The American Gulf States and the Appalachian Region that parallels the East Coast up to about Maryland/Pennsylvania has a reputation.
To be honest, historically I could see it. It was mostly tiny towns, stuck way out in the middle of nowhere, with teenagers that had very few options. As they’ve gotten more centralized though it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to happen.
I’m sure all those old European royal families are going, “Yeah, yeah, it’s those tiny middle of nowhere American towns where the inbreeding happens. Not here. Never here.”
That reminds me of a little story that I like to share. I always knew a person’s sexuallity wasnt a choice. At the time I didn’t even know there was such a thing as non- heterosexual relationships (because America). I can pinpoint the exact moment I knew I was straight because 11 year old me, my younger brother, my mom, and an older 2nd cousin (probably one of her parents or aunts/uncles) went to a river to swim and dig up crayfish.
Anyway, my second cousin wore her normal clothes down there, which I was sort of disappointed about and I didn’t know why. We get to the river she drops her bag and what I watched her do after that dropped my jaw and I froze staring at her until she got in the lake. She stripped off her shorts and shirt had on a revealing (ok, well to an 11 year old who never noticed before) green and blue bikini. I had no idea I was frozen or that my entire family was snickering as I stared at a girl 4 or 5 years older than me gawking at something I was now noticing a lot. The story goes that after this, my mom had to “remind me I was still in the street” and I just sat on a rock at the River edge trying to talk to her. I then made it really important that I got to hang out with her the rest of that family reunion.
At one point my little brother broke one of his braces wires and she was all ready to help him - she ran to her room with the little wax balls you put on the ends to stop them from poking you. Thing is the wire was a bit further back in his mouth. So I switched back into bewildered staring and jealously watched her carefully craft this tiny ball of wax into his mouth with her immaculate hands. I apparently got really pissy with my brother after that for getting all the attention.
Anyway. Yeah. Seemed pretty obvious to me that I did not get to choose who I was attracted to.
The American Gulf States and the Appalachian Region that parallels the East Coast up to about Maryland/Pennsylvania has a reputation.
To be honest, historically I could see it. It was mostly tiny towns, stuck way out in the middle of nowhere, with teenagers that had very few options. As they’ve gotten more centralized though it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to happen.
I’m sure all those old European royal families are going, “Yeah, yeah, it’s those tiny middle of nowhere American towns where the inbreeding happens. Not here. Never here.”
Hahahahha, yeah they were straight up open about it.
It’s also why there exist no laws on marrying your cousin.
Because that was keeping the gene pool fresh enough I guess
Some places don’t allow your first cousin. But that’s actually okay science wise. The probability for issues after the first cousin rapidly declines.
Heheheheheh
That reminds me of a little story that I like to share. I always knew a person’s sexuallity wasnt a choice. At the time I didn’t even know there was such a thing as non- heterosexual relationships (because America). I can pinpoint the exact moment I knew I was straight because 11 year old me, my younger brother, my mom, and an older 2nd cousin (probably one of her parents or aunts/uncles) went to a river to swim and dig up crayfish.
Anyway, my second cousin wore her normal clothes down there, which I was sort of disappointed about and I didn’t know why. We get to the river she drops her bag and what I watched her do after that dropped my jaw and I froze staring at her until she got in the lake. She stripped off her shorts and shirt had on a revealing (ok, well to an 11 year old who never noticed before) green and blue bikini. I had no idea I was frozen or that my entire family was snickering as I stared at a girl 4 or 5 years older than me gawking at something I was now noticing a lot. The story goes that after this, my mom had to “remind me I was still in the street” and I just sat on a rock at the River edge trying to talk to her. I then made it really important that I got to hang out with her the rest of that family reunion.
At one point my little brother broke one of his braces wires and she was all ready to help him - she ran to her room with the little wax balls you put on the ends to stop them from poking you. Thing is the wire was a bit further back in his mouth. So I switched back into bewildered staring and jealously watched her carefully craft this tiny ball of wax into his mouth with her immaculate hands. I apparently got really pissy with my brother after that for getting all the attention.
Anyway. Yeah. Seemed pretty obvious to me that I did not get to choose who I was attracted to.
Yeah when kids hit that point it can be pretty funny. A lot of work, but also really funny.