Marrying First Cousin

[barry1010]

The death of Jerry Lee Lewis has prompted outrage and disgust on some news reports and social media outlets that he married his cousin when she was 13.
I'm sure you know he didn't break any laws when he did so and some US states still don't have a minimum age for marriage.

I have been bewildered by the posts from UK citizens who are disgusted that he married his second cousin - here in the UK first cousins can legally marry.
A petition calling for this to be made illegal in 2014 got only 8 signatures https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/54278

Another got 105 supporters https://www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-ban-first-cousin-marriages-in-the-uk

Last year's attempt got 221 signatures https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/petitions/592255/ban-marriages-of-1st-cousins-and-give-registry-offices-powers-to-order-dna-tests

I am interested to hear your views - is it okay for first cousins to marry? I get the impression that 'Outraged of Oldham' and 'Disgusted of Derby' love venting their spleen on social media (so much less effort that putting pen to paper and writing to the newspapers) but are too bone idle to actually do anything to change things.

I wanted to marry my first cousin. I was 6 and she was training to be a nurse. When I was 7 I wanted to marry the girl next door.

[barry1010]

fripfrip, in the UK first cousins of any sex can fall in love and marry