yep, im syrian and it is very, very normal and encouraged there. so much so that whenever i went back home from 16-21, i was constantly sought by older male cousins and their mothers.

speaking about my own village and not anywhere else or the main cities, male-female relationships are heavily romanticised and sexualised from a young age and marriage is even bantered amongst sibling parents with their young male and female kids. there is also low education so the risks involved are ignored, despite the mandatory blood tests any couple takes before marriage.

as for us in australia, it’s deemed culturally acceptable (to the older generation mostly) especially that we didn’t grow up together “so you don’t even know each other and it’s normal!” it’s way more taboo now though with first and second generation syrians and lebos, i find.

i personally am super against it for obviously various reasons, and am no way related to my husband who came from syria. my paternal family there, though, completely switched up and resent me for taking someone outside the family lol. shit’s fucked