically, in the eastern part of Kentucky, and the region is plagued by the stereotype that every family is an inbred family. While the stereotype is not entirely true, inbreeding rates are higher in eastern Kentucky than in any other part of the state. It is believed that this is partially because people have moved to the mountains in eastern Kentucky for the low cost of living and the lifestyle. Still, there are typically no other families living in these locations. The families that move there either don’t have the money to leave or do not want to leave, and the growing children typically inbreed to save their family name.
One family from Kentucky known for generations of inbreeding is the Fugate family. The Fugate family was relatively isolated from the rest of society for nearly 200 years. Their inbreeding led to several medical problems and recessive genes being passed down through each child, such as one that gave some of the offspring blue skin. The blue skin gene is a recessive gene that only appears when both parents are carriers of the gene. The inbreeding caused the recessive gene to appear in both parents.
State | First Cousin Marriage Allowed | First Cousin Sexual Relations or Cohabitation Allowed | First Cousin Marriages Void | Out Of State Marriages By State Residents Void | All Out Of State Marriages Void | First Cousin Once Removed Marriage Allowed | Half Cousin Marriage Allowed | Adopted Cousin Marriage Allowed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Alaska | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Arizona | Only if both parties are 65 or older, or one is infertile | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Arkansas | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
California | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Colorado | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Connecticut | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Delaware | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
District of Columbia | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Florida | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Georgia | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hawaii | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Idaho | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
Illinois | No | No | No | No | Unknown | No | No | Unknown |
Indiana | Only if both parties are 65 or older | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Iowa | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
Kansas | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown |
Kentucky | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | No | No | Unknown |
Louisiana | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | No | Yes | No | If judicial approval in writing is obtained |
Maine | Proof of genetic counseling from a genetic counselor | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Unknown | Yes |
Maryland | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Michigan | No | Sexual conduct with a cousin who is mentally disabled, incapable, or incapacitated, physically helpless, or developmentally disabled due to autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or intellectual disability is a felony | Yes | No | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
Minnesota | Only certain types | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Unknown |
Mississippi | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Yes |
Missouri | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
Montana | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Yes | Unknown |
Nebraska | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Nevada | No | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | No | Yes | Unknown |
New Hampshire | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Unknown | No |
New Jersey | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New Mexico | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New York | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
North Carolina | Yes, except in the rare case of double first cousins | Yes | Yes, but cannot be declared void after all of cohabitation, birth of issue, and death of one of the parties has occurred | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
North Dakota | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Unknown |
Ohio | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Unknown | Unknown |
Oklahoma | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown |
Oregon | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pennsylvania | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | Unknown | Unknown |
Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
South Carolina | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
South Dakota | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Unknown |
Tennessee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Texas | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Utah | Only if both parties are 65 or older, or both are 55 or older with a district court finding of infertility of either party | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Unknown | Unknown |
Vermont | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Virginia | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Washington | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Unknown |
West Virginia | No | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Yes | No | Yes |
Wisconsin | Only if the woman is at least 55, or either is permanently sterile | No | No | No | Unknown | Only if the woman is at least 55, or either is permanently sterile | Yes | Yes |
Wyoming | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Unknown | Yes |