Equal Protection Under the Law

Matthew Galluzzo, lawyer for Columbia University professor David Epstein, who'd been criminally prosecuted over consensual adult incest, wrote to Yes But However and made the legal case [link may no longer be working] for striking down laws against consensual consanguineous sex, while still trying to hint at a personal disapproval of such sex.Second, I am a criminal defense attorney and not a religious leader or political activist, and accordingly, my argument is a legal one, not a moral or political one. I have never argued that homosexuality is the moral equivalent of incest, nor would I. I have never argued that the two are somehow similar biologically, psychologically, or ethically…The comparison between the two is purely a legal one, and the legal argument that I am making is not a novel...

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Posted in: allies,consanguineous,courts,incest,lack of equality harms,prosecution,solidarity,USA

Equal Protection Under the Law

Matthew Galluzzo, lawyer for Columbia University professor David Epstein, who'd been criminally prosecuted over consensual adult incest, wrote to Yes But However and made the legal case [link may no longer be working] for striking down laws against consensual consanguineous sex, while still trying to hint at a personal disapproval of such sex.Second, I am a criminal defense attorney and not a religious leader or political activist, and accordingly, my argument is a legal one, not a moral or political one. I have never argued that homosexuality is the moral equivalent of incest, nor would I. I have never argued that the two are somehow similar biologically, psychologically, or ethically…The comparison between the two is purely a legal one, and the legal argument that I am making is not a novel...

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Posted in: allies,consanguineous,courts,incest,lack of equality harms,prosecution,solidarity,USA

A Love That Should No Longer Be Denied

Mark Matousek, who has spent three years researching a book about ethics, wrote at PsychologyToday.com about one ethical question asked of him.And just yesterday, minding my own business, I was asked a question at a dinner table full of liberals that stopped me in my tracks, morally speaking:Is it ever OK to have consensual sex with someone in your family?Yes, it usually is OK.The question came from an attractive woman in her late 40s. My immediate response was, absolutely not.That can be a typical response.Years before, she and her half-brother had fallen madly in love. It was one of those requited-but-not-consummated, and never talked about, loves, and after high school the half-siblings had gone their separate ways, seeing each other only very rarely at family reunions. (They shared a mother...

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Posted in: allies,brother-sister,consanguineous,lack of equality harms,love,siblings

A Love That Should No Longer Be Denied

Mark Matousek, who has spent three years researching a book about ethics, wrote at PsychologyToday.com about one ethical question asked of him.And just yesterday, minding my own business, I was asked a question at a dinner table full of liberals that stopped me in my tracks, morally speaking:Is it ever OK to have consensual sex with someone in your family?Yes, it usually is OK.The question came from an attractive woman in her late 40s. My immediate response was, absolutely not.That can be a typical response.Years before, she and her half-brother had fallen madly in love. It was one of those requited-but-not-consummated, and never talked about, loves, and after high school the half-siblings had gone their separate ways, seeing each other only very rarely at family reunions. (They shared a mother...

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Posted in: allies,brother-sister,consanguineous,lack of equality harms,love,siblings

More States Allow First Cousins to Marry Than Gays

You may have seen this picture (now outdated.) It shows that (heterosexual, monogamous) first cousins can legally marry in more US states than (monogamous) same-sex partners. Now, 9 states and Washington, D.C. allow gays and lesbians to marry one partner, with restrictions. See this map for laws regarding consanguineous sex and marriage, and this map for laws regarding same-sex marriage. Marriage is regulated at the state level in the US, which is why different states have different laws, but there are federal (national) programs and policies that treat people differently based on marital status. Currently, DOMA (which I like to call the Denial of Marriage Act), a federal law, prevents federal programs from recognizing legal same-sex marriages,...

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Posted in: consanguineous,cousins,DOMA,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,marriage equality,same-sex,solidarity,USA

More States Allow First Cousins to Marry Than Gays

You may have seen this picture (now outdated.) It shows that (heterosexual, monogamous) first cousins can legally marry in more US states than (monogamous) same-sex partners. Now, 9 states and Washington, D.C. allow gays and lesbians to marry one partner, with restrictions. See this map for laws regarding consanguineous sex and marriage, and this map for laws regarding same-sex marriage. Marriage is regulated at the state level in the US, which is why different states have different laws, but there are federal (national) programs and policies that treat people differently based on marital status. Currently, DOMA (which I like to call the Denial of Marriage Act), a federal law, prevents federal programs from recognizing legal same-sex marriages,...

