In Virginia, it is legal to marry your first cousin.
General Laws on Cousin Marriage in the United States
- The legality of first-cousin marriage varies significantly among states, with some permitting it, some prohibiting it, and others allowing it only under certain conditions.
- As of February 2014, 19 states in the U.S. permitted marriages between first cousins, while 24 states prohibited them, and 7 states allowed only some types of first-cousin marriages.
- Restrictions can include stipulations based on age, infertility, or requirements for genetic counseling.
States Where Cousin Marriage Is Legal
- Seventeen states, including Virginia, currently permit first-cousin marriages without restrictions: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.
States With Restrictions
- Some states allow first-cousin marriage only if specific conditions are met. For instance, Maine requires genetic counseling before the marriage. Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Utah, and Wisconsin allow it if both parties are over a certain age or are infertile.
States Where Cousin Marriage Is Illegal
- States such as West Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas ban cousin marriages outright. As of February 2014, 24 U.S. states prohibit marriages between first cousins.
Other Considerations
- The precise number of Americans married to their first cousins is not definitively known. One estimate from a 2015 article suggests that approximately 0.2% of the American population is married to a first or second cousin, but this data is not recent.
- Some opponents of first-cousin marriage cite studies suggesting a higher risk of health issues in offspring, while others defend it as a matter of personal freedom.
Sources:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin_marriage_law_in_the_United_States
[2] https://www.ted.com/podcasts/am-i-normal-is-it-really-that-bad-to-marry-my-cousin-transcript
[3] https://code.wvlegislature.gov/48-2-302/
