The "kissing cousin" trope is a staple in storytelling, often used for comedic or dramatic effect.
: Throughout much of human history, marrying cousins was common to preserve wealth, maintain social status, or secure political alliances. An estimated 80% of all historical marriages were between first or second cousins. Kissin' Cousins
: It is often used to describe two separate things that share a close similarity or common origin, such as "politics and show business" or different types of fabrics. The "kissing cousin" trope is a staple in
: In the 19th-century U.S., a shift began as medical and religious authorities began associating cousin marriage with "idiocy" and genetic defects. This led to many states enacting bans that remain today; 30 states currently prohibit first-cousin marriage. : It is often used to describe two
: Children of unrelated parents have a 3% risk of congenital defects.
: For first cousins, the risk increases to roughly 6%. While this is a doubling of the baseline, some researchers argue it is not as high as public stigma suggests.