warning incest related question

[madbr3991]

warning i know im going to get hate for this topic.

this is hypothetical

i wonder why consenting 18+ year old incest is illegal. if both are over 18 and consenting and used birth control. why would it be wrong. who else would you love or know better but your family who you have known all your life.

i think it boils down to religion. and how entangled religion is in culture. but even in the bible incest is practiced think Noah's ark. people think its weird and or gross. and yes hereditary defects can be passed down or amplified. but birth control fixes that.

circumcision itself seems to border on incest.

[Despistado]

I actually think this is a good question, and should be discussed.

I agree that it's more an issue of social values than medical evidence (hmm, yeah, sounds a bit familiar...). I believe I've heard of some cultures in which it is mainstream, at least in certain contexts, to have sex with blood relatives. If the people involved in the relationship are happy and it's not hurting anyone else, I don't see a problem.

Also, if you try to condemn it for increasing the risk of hereditary defects in offspring, you then have to ask whether or not people who are not related but show a higher probability of passing diseases or disabilities to their children should be legally allowed to have children. You then have to ask what defines a "hereditary defect," and at what probability procreation should be made illegal.

[MelancholyLogic]

Originally Posted by madbr3991

i wonder why consenting 18+ year old incest is illegal.

I don't know what the exact legal status of this is in the US but if some obscure law were on the books somewhere I would be shocked if someone was successfully prosecuted under such a law.

This reminds me of so-called sodomy laws which were ruled by the supreme court to be unconstitutional a few years ago (2003 I think). There are lots of uptight conservatives who want to dictate what consenting adults can do in the bedroom but laws like that don't seem to have much bite.

On a related note this reminds me of places that have sought to make sex toys illegal. I think Texas was one such place. Owning a deadly weapon? Fine. Owning a piece of silicon designed to give pleasure? Danger Will Robinson!

[azmatt]

Originally Posted by MelancholyLogic

.

There are lots of uptight conservatives who want to dictate what consenting adults can do in the bedroom but laws like that don't seem to have much bite.

This actually has nothing to do with political ideologies, so I'd appreciate if they stayed out of topics like this. I could just as easily say that Liberals are promoting circumcision since Obamacare will reimburse doctors for the cost of the procedure, but I won't say that because we should not involve political ideologies in this topic.

Thanks

[MelancholyLogic]

Originally Posted by azmatt

This actually has nothing to do with political ideologies, so I'd appreciate if they stayed out of topics like this. I could just as easily say that Liberals are promoting circumcision since Obamacare will reimburse doctors for the cost of the procedure, but I won't say that because we should not involve political ideologies in this topic.

Although I didn't mean it in the political sense I hear what you're saying.

For those who are interested, I decided to look up the Texas ban on sex toys and apparently it was overturned in 2008:

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/2/14/12213/8528

[jeff71913]

I'm not sure about the laws on this matter. Personally, I don't think that most people would really care. I know I wouldn't.
I think sex toys are not to be sold in Alabama. I have bought such items in Texas.

jeffrey

[MelancholyLogic]

Originally Posted by jeff71913

I think sex toys are not to be sold in Alabama. I have bought such items in Texas.

For a while they had to be marketed as "novelty" items or "educational" tools (like using a dildo to demonstrate correct condom usage) to be sold in Texas. Occasionally shops there were raided for selling them.

[jeff71913]

I'm a bit surprised that Texas ever had such a law. In over twenty years of driving a truck I have visited several, of course, I never made a purchase. Amarillo and El Paso immediately come to mind. Some here might recall the big XXX sign just east of Amarillo.
For years there was a truck stop near Monahans, Texas that was called TITS. Stood for Texas Interstate Truck Stop. It's abandoned now, but it was a hot spot years ago. I'm surprised they got away with the big sign they had up on I-20.
Ahhhh....those were the days.


jeffrey

[jeff71913]

Why is it that everytime the subject of incest comes up, Texas is always mentioned. hummmm....

HAHA! Just joking.

jeffrey

[greg_b]

Whether it is legal or not depends:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_regarding_incest

There is a lot to be found this subject using google. Here is one that is pretty balanced:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...s-incest-wrong

I think this is one of those grey areas that depends a lot on the context of a particular situation. But it is a very divisive discussion with very strong feelings for many.

Regards