With a global population of 8.1 billion people, finding a partner who doesn’t share the same DNA should be easy. Yet, about 250,000 people in the United States, married to a cousin, are keeping it in the family.
One woman discovered this firsthand when, after five months of dating, she found out the man she believed to be “the one” was in her father’s family photos.
Continue reading to learn more about the woman’s unexpected family ties!
A woman in her mid-20s shared her story on Reddit, describing how her excitement over her new man, whom she met on a dating app, turned to horror.
“I was talking to this guy on Hinge with soft hazel eyes, and I thought he was the one,” writes the woman, known as Gelicca. “After a few messages, we decided to go on a date, and soon we were a couple.”
After five months, they wanted to meet each other’s families. Since their families lived far apart, planning the introduction was a challenge.
“We hadn’t met each other’s parents yet. Instead of the traditional approach, we decided on a dinner with both families,” she writes.
She was nervous about her parents meeting her boyfriend, unaware they were already acquainted.
“When my father stood up to introduce himself to my boyfriend’s mother, his face turned white. He was looking at his cousin (Uncle’s daughter). It took a moment for her to realize too,” she says.
Their parents hadn’t seen each other in nearly 30 years. “We sensed something was wrong when our parents looked at each other, and they told us we were related.”
The fact that they had both moved to the same city was a shocking coincidence.
Cousin marriage, or consanguinity, makes up about 10% of global relationships. It’s prevalent in the Middle East, West Asia, and North Africa, but less so in the United States, where it’s legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Not wanting to face scrutiny and wanting to do the right thing, the couple decided to end their relationship.
“Even though we loved each other, we knew it wasn’t right. It was one of the hardest breakups, but it was necessary for our family. I removed everything from social media,” she writes.
Creating a new Reddit account to avoid embarrassment, she says she is “horrified” by the incident. “You hear these stories all the time, and mine was no exception.”
Online users offered their support.
“I’m sorry, that sounds tough. Respect for ending it quietly,” writes one user. Another says, “The hardest breakups are due to circumstance, not incompatibility or personal issues.”
Some users shared culturally different views. One writes, “In my country, parents would be delighted at this revelation!”
Another user jokes, “Maybe they were eating at Olive Garden, where everyone is family.”
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