Taboo Relationships

Kentucky Republican Pushes Bill to Make Sex With First Cousin Not Incest

When perusing the day’s news, one doesn’t expect to encounter a headline as startling as “Kentucky Republican Pushes Bill to Make Sex With First Cousin Not Incest.” But on closer examination, this headline, and the uproar it’s causing, are not only about first cousin relationships but also throw light on some bizarre inconsistencies in our legal statutes and society.

I remember sinking into a stunned silence when I first came across this news. So deeply rooted are our societal norms against incestuous relationships that the mere implication of trying to legalize sexual relations with a first cousin immediately elicited a visceral response from me.… Continue reading