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Posted in: consanguineous,cousins,DOMA,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,marriage equality,same-sex,solidarity,USA

Kelsey's Law Bans Cell Phone Use for Teen Drivers

Kelsey Raffaele killed at 17As of today, Michigan roads have become a little bit safer.  On January 8th, 2013 Governor Rick Snyder signed into law Public Act 592 of 2012, also known as Kelsey’s Law.  The new law, which takes effect today, is named in honor of Kelsey Raffaele, 17, of Sault Ste. Marie, who died tragically in a cellphone-related automobile crash in 2010.The law bans 16 and 17 year old drivers with a level 1 or a level 2 driver’s license under Michigan’s graduated licensing system from using a handheld phone while driving.  A level 1 driver has the most restrictions, while a level 2 driver only has a few restrictions –such as the number of passengers allowed and limits on nighttime driving.  A teen who is at...

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Posted in: criminal defense lawyer,Kelsey Raffaele,motor vehicle code,Roberto Bihar,texting

They Know Equality Will Happen

Steve Sailer wrote at vdare.com that we'll eventually get the polygamous freedom to marry, and he says it will happen because of African immigrants. I get the impression he's not happy about it and is being sarcastic when referring to racism.Whether someone is a bigot or not, it is good that more and more people realize we will get full marriage equality. We've seen that over the last few days when it comes to the DOMA and PropH8 cases before the US Supreme Court, and how defeated the anti-equality mouthpieces are sounding.The sooner opponents of equality realize that it is inevitable, the sooner they can put their resources to things like, oh, protecting children (and adults) from predators. I know denying basic rights to other adults is high priority and all, but once they realize equality...

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Posted in: Africa,children,courts,DOMA,freedom to marry,Islam,law,LGBT,marriage equality,polygamy,prejudice,Proposition 8

They Know Equality Will Happen

Steve Sailer wrote at vdare.com that we'll eventually get the polygamous freedom to marry, and he says it will happen because of African immigrants. I get the impression he's not happy about it and is being sarcastic when referring to racism.Whether someone is a bigot or not, it is good that more and more people realize we will get full marriage equality. We've seen that over the last few days when it comes to the DOMA and PropH8 cases before the US Supreme Court, and how defeated the anti-equality mouthpieces are sounding.The sooner opponents of equality realize that it is inevitable, the sooner they can put their resources to things like, oh, protecting children (and adults) from predators. I know denying basic rights to other adults is high priority and all, but once they realize equality...

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Posted in: Africa,children,courts,DOMA,freedom to marry,Islam,law,LGBT,marriage equality,polygamy,prejudice,Proposition 8

The Same-Sex, Polygamous, and Consanguineous Freedom to Marry

There have been a lot of bus sightings lately here in the US. Prejudiced politicians, talking heads, and some ministers try to scare people by saying that if we allow people to have their basic right to same-gender marriage, then soon a man will be able to be married to several female slaves, some of them little girls, and it will all be perfectly legal.Instead of challenging these bigots by presenting the dichotomy between consenting adults sharing love and coercion and child abuse, all too many people throw polyamorous and consanguinamorous people under the bus. Specifically, some LGBT rights and same-gender freedom to marry journalists and bloggers disavow the polygamous or consanguineous freedom to marry. In doing so, through throw some...

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Posted in: marriage equality,politicians,prejudice,solidarity

The Same-Sex, Polygamous, and Consanguineous Freedom to Marry

There have been a lot of bus sightings lately here in the US. Prejudiced politicians, talking heads, and some ministers try to scare people by saying that if we allow people to have their basic right to same-gender marriage, then soon a man will be able to be married to several female slaves, some of them little girls, and it will all be perfectly legal.Instead of challenging these bigots by presenting the dichotomy between consenting adults sharing love and coercion and child abuse, all too many people throw polyamorous and consanguinamorous people under the bus. Specifically, some LGBT rights and same-gender freedom to marry journalists and bloggers disavow the polygamous or consanguineous freedom to marry. In doing so, through throw some...

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Posted in: marriage equality,politicians,prejudice,solidarity

Civil Rights Just For Some

Some people support increasing the freedom to marry, but not full marriage equality. Most of these people can’t give a good reason why they have that view. Joanna supported same-sex couples (nonconsanguineous?) but was very careful to make it clear that she didn’t support consenting adults having consanguineous sex. But the good news is she did recognize she didn’t know why. So she asked about this.Around the world (as far as I know,) incest - and I will define that as any sexual or romantic relationship between two people of the same family (obviously aside from a husband or wife) that branches out to at least 3rd cousins - is widely unaccepted.This is false. In some cultures, marrying a cousin is a norm. There are states in the US where first cousins can legally marry. Closer relatives can...

