Genetic sexual attraction

Genetic sexual attraction (GSA) is a term that describes the phenomenon of sexual attraction between close relatives, such as siblings, first and second cousins or a parent and offspring, who first meet as adults.^[1]

History and definition

The term was first coined in the US in the late 1980s by Barbara Gonyo, the founder of Truth Seekers In Adoption, a Chicago-based support group for adoptees and their new-found relatives.^[2]

Genetic sexual attraction is presumed to occur as a consequence of genetic relatives meeting as adults, typically as a consequence of adoption. Although this is a rare consequence of adoptive reunions, the large number of adoptive reunions in recent years means that a larger number of people are affected.^[3] If a sexual relationship is entered, it is known as incest, and may be distressing to both parties, or the families involved.

GSA is rare between people raised together in early childhood due to a reverse sexual imprinting known as the Westermarck effect, which desensitizes them to later close sexual attraction; it is hypothesized that this effect evolved to prevent inbreeding.

Contributing factors

Several factors may contribute to GSA. People commonly rank faces similar to their own as more attractive, trustworthy, etc. than average.^[4] Heredity produces substantial physical similarity between close relatives. However, Bereczkei (2004) attributes this in part to childhood imprinting on the opposite-sex parent. Shared interests and personality traits are commonly considered desirable in a mate. The heritability of these qualities is a matter of great debate; to whatever extent they are heritable, they will tend to cluster in close relatives. In cases of parent-child attraction, the parent may recognize traits of their own in the child and ultimately end up mating with them. Such reunions typically produce complex emotions in all involved.^[5]

Instances

A brother and sister couple in Germany, the Stübings, fought their country's anti-incest laws. They grew up separately, met as adults, and have had four children. Their appeal was rejected in 2008, upholding Germany's anti-incest laws.^[6]^[7]

Kathryn Harrison published a memoir in the 1990s regarding her four-year incestuous relationship with her biological father, whom she had not seen for almost 20 years prior to beginning the relationship, titled The Kiss.^[8]

A couple in South Africa who had been together for five years and are expecting a child discovered that they are brother and sister just before their wedding. They were raised up separately and met as adults in college.^[9]

In fiction

The theme is present in Oedipus Rex, the Athenian tragedy by Sophocles, that was first performed c. 429 BC.
Vladimir Nabokov's novel Ada tells the story of an affair between siblings who believe they are merely cousins (relations between first cousins being acceptable and even common in many eras), including a love triangle with the eponymous character's believed full, actually half sister.
The eponymous heroine of Moll Flanders, as an adult, unknowingly marries her half-brother.
The novels Flowers in the Attic and Garden of Shadows also deal with an incestuous relationship between a half-brother and sister, Corrine and Christopher, and their subsequent marriage.
The Sam Shepard play Fool for Love involves a half brother and half sister who met as teenagers and are still in love ten years on.
In Star Wars, Luke and Leia are separated twins who meet as adults. At one point, Leia kisses Luke in front of Han Solo to make him jealous. After Leia starts an actual relationship with Han, Luke informs Leia they are siblings, having learned this himself from his Jedi Mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In J.R.R. Tolkien's Silmarillion, Turin, the hero of the Tale of the Children of Hurin, meets his sister Nienor after having been separated from her in childhood. The two, failing to recognize each other as siblings, are attracted and marry.
Jax Teller, the main character of Sons of Anarchy, almost ends up having sex with his half-sister Trinity when they first meet as adults, not knowing they are related.
In the Korean film Old Boy an incestuous relationship occurs between a father and his daughter after a long period of separation.
Forbidden , a novel by Tabitha Suzuma, is an incestuous love story between a brother and sister.

Notes

^ BBC America: Brothers and Sisters in Love
^ Kirsta, Alix (17 May 2003). "Genetic sexual attraction". The Guardian.
^ Bob McKeown (May 7, 2009). "Part 2: Genetic Sexual Attraction - Part One". The Current. CBC Radio. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1007/s12144-999-1020-4, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1007/s12144-999-1020-4 instead.
^ Burbank, Maggie (February 19, 2007). "Brother and Sister, and Lovers". ABC News. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
^ Kate Connolly, "Brother and sister fight Germany's incest laws", The Guardian, 27 February 2007. Accessed 20 May 2008.
^ Dietmar Hipp: "Dangerous Love: German High Court Takes a Look at Incest". Der Spiegel, 11 March 2008.
^ Harrison, Kathryn (1997). The Kiss. Avon Books, Inc. ISBN 0-380-73147-9.
^ STEWART MACLEAN, "Engaged couple discover they are brother and sister when their parents meet just before wedding", Daily Mail, 3rd November 2011. Accessed 9th November 2011.

References

Bereczkei, Tamas; et al. (2004). "Sexual imprinting in human mate choice". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 271 (1544): 1129–1134. doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2672. PMC 1691703. PMID 15306362. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)