This summer has been interesting for my family: my older son had his first real date AND first kiss … but of course not with the same girl (oh the drama!), and my younger son is being pursued by the same 18-year-old camp counselor (and older sister of one of my kids’ friends) who chased my older son last summer. Fortunately I am into my third decade of not having to worry about dating … but for those troubled by this question, The Morning News is there to help!
They have detailed out a ‘Can We Date’ chart in order to help answer a letter they received:
I recently reconnected with my brother’s wife’s cousin, who I originally met in college before my brother’s wedding. Back then, I was a directionless drunk with weight issues, and was not much of a catch. Now I’ve got all that sorted out, and we have great chemistry. However, my friends are divided on the matter. Many say it’s “weird,” while others tell me to go for it. To make matters worse, we live in Alabama. I’d rather not contribute to any negative stereotypes. Can I date this girl? I know it’s legally allowed, but is it socially acceptable?
Here is some of the response:
Can incest really be that wrong? Yes, it really is. That was a test. But you can see how, with a little bit of rationalization, even the most disturbing of practices can become commonplace, even if legal in Alaska. It’s wrong because society says so. Now, don’t get me wrong, we’re just as permissive as the next East Coast, liberal, media elite, but there are lines even we recommend not crossing. Which is why here, once and for all, we’re going to outline whom you may socially acceptably date.
The also reference a Wikipedia graph showing degrees of related-ness between relatives, which is a cool graph:
Hit up The Morning News for the full article and a high-res version of the ‘Can We Date’ flowchart! It makes for a hilarious read!
Source: The Morning News via Neatorama