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Posted in: children,consanguineous,freedom to marry,incest,marriage equality,myths,prejudice

Civil Rights Just For Some

Some people support increasing the freedom to marry, but not full marriage equality. Most of these people can’t give a good reason why they have that view. Joanna supported same-sex couples (nonconsanguineous?) but was very careful to make it clear that she didn’t support consenting adults having consanguineous sex. But the good news is she did recognize she didn’t know why. So she asked about this.Around the world (as far as I know,) incest - and I will define that as any sexual or romantic relationship between two people of the same family (obviously aside from a husband or wife) that branches out to at least 3rd cousins - is widely unaccepted.This is false. In some cultures, marrying a cousin is a norm. There are states in the US where first cousins can legally marry. Closer relatives can...

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Posted in: children,consanguineous,freedom to marry,incest,marriage equality,myths,prejudice

SCOTUS Hears Same Sex Marriage Cases Today

We've been watching the gay-marriage case, Hollingsworth v Perry, for two years; here's a link to our first post detailing case.  Two well-funded homosexual couples from California, one gay, one lesbian, challenged California's proposition 8 in federal court back in 2008, and the case finally will be orally argued tomorrow at the SCOTUS.Their lawyers, Ted Olson and David Boies of Bush v Gore fame, are well-suited to the task of bringing the couples' privacy-based arguments to the Supreme Court.  Olson was Solicitor General under President Bush; he appears to have changed his stripes for this one.Since that original post, two other consolidated federal cases have made their way through the federal court system and will be...

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Posted in: 14th Amendment,California,David Boies,Hollingsworth v Perry,Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,Proposition 8,Roe v Wade,same-sex marriage,SCOTUS,Ted Olson,Texas,United States v Windsor

Kudos to Senator Claire McCaskill

US Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat, wrote this on her tumblr...I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love. While churches should never be required to conduct marriages outside of their religious beliefs, neither should the government tell people who they have a right to marry.Thank you, Senator! I agree that an adult should be free to marry any and all consenting adults!My views on this subject have changed over time, but as many of my gay and lesbian friends, colleagues and staff embrace long term committed relationships, I find myself unable to look them in the eye without honestly confronting this uncomfortable inequality. Supporting marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples is simply the right thing to do for our country,...

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Posted in: allies,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,marriage equality,same-sex,USA

Kudos to Senator Claire McCaskill

US Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat, wrote this on her tumblr...I have come to the conclusion that our government should not limit the right to marry based on who you love. While churches should never be required to conduct marriages outside of their religious beliefs, neither should the government tell people who they have a right to marry.Thank you, Senator! I agree that an adult should be free to marry any and all consenting adults!My views on this subject have changed over time, but as many of my gay and lesbian friends, colleagues and staff embrace long term committed relationships, I find myself unable to look them in the eye without honestly confronting this uncomfortable inequality. Supporting marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples is simply the right thing to do for our country,...

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Posted in: allies,freedom to marry,law,LGBT,marriage equality,same-sex,USA

Real Issues Surrounding a Real Experience

Genetic Sexual Attraction is experienced by up to half of all pubescent or post-pubescent people involved in:1. reuniting with a close pubescent/post-pubescent genetic relative for the first time since one of them was seven years of age or younger...or...2. meeting a close pubescent/post-pubescent genetic relative for the first time.It can be an extremely intense or overpowering attraction on a physical, sexual, and/or emotional level, and is a natural reaction to the circumstances.Here are a few common examples to give you and idea:1. A woman gives up her son for adoption at birth. Twenty years later, that son finds his birth mother, and she experiences GSA.2. A stormy marriage ends while the wife is pregnant or when they have a toddler (a girl). The ex-husband virtually disappears, or the...

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Posted in: boundaries,cheating,consanguineous,GSA,lack of equality harms

Real Issues Surrounding a Real Experience

Genetic Sexual Attraction is experienced by up to half of all pubescent or post-pubescent people involved in:1. reuniting with a close pubescent/post-pubescent genetic relative for the first time since one of them was seven years of age or younger...or...2. meeting a close pubescent/post-pubescent genetic relative for the first time.It can be an extremely intense or overpowering attraction on a physical, sexual, and/or emotional level, and is a natural reaction to the circumstances.Here are a few common examples to give you and idea:1. A woman gives up her son for adoption at birth. Twenty years later, that son finds his birth mother, and she experiences GSA.2. A stormy marriage ends while the wife is pregnant or when they have a toddler (a girl). The ex-husband virtually disappears, or the...

