: Shows like 30 Rock and The Nanny have utilized the "accidentally dating a cousin" plotline to create humorous social friction.
: Since the 1930s, dictionaries have defined a "kissing cousin" as a relative known well enough to be greeted with a formal kiss, such as a peck on the cheek. Kissin' Cousins
: 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. : Shows like 30 Rock and The Nanny
Attitudes toward cousin relationships have shifted dramatically across different eras and civilizations. This led to many states enacting bans that
: Significant genetic issues, such as those seen in the "Habsburg jaw," typically result from centuries of continuous intermarrying within a small, closed gene pool rather than a single generation. Pop Culture and Media Representations
: In the Southern United States, the phrase emphasizes strong family ties where even distant relations are treated as close kin. Cultural and Legal History