The advice column addresses a dilemma from a woman who discovers that her boyfriend of four years is actually a distant cousin. Despite their strong relationship, this revelation causes her to question their future and the possibility of marriage. The column assures her that marrying a fourth or fifth cousin is legally acceptable and advises her to consider researching family backgrounds earlier in relationships to prevent distressing discoveries. Ultimately, it acknowledges the emotional complexity of the situation and suggests she assess her feelings moving forward.
It's legal everywhere to marry a fourth or fifth cousin, and probably more common in smaller communities than you'd think. We are not talking about your brother here, or anything close to it!
But if it doesn't and you truly have the ick, that's hard to talk yourself out of. So perhaps this relationship has run its course, and you should make it a practice to do family tree research on the fourth date from here on out.
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