All In The Family? Uncovering Genetic Sexual Attraction

When you think of the most controversial sexual subjects that seems to pervade all cultures, incest ranks right up there. The practice of closely related people, be that siblings, parents and children or other configurations establishing and maintaining sexual relationships is forbidden around the world. The reasons for outlawing such relationships are predominantly genetic. When people of the same gene pool start having sex and having babies, there is not enough diversity and the resulting offspring are more prone to genetic defects. Take a look at the entangled royalty lineages in Europe to see the effects there.

That is the biological reason why incest is forbidden. There is still some, not a huge amount, that suggest incest not be as reviled socially as it currently is. It is hard to separate the biology from the love aspect, but somehow, if people were in an incestous relationship but procreation was taken off the table, would the world be as up in arms?

What is Genetic Sexual Attraction?

This line of thinking is being given more thought currently as more folks are considering the concept of Genetic Sexual Attraction (GSA). GSA is still incest, a relationship between relatives, but with a twist. A twist that has long been exploited by soap operas. The difference is that GSA happens between people who first meet as adults. Without knowledge of their biological connection. Cue the dramatic music!

This definitely throws a monkey wrench into the definitive condemnation of incest, if it is a GSA situation. Can two people who are actually siblings, be held accountable if they fall in love, begin a relationship and then find out well afterwards that they are related? In some instances and in some jurisdictions, people in these situations can be prosecuted for incest.

How can this be handled?

What should happen to couples in this type of situation? Should they break up and run as fast as they can from each other? Should they be allowed to be together, but under some kind of promise to not have sex that could result in pregnancy? Is there any future for a couple in a GSA relationship?

It has been suggested that biology plays a double-edged sword in determining who we are attracted to. On one hand it is believed early childhood imprinting on the parents can set us on a course of who we are attracted to. It is believed we find people with faces similar to our own more attractive. We chose mates with these traits because we deem them more trustworthy. Yup, we love our faces best.

On the other hand, GSA is rare between people who are raised together in early childhood because the Westermarck effect theory. It is an idea that proposes to prevent inbreeding. Basically, if we spend time with people when we are young, we will be desensitized to later finding them attractive.

Well, which is it? This is part of the big confusion and the societal conundrum that is genetic sexual attraction. Digging deep reveals conflicting psychological issues. On the surface, the biology of the situation could keep it in the taboo area.

But what of love? Could the love conquer all?