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Posted in: boundaries,cheating,consanguineous,GSA,lack of equality harms

Feminism and Full Marriage Equality

I'm bumping up this older entry because it still applies.From recent comments on this blog:Macha wrote about those who say an adult woman can’t consent to sex with her biological father…I think this is partly rooted in the prejudiced and false belief that women (especially young women) don't want and aren't interested in sex, so if a younger woman is in a sexual relationship with an older man, she must have been coerced, ergo the man is just an abuser. Our society doesn't want women to have the power to consent. We perpetually deny the possibility that women have the ability to make conscious and deliberate choices about their sex lives, infantilizing them from womb to tomb.Liz, who has a spousal relationship with her brother and a beautiful,...

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Posted in: allies,law,marriage equality,solidarity

Feminism and Full Marriage Equality

I'm bumping up this older entry because it still applies.From recent comments on this blog:Macha wrote about those who say an adult woman can’t consent to sex with her biological father…I think this is partly rooted in the prejudiced and false belief that women (especially young women) don't want and aren't interested in sex, so if a younger woman is in a sexual relationship with an older man, she must have been coerced, ergo the man is just an abuser. Our society doesn't want women to have the power to consent. We perpetually deny the possibility that women have the ability to make conscious and deliberate choices about their sex lives, infantilizing them from womb to tomb.Liz, who has a spousal relationship with her brother and a beautiful,...

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Posted in: allies,law,marriage equality,solidarity

Stanford Journal Article: Remove Laws Against Consensual Incest

Clare Theresa Kasemset wrote “Should Consensual Incest Between Consanguine Adults Be Restricted?” It is found in Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology &; Society, Vol 2, No 1 (2009)NOTE: Comment left by Anonymous gives this link: http://ojs.stanford.edu/ojs/index.php/intersect/article/view/137The abstract says…Many states outlaw sexual intercourse between adults who are closely related by blood, such as first cousins. This paper first gives an overview of recent news involving this type of incest and the current legal restrictions surrounding it. It then lays out arguments in favor of either stricter regulation or more lenient treatment. Finally, it proposes and justifies an alternate solution to legal restrictions.She starts off with the “ick” factor.Because the term...

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Posted in: academia,allies,breaking up homes,brother-sister,children,consanguineous,Germany,GSA,incest,lack of equality harms,law,media,myths,persecution,prejudice,prosecution,siblings,stigma

Stanford Journal Article: Remove Laws Against Consensual Incest

Clare Theresa Kasemset wrote “Should Consensual Incest Between Consanguine Adults Be Restricted?” It is found in Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology &; Society, Vol 2, No 1 (2009)NOTE: Comment left by Anonymous gives this link: http://ojs.stanford.edu/ojs/index.php/intersect/article/view/137The abstract says…Many states outlaw sexual intercourse between adults who are closely related by blood, such as first cousins. This paper first gives an overview of recent news involving this type of incest and the current legal restrictions surrounding it. It then lays out arguments in favor of either stricter regulation or more lenient treatment. Finally, it proposes and justifies an alternate solution to legal restrictions.She starts off with the “ick” factor.Because the term...

Read more »

Posted in: academia,allies,breaking up homes,brother-sister,children,consanguineous,Germany,GSA,incest,lack of equality harms,law,media,myths,persecution,prejudice,prosecution,siblings,stigma

Polyamorous Triad Featured in South African News

Noor-Jehan Yoro Badat writes about polyamory at iol.co.za...Before I met Mark, Kate and Alice at a Joburg restaurant, I learnt that they are considered the “poster children” of polyamory in South Africa. That is why, says Mark, they try to present a positive image to their community, despite some people’s disapproval of their unconventional bond.There is a wide variety of polyamorous people. We come from all backgrounds. We are in every geographic region, every socioeconomic status, in just about every political or religious organization of any size. Some of us are are in open or partially open polycules, some of us are in closed polyfidelitous polycules, some of us aren't in a polycule at all right now. Some of the polycules are "Vs," some of them are triangles, some are quads, etc. Different...

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Posted in: Africa,boundaries,coming out,family reaction,love,media,open,polyamory,prejudice,swinging,triads

Shame on Grant County, Wisconsin

This was something I posted in 2010, and I'm bumping it up because it shows the importance of having relationship rights for all adults, and why the US Supreme Court should make a bold ruling for relationship rights, including full marriage equality, for all adults.In what has to be an update to case I wrote about back in May 2010, a 25 year-old Blue River, Wisconsin man is has been convicted of incest because of consensual sex with another adult.A Grant County jury convicted a 25-year-old Blue River man of having sex with his 19-year-old sister at least 10 times in 2009.The jury should have nullified.David Bisbach is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 12 at 3:45 p.m. He faces a maximum fine of $25,000, imprisonment at a minimum of 6 months...

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Posted in: breaking up homes,brother-sister,consanguineous,courts,incest,lack of equality harms,love,persecution,siblings,Wisconsin