You discover your children are attracted to each other...

[Caiphus]

Considering that I find it rather repulsive, and that it's illegal in my country with rather hefty penalties, socially taboo and probably unhealthy, I'd strongly advise them against it and probably work towards setting them up in therapy. It would suck, it really would, but yeah. I'd also assume that I'd done something wrong.

But whatever, I'm probably not ever having kids. And chances of homosexual incest would be so slim as to be zero if I was.

 

[Eamar]

I'd have to put my foot down and make sure it didn't go any further. Not because of moral issues concerning incest, but because of the devastating effect it would have on the family when things inevitably go sour (they're teenagers, it's not going to last).

While I can't say I'd be comfortable dealing with it myself, I find it hard to argue against incest between two consenting adults on moral grounds. However, 14-16 year olds are not adults, their hormones are raging, and they don't know what they want. Hell, I had all sorts of inappropriate crushes at that age (nothing incestuous, but teachers who were old enough to be my parents, that sort of thing). If you'd asked me at the time, I would have said I wanted to sleep with them and have a relationship and wouldn't have seen anything wrong with it. Nowadays, I feel very differently.

Fortunately though, this isn't a situation I'll ever find myself in.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

If they were male and female, I'd still support them. There are ways around the ethical problem it can bring (for example, adoption). What I guess I would do is have several good, long, serious talks with both of them, get their view points, understand them and let them know just what they are doing. I have no moral problem with incest, however, as long as all are willing and it's fully consented.

So yeah, I'd support them so long as they fully know what they're doing and both are committed to it. If they were brother and sister, then I'd have a more stern conversation with them and guide them onto a path that is absent problem while not condemning them.

 

[Angelowl]

Interesting coincidence, I just read a discussion regarding the law on this issue in Sweden. It is specifically meant to adress the inbreeding part, although perhaps a bit outdated. Half-siblings are allowed to sleep with each other and get children above the age of 15, and the law only concerns heterosexual situations. A couple of the same gender would be legal.

On a personal note my biggest concern would be social stigma. Society is not nice towards "undesirables", but since the example referred to a same sex couple they would be protected by anti discrimination laws. They probably already know about how society views it. I would tell them to wait until after they are adults and have moved out, as there is a significant risk that as a parent I would lose custody, they would get split up and get shuffled around foster homes with barely any transparancy. Putting the children at risk for suicide with no proper support.
If there is any signs of the relationship being unequal or coercion, the tune would be very different. I am a very overprotective person, especially in the case of hypothetical children.

The reason to why I am open minded on the subject? If you try to look upon the subject in a unbiased manner then you discover that the two main problems are genetics and potential unequal power balance between the two. Then we have the fact that I have already heard the "You are selfish and ruin the family!", "What will people think of US?!", "You are disgusting and should be killed", "You are just confused and sick in the head, we should therefore outlaw any form of support!". All to often... Being transgendered really makes you the worst kind of person in a lot of "normal" people's minds already.
I have promised myself to never sink to the level of "normal people", and as long as they do not hurt anyone and are happy I will simply not allow the lives of my children to be destroyed by society. No matter what kind of witch hunt they organize.

 

[SmallHatLogan]

My main problem is their age. Teenagers often don't understand the consequences of their actions. You can explain it to them but the won't really comprehend it till it actually happens (I'm 26 but I can pretty clearly remember how stupid I was as a teenager). And incestuous relationships are a minefield for bad consequences. If they're adults, fine, they can do what they want. But at that age I'm not on board. I wouldn't bring down the wrath of the Gods upon them but I would try to calmly but sternly explain why it's a bad idea.

 

[MammothBlade]

I would have no problem with it, in fact, I'd be happy for them. Incest is all good and well as long as it's consensual.

 

[Eamar]

If they were male and female, I'd still support them. There are ways around the ethical problem it can bring (for example, adoption).

There is absolutely no way an incestuous couple would be allowed to adopt. Non-incestuous homosexual couples still aren't allowed in a lot of places. Hell, plenty of heterosexual couples (again, non-incestuous) have trouble getting permission.

 

[Kinitawowi]

Jeez. Of all the weird hypotheticals posted around here, this is the latest.

Um. Let's just say I'd certainly have a few questions to ask; at the very least I'd be worried about the sibling power dynamics involved.

 

[sageoftruth]

It's still wrong. I honestly don't see why it would happen though, humans tend to be incapable of sexual attraction towards those which we've known before the age of 8, a psychological mechanism that exists for just this reason.

I dunno. I always thought it was the damage done by inbreeding that made it wrong. If they cannot inbreed, then what's wrong with it?

 

[sageoftruth]

I would have no problem with it, in fact, I'd be happy for them. Incest is all good and well as long as it's consensual.

