Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New Evidence that Childhood Family Factors Influence Sexual Orientation
lifesite.net ^ | November 30, 2006 | lifesite.net

Posted on 12/19/2006 9:45:14 PM PST by freedomdefender

COPENHAGEN, November 29, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A major study published last month in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Archives of Sexual Behavior, provides striking new evidence for the influence of childhood family factors on sexual-orientation development.

The study used a population-based sample of 2,000,355 native-born Danes between the ages of 18 and 49. Denmark -- a country noted for its tolerance of a wide variety of alternative lifestyles, including homosexual partnerships -- was the first country to legalize gay marriage. The researchers assessed detailed marriage records for all Danish-born men and women marrying a same-sex partner from the years 1989 through 2001.

With access to the "virtually complete registry coverage of the entire Danish population," the study sample therefore lacked the problematic selection bias that has plagued many previous studies on sexual orientation.

Parental Influences on Sexual Orientation Development

The authors conclude: "Our study provides population-based, prospective evidence that childhood family experiences are important determinants of heterosexual and homosexual marriage decisions in adulthood."

Assuming that people who marry heterosexually are almost always heterosexual -- especially in a country where homosexuality carries little stigma, and gay marriage is legal -- and people who marry homosexually can be presumed to be homosexual, the study's findings offer intriguing evidence about family factors separating homosexual from heterosexual persons.

The following are findings from this new data:

- Men who marry homosexually are more likely to have been raised in a family with unstable parental relationships -- particularly, absent or unknown fathers and divorced parents.

- Findings on women who marry homosexually were less pronounced, but were still associated with a childhood marked by a broken family. The rates of same-sex marriage "were elevated among women who experienced maternal death during adolescence, women with short duration of parental marriage, and women with long duration of mother-absent cohabitation with father."

- Men and women with "unknown fathers" were significantly less likely to marry a person of the opposite sex than were their peers with known fathers.

- Men who experienced parental death during childhood or adolescence "had significantly lower heterosexual marriage rates than peers whose parents were both alive on their 18th birthday. The younger the age of the father's death, the lower was the likelihood of heterosexual marriage."

- "The shorter the duration of parental marriage, the higher was the likelihood of homosexual marriage...homosexual marriage rates were 36% and 26% higher among men and women, respectively, who experienced parental divorce after less than six years of marriage, than among peers whose parents remained married for all 18 years of childhood and adolescence."

- "Men whose parents divorced before their 6th birthday were 39% more likely to marry homosexually than peers from intact parental marriages."

- "Men whose cohabitation with both parents ended before age 18 years had significantly (55% -76%) higher rates of homosexual marriage than men who cohabited with both parents until 18 years."

- The mother's age was directly linked to the likelihood of homosexual marriage among men -- the older the mother, the more likely her son was to marry another man. Also, "only children" were more likely to be homosexual.

- Persons born in large cities were significantly more likely to marry a same-sex partner -- suggesting that cultural factors might also affect the development of sexual orientation.

"Whatever ingredients determine a person's sexual preferences and marital choices," conclude the study's authors, "our population-based study shows that parental interactions are important."

Reference:"Childhood Family Correlates of Heterosexual and Homosexual Marriages: A National Cohort Study of Two Million Danes," by Morten Frisch and Anders Hviid, Archives of Sexual Behavior Oct 13, 2006


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: culturewar; gaylib; homoexualagenda; samesexmarriage
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-134 next last
To: freedomdefender
There's a very similar article posted here: New Evidence Found for Childhood Family Factors Influencing Sexual Orientation.

There are a number of helpful links in that thread.

61 posted on 12/20/2006 5:57:52 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HHKrepublican_2
This study reall just says that people in these situations are more likely o become that way rather than it being a choice.

I think you're close. What the article says is the environment in which children are raised plays a major part in determining to whom children are attracted. As other evidence points out, it's not a choice because homosexuals are confused about their sexuality.

62 posted on 12/20/2006 6:02:45 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Fido969

I agree. How many commentators on this thread are divorced?
How many have or have had in the past extra-marital affairs? How may engaged in pre-marital sex resulting in loss of virginity, a bastard or an abortion?
Funny there's not much talk about these sins.


63 posted on 12/20/2006 6:05:17 AM PST by fox martyr son
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: ReignOfError; All
In many primates, most notably bonobos, sexual release has a social bonding function quite separate from reproduction.

I'm sorry, but this is a prime example of bad science getting pushed as fact by the media. What you rarely find from the media are corrections or disclaimers. Here are two articles on the subject:

Should Humans Imitate Bonobos?
The Animal Homosexuality Myth

See my profile for more information.

64 posted on 12/20/2006 6:12:57 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Caesar Soze
A rational society would classify it as a fetish, like feet or leather.

A former co-worker of mine once regaled the office with a story from her 9-year-old niece's birthday party, at which one of the boy guests repeatedly smelled the girls' feet. The niece would yell "MommEEEE! He's sniffing my feet again!"

The co-worker was horrified by this behavior and went on at length about how it was creepy and pathological, and the kid needed to be locked away from girls until he could be cured of his obvious sexual wierdness.

