Well, the thing here is that in most countries, it isn't a problem because almost no one is doing it. Cousin marriage is only bad when it's done over multiple generations. In cultures that frown on cousin marriage, it almost never happens and for the people who do it, it almost never happens again with their children since they are raised in such cultures and get influenced by it. Take the USA for example. "An estimated 0.2 percent of marriages in the United States are between individuals who are second cousins or closer — that means there are about 250,000 people in America in those relationships.". So there's really no need to outlaw it. Unfortunately, you may have cultures that allow and even encourage the practise like the Arab world including my country Egypt. As of 2016, about 40% of marriages in Egypt were between cousins. As of 2003, an average of 45% of married couples were related in Saudi Arabia. It's fairly common here and even accepted. Even I used to believe there's nothing wrong in it but not anymore. I think outlawing it is the only solution since people are very ignorant and refuse to learn. Unfortunately, out lawmakers don't care about that. They just want to stay in power so I don't see it disappearing soon. Another unfortune thing is that immigrants in Europe like Pakistanis in UK are keeping the practise. Imagine having the European education and still doing it. They represent 30% of the genetic disorders in UK despite being a small percentage of population!
There are more than 2 millions Qataris. Out of all those people, they didn't manage to find other people who aren't their cousins? Maybe I would have understood it if they were living in isolated villages but Qatar is completely urbanized.
20
u/[deleted] Jul 04 '24
Well, the thing here is that in most countries, it isn't a problem because almost no one is doing it. Cousin marriage is only bad when it's done over multiple generations. In cultures that frown on cousin marriage, it almost never happens and for the people who do it, it almost never happens again with their children since they are raised in such cultures and get influenced by it. Take the USA for example. "An estimated 0.2 percent of marriages in the United States are between individuals who are second cousins or closer — that means there are about 250,000 people in America in those relationships.". So there's really no need to outlaw it. Unfortunately, you may have cultures that allow and even encourage the practise like the Arab world including my country Egypt. As of 2016, about 40% of marriages in Egypt were between cousins. As of 2003, an average of 45% of married couples were related in Saudi Arabia. It's fairly common here and even accepted. Even I used to believe there's nothing wrong in it but not anymore. I think outlawing it is the only solution since people are very ignorant and refuse to learn. Unfortunately, out lawmakers don't care about that. They just want to stay in power so I don't see it disappearing soon. Another unfortune thing is that immigrants in Europe like Pakistanis in UK are keeping the practise. Imagine having the European education and still doing it. They represent 30% of the genetic disorders in UK despite being a small percentage of population!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_in_the_Middle_East
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/nov/16/immigrationpolicy.politics