I would agree, but isn't it also unhealthy? I'm no expert, but my understanding is that it can lead to the birth of some (genetically) messed up kids.

Oops! Sorry. I got your post and another's mixed up. Forget I said anything.

 

[Iwantstuff]

I could not in good faith actively allow and support my children doing something illegal.


Cuz, you know, incest is ILLEGAL.

As in, you'll go to prison and be registered sex offenders if you're caught.

Because it's ILLEGAL.

 

[JoJo]

I could not in good faith actively allow and support my children doing something illegal.


Cuz, you know, incest is ILLEGAL.

As in, you'll go to prison and be registered sex offenders if you're caught.

Because it's ILLEGAL.

Not necessarily, depends on what country and state you live in. Incest between consenting adults is legal in quite a few countries, including France, Spain, China, Israel, Turkey and Russia, to name a few.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_regarding_incest

Of course, if it's illegal in your own jurisdiction then you have a point that stands for yourself, just pointing out that doesn't apply everywhere.

 

[AnthrSolidSnake]

Well, this was an interesting thread to wake up to.

That being said, I feel like this is an issue where I'll say one thing here right now, not actually being in the situation, but if it were to truly happen to me I'd react entirely different.

I can't pinpoint why, but I feel like this is something that is different than your children simply revealing they have a differing sexual orientation than you expected. This is revealing that they have a different sexual orientation towards each other . I can't honestly say if I wouldn't sit down and try to figure out if it was something that I did. Like people have said, the human mind is a complicated thing, making it a possibility that something I did, whether how I treated them or maybe how I let someone else treat them, made them attracted towards each other.

However, present rational me on this thread is saying that while I'm sure I'd find it incredibly shocking to say the least, I'm not sure if I could really do anything. To be honest, at that young of an age, I don't believe I'd facilitate those feelings. Sure, I can't get rid of them, and I'm sure I wouldn't try to, but as smart as some 14-16 year olds are, there are many that still don't know what they want in life. I'd say I would have to do my best to express that I don't want to appeal to this action, but I wouldn't do so in a way that would repress them.

Once they are adults however, my job is done. If they decide they still have feelings there is literally nothing I could do, but I'd at least feel better that they are old enough to have had time to think about it.

 

[Ratty]

]Also keep in mind that I don't think incest can be okay unless the two participants are of roughly the same age and the same mental capacity; I don't want to come across as an apologist for sexual abuse...

...I would want to talk about it with them, make sure that they knew what they were getting into. I would only allow it to continue if I could be very, very sure that it wouldn't cause any emotional or psychological damage for them down the line.

Yeah that's the number one thing that needs to be clear here. Very well put.

I agree with all of the posters here that the age factor would be the biggest issue. Teenage romances rarely last and that could tear the family apart. But at the same time what could I as a parent do? The only way I could be sure they'd listen to my order to cool off and separate for a while would be to physically separate them by sending one off to live with a distant relative or something. And in that case then they'd just hate me forever and the family would be ruined again anyway.

"But in the Bible..." - Shut up former Catholic self. No one is asking you anything so pipe down.

Eh according to the Bible the whole world is descended from just 2 people. Then the world was repopulated from a single family AGAIN after the great flood. To say nothing of all the cousin marrying in that book. And that one time those two sisters get their dad drunk to try and repopulate the earth when they thought they were the only ones left.

 

[Dandark]

I would let it happen. I don't really find incest as horrible and disgusting as other people do especially between similarly aged siblings and I would not want to dictate to my kids who they can love and have sex with. Since there won't be a child due to the same gender then there is really no reason I can see to not let them be together other than that I want to force my own values on them.

There are of course circumstances where I would stop it such as one of them being too young or being pressured into it by the older sibling but I would be stopping it because of those circumstances, it would have nothing to do with them being related.

 

[Eamar]

Oh wow, I'm surprised so many people are ok with incest here. Look, I don't give a fuck about sexual orientation but incest is just one of those universal taboos that are taboo for a reason.

I could not in good faith actively allow and support my children doing something illegal.

Cuz, you know, incest is ILLEGAL.

As in, you'll go to prison and be registered sex offenders if you're caught.

Because it's ILLEGAL.

Actually, that very much depends on where you live.

I read up on this recently, and I was really surprised at how many countries either outright allow incest in some forms or don't actually have laws specifically prohibiting it.

Apparently, incest between consenting adults is legal in the Netherlands, Spain and Russia (but they can't marry), among other places. Half-siblings can marry in Sweden if they get permission from the government.

Now, I have no idea how much this reflects cultural attitudes in those countries, and it's entirely possible that it's still a social taboo, but it seems the attitude that incest is always wrong isn't as universal as you might think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_regarding_incest

EDIT: Damn, ninja'd

 

[Movitz]

Seperate them. Siblings should not have sexual relations which each other, that is despicable.