Pseudo-Incest

Pseudo-incest refers to romantic pairings in which characters who consider each other family, but are not blood relatives.
In fanfiction, the term often refers to pairings involving adoptive or step siblings, which many consider less taboo than pairings between biologically-related people. Some fans consider this controversial, as it may imply that adopted siblings are somehow less legitimately siblings than biological ones, prompting discussions about the use of the term and what makes a family.
==Controversy==
* Pseudo-incest is sometimes criticized for making biology the determining factor in what constitutes a "real" family, devaluing adoptive family bonds. Many fans consider the issue of blood family and chosen family as a trigger. This generates discussions about the use of the term as a way of belittling and minimizing family relationships between characters with no blood connection.
* On the other hand, some fans take exception to ships being labelled pseudo-incest when characters are unrelated, for example in the case of childhood friends or close friends. This argument is often linked to anti behaviour. 
Some examples of the discourse around pseudo-incest: 
==Fandoms with significant pseudo-incest pairings==
This list includes ships which are un-controversially called pseudo-incest as well as some 'edge cases' whose inclusion is less clear-cut and subject to discussion. 
*Bioshock Infinite: The "Lutece Twins," Robert Lutece and Rosaline Lutece, are revealed later in the game to be the same person from different universes who merged into one universe, and were pretending to be siblings.
* DC Comics: Batcest and Robincest pairings are often pseudo-incest, but in one pairing Batcest refers to father/son incest.
* Fire Emblem Fates: Any pairings with Corrin and the royal siblings; the Nohrians are her adoptive family, while the Hoshidans are her stepsiblings.
** Azura as well. King Garon of Nohr was her stepfather, making her the Nohrians' stepsister, and she was eventuall adopted by the Hoshidan royal family.
*Fire Emblem: Three Houses: Edelgard/Dimitri, who were technically stepsiblings due to her mother marrying his father. However, due to the marriage being kept a secret and Edelgard living with her uncle, neither she nor Dimitri realized they were stepsiblings until after she returned to the Empire.
*Genshin Impact: Despite not being related by blood, Kaeluc is considered an incestuous "proship ship" by many.
*Hatoful Boyfriend: Nageki Fujishiro and Hitori Uzune were raised as brothers in an orphanage. While not canon, they are a popular fanon ship.
*Jessica Jones: Jessica/Trish is sometimes considered pseudo-incest due to Jessica being taken in by Trish's family as a teenager. 
* Marvel Comics/MCU: Works pairing adoptive brothers Thor and Loki are often considered pseudo-incest but tagged as "Sibling Incest". Loki/Sylvie, while technically selfcest, is also sometimes called pseudo-incest. 
*Supergirl: Kara/Alex is a very popular pairing; often called "Danvers sisters" by the media, very few of its fanworks tag for incest or pseudo-incest. 
*The Flash: Barry Allen/Iris West is sometimes considered pseudo-incest since Iris's family took Barry in at age 11. However, the characters do get married in the canon. 
* The Umbrella Academy: Works pairing any of the seven adopted siblings in The Umbrella Academy.
* The Witcher: Works pairing the School of the Wolf witchers, Geralt, Eskel, and Lambert, who trained together from childhood; works pairing Geralt and his ward Ciri. 
* Twilight: the adoptive brothers, children of the vampire couple Mr. and Mrs. Cullen can be read as pseudo-incest as they are all in a romantic relationship with each other, having no blood ties between them.
* Wuthering Heights: Cathy/Heathcliff are raised like a brother and sister and have a romantic relationship.
==References==
Category:Relationships Glossary
Category:Romance Tropes