A Utah couple is petitioning for their right to get married in the state despite them being first cousins.
Angie and Michael Lee tell ABC 4 in Salt Lake City that they have loved each other since childhood. After 10 years apart, the two came back together and decided they wanted to get married. Michael’s father and Angie’s mother are siblings.
“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 told ABC4.
The couple says there is the obvious genetic hurdle that comes with first cousin marriage. But their main concern is the fact that in Utah, where the couple lives, first cousin marriages are illegal unless they are 65 or older.
The two did marry in Colorado where no such law exists but the two say they want their marriage recognized in their home state.
“We would like to have enough exposure to where we can go into a congressman or senator, someone with political clout and present a case sound enough to get the law changed,” says Michael.
The two have started a petition to get the law changed.
Read more from ABC4, here.
