Incest or genetic sexual attraction? Exploring the taboo
Incest is a term used to describe sexual activity between family members or close relatives, and despite historical cases of such deliberate relationships, like those…
Can incest ever be the result of biology? (Shutterstock)
Incest is a term used to describe sexual activity between family members or close relatives, and despite historical cases of such deliberate relationships, like those within royal lineage, the practice is considered taboo.
Some people argue, however, that not all cases of incest are equal, and some of these relationships may actually be the result of something called genetic sexual attraction.
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Estranged family members like children given up for adoption, are considered the most at-risk for genetic sexual attraction when they reunite with lost loved ones.
According to a theory known as the Westermarck hypothesis, parents and children go through a natural process of negative sexual imprinting, something experts believe is nature’s way of preventing inbreeding, which tends to produce weak offspring and does not allow a species to survive and evolve.
Leandro, left and Adriana found out that they are actually brother and sister; yet, nothing will break their relationship apart. (Photo: Radio Globo)
This negative sexual imprinting occurs while children are growing and under the nurturing care of adults; however, in theory, should children be separated from their parents or each other, they never develop this anti-inbreeding bond.
When children reunite with parents or with other siblings, experts warn biology may take over without a Westermarck influence. According to research from psychologist R. Chris Fraley of the University of Illinois, people are naturally more attracted to people who resemble their kin or even themselves.
“People appear to be drawn to others who resemble their kin or themselves,” Fraley told Wired. “It is possible, therefore, as Freud suggested, that incest taboos exist to counter this primitive tendency.”
Given that people are pulled toward those genetically similar to themselves, attraction for a family member who is no more familiar than a stranger isn’t that surprising.
Take the case of Julie DeNeen, for example. After marriage and three children, DeNeen decided she wanted to track down her biological father and have him be a part of her life. She told Good Morning America she wasn’t prepared for the feelings she felt when they did reconnect.
Raising a child, or growing up with someone in childhood, is supposed to create negative sexual imprinting, to prevent inbreeding. (Shutterstock)
“I realized how similar we were We could finish each other’s sentences,” she said. “It was a combination of elations. And there was the adrenaline and on top of the grief, thinking why can’t you go back in time. And in that combination of grief and need and feeling that you fit with someone, you get a concoction that made things very confusing. I had this strange falling in love feeling, holding my Dad’s hand,” said DeNeen. “It wasn’t like a daughter, it was like something else.”
Though DeNeen felt inappropriate feelings, she said she never took that incestual step with her father and the two never had sexual intercourse, though they did cross physical barriers DeNeen described as “embarrassing, confusing, amazing and overwhelming.”
Experts caution that, among adults who do not have childhood-based bonds in place, the natural way of bonding and intimacy is through sexual contact.
This is why genetic sexual attraction can be so alluring for many reunited individuals.
SEE ALSO: A couples worst nightmare: accidental incest
Of course, others argue just because biology is at play doesn’t mean feelings have to be acted on. Being opposed to incest means no sexual contact with family members, irregardless of what urges the body may be hinting at.
Cultural norms aside, there are medical reasons why incest is taboo. Though having a consensual, sexual relationship with a family member is a personal choice, it can ultimately result in handicapped or otherwise debilitated offspring.