Which was all well and good, except that the co-worker was a lesbian.

65 posted on 12/20/2006 6:14:45 AM PST by Oberon (What does it take to make government shrink?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: cb

"Correlation is not causation."

Thank you. Neither having the time or interest I won't bother looking at the numbers, but it's always interesting when some study comes out and "proves" what people want to believe, they jump all over it. It is just as likely that these stats could be presented in a way that completely contradicts the information as it is presented here.


66 posted on 12/20/2006 6:17:10 AM PST by stormer (Get your bachelors, masters, or doctorate now at home in your spare time!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: Fido969
Seems the decline in the traditional family contributes to homosexuality.

Indeed. The bigger picture is quite complicated but the decline of the traditional family does indeed play a part. The media also plays a part. The radicals pushing the homosexual agenda plays a part. The homosexual agenda in government schools plays a part. It's too bad our culture continues to slip...

67 posted on 12/20/2006 6:22:07 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: stormer; cb
You may find The Gay Gene? of interest, particularly the summary.
68 posted on 12/20/2006 6:24:14 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: JHBowden

According to my Merck Veterinary Manual, homosexual behavior in farm animals is a treatable disorder.


69 posted on 12/20/2006 6:24:24 AM PST by Mr. Lucky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Juan Medén

Yes, but that sexual molestation, if it was at an older age, may be as a result of the child already displaying homosexual tendencies, and therefore being an attractive target for an abuser.

Also when the original article states that those who "left the home before 18" displayed a far higher rate of homosexuality, I contend that the REASON they may have left the home before 18 was that their homosexuality caused them to run away/be thrown out.


70 posted on 12/20/2006 6:31:22 AM PST by jaybee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: weegee; gogeo

QUIT POSTING PICTURES OF MY FAMILY ON THE INTERNET!!!


71 posted on 12/20/2006 6:45:18 AM PST by Andonius_99 (They [liberals] aren't humans, but rather a species of hairless retarded ape.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: freedomdefender

Having an unstable childhood environment might fail to protect the child from early molestation. I wish they had asked how many of those who were homosexual had been molested and at what age this took place.


72 posted on 12/20/2006 6:52:18 AM PST by BeckB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freedomdefender

I note the biggest factor of all was omitted from the study results: Molestation as a child by a homosexual -- this is the problem with survey information when few will admit such deviant behavior. I have seen estimates in this country that 80% of male homos were molested. The suggestion that the absence of fathers is the biggest culprit does not apply in most cases especially among Blacks where 50% have little or no contact with fathers and yet the incidence of homosexuality in Black communities is about 0.1%.


73 posted on 12/20/2006 6:55:39 AM PST by Neoliberalnot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jaybee
What must also be considered is the article is written about families in Copenhagen. Denmark was the first country to legalize homosexual marriage and is well known for its tolerance of alternative lifestyles.

Just how tolerant is Denmark? Well, they don't see a need to ban sex with animals unless it happens in pornographic films. In realizing just how tolerant Denmark has become, your point seems unlikely but not impossible.

74 posted on 12/20/2006 6:56:33 AM PST by scripter ("If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: occamrzr06
Don't die [while your kids are still at home] or get divorced

Both excellent goals, worth a strong and concerted effort.

75 posted on 12/20/2006 7:01:09 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Live and let live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: occamrzr06
What if I die, then get divorced? Do the odds go up?

That's already a pretty high level of oddity, right there.

76 posted on 12/20/2006 7:02:53 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Live and let live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ilovew
That's ridiculous.

What's ridiculous?

77 posted on 12/20/2006 7:04:48 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Live and let live.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: weegee

"Rock and roll was ushered out in favor of Calypso (which made stars out of angry agitator Harry Belafonte and Calypso Louis Fahrakhan), heroin junkie beop jazz musicians, communist folkie music (Pete Seegar et al), and gay poster idols like Tab Hunter."

R&R was never "ushered out" in favor of Calypso. "Yellow Bird" was just a one hit wonder. Calypso remains an anomalous music of the islands nowhere near as popular as Reggae. After YB some of the greatest R&R ever performed was created.

BeBop jazz PREDATED rock and certainly did not appeal to the same audience. It also did not lack fantastic musicians, heroin or no. Folk music also did not supplant rock but was merely another varient of American music.

Hudson and Hunter and Sal Mineo were very pretty men and women liked to look at them on the screen. Their homosexuality was carefully hidden even going so far as beard marriages to keep up the facade.


78 posted on 12/20/2006 7:08:34 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: weegee
With parents like that, you could end up with kids that turn out like this:

Every one of them could buy and sell you a hundred times over.

79 posted on 12/20/2006 7:09:12 AM PST by Nonstatist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: freedomdefender
The mother's age was directly linked to the likelihood of homosexual marriage among men -- the older the mother, the more likely her son was to marry another man. Also, "only children" were more likely to be homosexual.

CRAP! To counter this one, as soon as my only son can read, I'm getting him a subscription to Playboy!

80 posted on 12/20/2006 7:15:27 AM PST by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-134 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson