Bradford's cousin
marriage boom
British-born Pakistanis living in Bradford are more marrying
a cousin these days. Unfortunately there is a high risk that their children
will have health problems. Many people do not even know about these risks before
marriage. Born in Bradford research project has done a research to see what the
risks are by marrying a cousin. They discovered that there is more chance that
their children will have genetic disorders. Many of the people think that if they marry
their cousin they come into a family that loves them. Professor Wright says, "and there are
economic benefits of keeping land or other assets in the family".
My mother and father are also cousins. My mother married my
father at the age of 15. At that time my father was much older than my mother.
He was 25 years old. My father really liked my mother and therefore they were
engaged at a very young age. My mother did not want to get married, because she
was just 15 years old, but she could not tell that to her father out of respect.
She did not want to let him down. Her father had made the decision for her. At
that time it was very normal that the parents decide with who they had to marry
and spend their life with. I have two brothers and one sister and we are all
very healthy fortunately. I do not want to marry one of my cousins, because I see
them as my brothers. I cannot have that kind of feelings for them. My parents
are not that strict. I can chose with who I want to marry! Many people think
that if they marry their cousin there will be no problem, because they are
family. It is definitely not true! It does not matter if you marry a stranger
of your cousin there will always be some problems.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9714000/9714582.stm
