In 2018, Inside Edition had an article showing the legality of cousin marriage in every state:
Though it is less common now, marriage of some form between first cousins is legal in many of America's 50 states. Think you know where your state falls on such laws? Click through to find out!
In 2011 the National Library of Medicine had an article about genetic counseling for consanguineous marriages:
Consanguinity is a deeply rooted social trend among one-fifth of the world population mostly residing in the Middle East, West Asia and North Africa, as well as among emigrants from these communities now residing in North America, Europe and Australia. The mounting public awareness on prevention of congenital and genetic disorders in offspring is driving an increasing number of couples contemplating marriage and reproduction in highly consanguineous communities to seek counseling on consanguinity. Primary health care providers are faced with consanguineous couples demanding answers to their questions on the anticipated health risks to their offspring. Preconception and premarital counseling on consanguinity should be part of the training of health care providers particularly in highly consanguineous populations.
On October 10th, New Jersey 101.5 had an article about cousin marriage:
Whenever the topic comes up, most people are surprised to learn that the United States is one of the few countries in the world where marrying your first cousin is considered taboo.
They will usually joke about states like Arkansas or Alabama, but it is legal here and much more common in other parts of the planet. Worldwide more than 10% of marriages are between first and second cousins. It gets a really shocked reaction here.
Although the article doesn't mention it, consensual incest between people 18 years old or more is not a criminal offense in New Jersey.
In 2010 Cafe Mom shared a confession:
This Week's Confession:
When I was in my early 20s, I moved to a new city and my mom suggested I look up a long-lost cousin, the product of an uncle's affair who my family had never met. I did. He was in his 30s and there was an instant attraction. Before you could say "kissing cousins," we were having the most amazing sex -- and had a crazy affair for two years before guilt finally made me cut it off. I guess everyone has a crazy affair in their 20s, but the fact that mine was with a relative makes me feel so weird about it. I have no photos of that time and have never told my husband. Or my mom, obviously! There's no point regretting it because it's done. It's more like it feels like it happened to someone else. --anonymous
TheBody had an advice column from 2003:
I am an asian and i will be marrying my first-cousin soon(which is common here)with blessings.
But we have pre-marital sex bout 6 month now after our engagement.
Doctor, my cousin is free from Hiv(which i strongly believe and i hope so), and so do i b'cos i only have sex with him .We use condom while sex but every time /all the time when we have sex i give him blow job..which i and him love it.
