UTAH – A pair of first cousins from Utah came to Colorado this week to get legally married, according to Utah news station, KTVX.
Depending on the state, it is legal for first cousins to marry. Colorado is one of those states.
Angie and Micahel Lee started a petition gathering signatures from those who support them, in hopes they can get Utah to recognize their marriage.
According to the Utah news station, Angie Lee’s father is the oldest of 12 children. Michael Lee’s mother is the fifth child in that same family. The state of Utah prohibits marriage between first cousins unless both people are over the age of 65. Couples over the age of 55 can also marry if they can prove they are infertile.
If the couple were to have children, there is a much higher chance their children could have a genetic disorder. KTVX reports that according to researchers at Columbia University, there is a 4-7 percent chance a child born of first cousins will have a genetic disorder. This is compared to a 3-4 percent chance for a non-related couple.
The couple said they had been apart for 10 years before deciding to reunite.
“We said OK this is crazy but we’re adults now, we’re single now, we’re just going to go for it and who cares what our family thinks,” Angie Lee said.
Her husband Michael said their marriage is about love.
“No one I’ve ever been with will make me feel as perfect as she does. Her being my cousin and some of the responses is a small price to pay,” Michael Lee said.
KTVX did not report where in Colorado the couple was married.
