Paul Blay wrote:

"Mary Shafer" wrote ...
On Tue, 9 Dec 2003 16:55:00 -0000, "Paul Blay"
wrote:

Should siblings where one partner has voluntarily been sterilised
be able to marry? I'd be very hesitant to say "yes"
but the only reason I've got for saying "no" is my strong suspicion
that such relationships are mostly likely damaging psychologically
to the parties involved.

In California, first cousins are allowed to marry if the woman is over
some age, I think fifty. I know such a couple. No concern in the law
about psychological factors (but cousins aren't sibs).

As you say, in the part I snipped, it's reproduction.

Concerning which, 'first cousins' probably isn't such a good idea.
(At least according to recent studies on health vs degrees of
relatedness). Even second, third may have statistically significant
drawbacks.

Actually, that's not true. Recent studies done by the National Society of
Genetic Counselors showed very little increase in the risk of genetic
defect for offspring of first cousins. See
http://depts.washington.edu/mednews/vol16/no15/cousins.html
for a good summary. The risk for serious defect goes up by somewhere
between 1.7% - 2.8%


--
Herb Schaltegger, B.S., J.D.
Reformed Aerospace Engineer
Remove invalid nonsense for email.