Study: Homosexuality Linked with Childhood Trauma

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | July 27, 2010 | By James Tillman

[topher]

Tuesday July 27, 2010

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Study: Homosexuality Linked with Childhood Trauma

By James Tillman

DUNEDIN, New Zealand, July 26, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- A recent Otago University study has found that homosexual or bisexual individuals are more likely to have undergone a variety of of traumas in childhood, including sexual assault, rape, violence, and witnessing violence in the home.

"People who either identify themselves as homosexual or bisexual, or have had a same-sex encounter or relationship, tend to come from more disturbed backgrounds," said Research Associate Professor Elisabeth Wells.

The study analyzed results from a New Zealand Mental Health study that surveyed about 13,000 people between 2003 and 2004.  98% of the participants in the study identified themselves as heterosexual; 0.8% identified as homosexual; 0.6% identified as bisexual; and 0.3% identified as "something else."

Of people who reported certain traumatic childhood events, 15% were not heterosexual; of those without such experiences, only 5% were not heterosexual, suggesting that such experiences tripled the chance of later professing homosexual or bisexual inclinations.

Some homosexualist leaders took issue with the study's findings: Tony Simpson, chairman of the national homosexualist group Rainbow Wellington, said that the research should not be taken to mean that homosexuals are not born that way. "I have no doubt that the religious right will leap to the conclusion that this goes to show conclusively that homosexuals are made rather than born," he said.

Wells attempted to assuage fears over the study's conclusions.

"I suspect there might be some gay and lesbian people who will be indignant, but it is not my intention to anger them," she said.  "You could say that if someone was sexually abused as a child, chooses to live as a homosexual and lives life well, then that is not a bad thing.  But if they are living a homosexual life and regretting it, that is another matter."

Although sexual or physical abuse in childhood was associated with adult homosexuality, other traumatic experiences, such as the sudden death of a loved one or serious childhood illness or accident, were only slightly associated with non-heterosexual identity or behaviour.

Of females who self-identified as homosexual, more than 40% had been married and had children, whereas 13% of male homosexuals had done so.  Over 80% of those who identified as bisexual were women.

The association between child abuse and later homosexual identification is not young.  

One 1992 study found that 37% of homosexual and bisexual men attending sexually transmitted disease clinics had been encouraged or forced to have sexual contact before age 19 with an older or more powerful partner.  The median age of first contact was 10 years old.

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10072701.html

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[stuartcr]

OK

[Mrs. Don-o]

Many people wrongly equate prenatal influence with detemination of behavior. This is not supportable. People are prenatally influenced to all sorts of tendencies, including irascibility, depression, and addiction. Everyone --- every single person --- has some undesired and undesitable "tendencies."

Our decisions --- our choices--- to give in to these tendencies, or to struggle against them, determine our actions. Repeated actions determine our habits. Ingrained habits constitute our character.

By analogy, you may be in a river with a current tending downstream. You can decide to swim against the current toward the shore, or you can decide to give up and go with the flow. So it's all wrapped up in choice.

See the discussion of Gerard Manley Hopkins, a chaste and morally upright man who struggled against homosexual tendencies, at #49 and at #119.

[massmike]

Does Pre-natal Hormonal Exposure
Make You Homosexual?

http://www.mygenes.co.nz/Ch7.pdf

Summary

Although there are some pre-natal hormonal effects having a major effect on sexual behavior for lower
animals, there is no convincing
evidence for such an effect on sexual orientation in humans.

The studies examining the effects of high doses of female hormones to pregnant women are particularly informative
because these are very high doses and any hormonal effects on sexual orientation should show up clearly.

But the result is a dubious effect on women and no effects on men. Any effects on sexual orientation appear
to be better explained in terms of gender non-conformity – arguably a psychological construct. Sex drugs do
increase or lower sex drive, but that appears to be about all.

The maternal immune hypothesis is very speculative, and needs much more evidence before it can be
taken seriously.

We leave the last word to several researchers in the field.
“In summary, the evidence from prenatal endocrine
disorders and from the offspring of hormone-treated
pregnancies suggests that hormones may contribute
to, but do not actually determine, the course of sexual
orientation in individuals with an abnormal sex
steroid history during prenatal life.”3

“At this time, the literature does not support a causal link between hormones
and homosexuality.”10

7
“In clinical practice numerous patients are encountered with gross abnormalities of their hormonal
profiles. As a rule this does not impact on their gender identity or sexual orientation.”35

So, not only your genes didn’t make you do it, it seems your hormones didn’t either. In sexual orientation,
the strongest stimulation appears to come from the mind and the environment.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Good link. Thank you for this information, which I think is pertinent and suggests further inquiry. The evidence you presented dealt with high doses of female hormones during pregnancy, which is reported to have "dubious effects on women and no effects on men" (I suppose they mean women and men who were pre-born babies at the time of their exposure.)

I would like to see more research on prenatal exposure to male hormones, and to chemicals which are androgen-blockers.

In any case, what you quoted said "the evidence from prenatal endocrine disorders and from the offspring of hormone-treated pregnancies suggests that hormones may contribute to, but do not actually determine, the course of sexual orientation in individuals with an abnormal sex steroid history during prenatal life.”

This is what I thought: that it may be one contributing factor. Together with other contributing factors, e.g. childhood traumas, abuse, poor or adverse relationship with the same-sex parent. In particular, a boy's negative relationship with his father seems to be a factor in more than a few male homosexual problems.

[little jeremiah]

Speak for yourself, freak.

People are eternal souls currently in a mortal body. If you want to think you’re nothing but chemicals, be my guest. But don’t force your illusion on everyone else.

Any act is a choice - sexual or otherwise.

Homosexuality is a mental illness that is often curable.

I suggest you seek help. It’s out there.