Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Television on the Edge?

I can't help but shake my head a little when a television show, and television critics or promotional media, present relationships between cousins as edgy. For example there's this report by Sarah Lynn at unrealitytv.co.uk about the show EastEnders. It includes an interview with David Witts, who plays Joey Branning. Joey's cousin is Lauren Branning.


 Fans of EastEnders will no doubt be aware that the soap is about to tackle the taboo subject of incest as cousins Lauren and Joey Branning embark on an affair after both realize – and act upon – the powerful sexual attraction between them that’s been simmering for weeks.

Just like any other relationship, right?


When asked, “Does Joey think it’s wrong to kiss his cousin?” David replied, “No. He’s in love and he’s thinking, ‘How can it be wrong to feel this way?’
That's a good thing.

And of what could be the possible fall out for the Branning family over the affair, David said, “It could tear the family apart…

“Lauren and Joey both know that so they’re being really careful about how they behave together when they’re in public.

“[But] they’re not doing anything wrong. It’s not illegal to have a relationship with your cousin and they haven’t known one another for long.

“They didn’t grow up together.”
Cousin relationships, including marriages, are an everyday thing in much of the world.

If they really want to be edgy, television show creators will respectfully depict a passionate, happy relationship between first-degree relatives, such as full or half-blood siblings, with biggest problem for the relationship being the prejudice of others. There is no shortage of real world examples, including right here on this blog. See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousNovember 1, 2012 at 5:27 AM

    You're right, cousin relationships are common and hardly edgy. They SHOULD show a happy relationship between siblings or even a parent and his or her adult child. We need to get the idea out there that this not only does happen but that there is nothing wrong with it when it happens between consenting adults.

    -Liz
    blond_one89@ymail.com

    ReplyDelete

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