The Science Of Sexual Orientation (Mega Barf Alert!)

CBS News ^ | March 12, 2006 | Shari Finkelstein

[gidget7]

"Today the lesbos would lay claim to me before I was out of diapers."

You and me too GG

[Galveston Grl]

Here is something to ponder on genetics. God said the sins of the father are passed on to his offspring. That made absolutely no sense to me until we learned more about genetics. If it turns out that destructive and addictive behaviors like boozing is genetic, why would not sex addictions be passed on genetically?

[little jeremiah]

This boy is an example of how crazy parents can screw up their children, not an example of he's "born that way".

Crystal clear. They're clutching at straws.

[peyton randolph]

a spectrum of "gayness"

---

here's a Specter of gayness

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

LOL!

[TChris]

I strongly suspect that the vast majority of sexual mis-orientation occurs because of issues between the person and one of his/her parents. I'm not a child psychologist, but experiences during the formative childhood years clearly have a strong influence on the rest of a person's life.

Have there been any studies to look at sexual mis-orientation vis a vis parental relationships (divorce, single-parent home, emotional, psychological, sexual or physical abuse, etc.)? That seems to me to be where the real action happens.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Did Dan Rather provide the data??

[Stone Mountain]

IMHO, I think that it's a combination of learned behavior and a chemical imbalance.

Sounds reasonable. Isn't is possible, however, that the chemical imbalance can have genetic causes?

[DBeers]

LOL

[DBeers]

Isn't is possible, however, that the chemical imbalance can have genetic causes?

Such is termed a hypothesis -in the case of this subject article generally and in the case of a genetic cause specifically for the homosexual disorder - an unproven hypotheis...

[Antoninus]

The elite media treat kids like Adam the same way the Sioux used to around the time of first-contact with Europeans. If a Sioux young boy chose to play with a doll, he was dressed in women's garb, sodomized by some of the men, and treated as a woman for the rest of his life.

Was this done because the young boy was genetically "gay"? No. It's simply a barbaric ritual that was later discarded. Just like scalping and cannibalism.

Our own barbaric culture has brought back sodomy and raised it to the level of a civil right. How long before they bring back scalping and cannibalism, too?

[hosepipe]

A dog humping a leg tells all you need to know.. about sex..
Some are very confused, and don't really care what you think... its all about them..

[Antoninus]

Jeeeeez, what were they thinking when they allowed him to do that crap?

The parents are obviously part of the problem. Then again, if they had done what most normal parents do and nipped this stuff in the bud at age 4, they wouldn't have had a reason to invite Leslie Stahl into their home for their 15 minutes of fame, would they?

[imintrouble]

Can I ask a question here because I would be interested in hearing the membership's responses.

If it was proven fact down the line by the scientific community that homosexuality was hormonally induced, not genetically, nor a disorder of the mind - would the people here accept it as a physical anomaly - one which could not be affected or changed by the human, unless during the course of study, it is found that hormonal influence could be altered through application of medical treatment (even then not guaranteeing successful change)?

In other words if is a natural aberration in some to be born with a distinct hormonal impairment or one in which sexual identity does not equate with physical appearance..
could religious groups accept the scientific fact at some time in the future - or will homosexuals always be charged with "change" or "rejection"?

[DBeers]

In other words if is a natural aberration in some to be born with a distinct hormonal impairment or one in which sexual identity does not equate with physical appearance.

The "issue" regarding the cause of the homosexual disorder is an issue pushed by homosexual agenda advocates primarily as a 'reason' or 'justification' for the completely separate issue of sexual activity one participates in which is always a choice.

In other words --REGARDLESS if it is proven that there is a natural aberration in some to be born with a distinct hormonal impairment or whatever that predisposes some to engage in an activity that society rejects -Society will still reject the activity...

[imintrouble]

Thank you for your kind response. Last time I tried to ask questions here I was punished by many lol.... I know I am too curious for my own good.

[Stone Mountain]

Such is termed a hypothesis -in the case of this subject article generally and in the case of a genetic cause specifically for the homosexual disorder - an unproven hypothesis

Well, sure. I thought that was the whole point of doing these studies on siblings and twins - to see if there is a genetic component to the chemical imbalance you described. It's unproven, certainly. But that's why they are doing research like this...

Do you have another hypothesis on what may cause the chemical imbalance side of the equation? I've seen lots of theories on the behavorial aspect, but very few on the chemical side of things.

[Stone Mountain]

Last time I tried to ask questions here I was punished by many lol....

It's happened to me too. There are those here who believe that merely asking a question is equivalent to taking one side or the other. And that sucks - nobody should be given a hard time for asking an honest question, regardless of who believes what. Incidentally, the question you asked earlier has occured to me too - my theory is that it would probably would make little difference in people's attitudes - this is one subject that people have a difficult time changing their personal defaults about - in either direction.

[imintrouble]

Thanks - I don't mind the hazing - I learn best when I have a question and ask it regardless of the return of exchanges.

Everyone has an opinion....which is good....what is also good is there are those who constantly seek to pick away at topics rather than accept the general line of pacification...

There are many aspects of sexuality which have been hidden, or changed over the evolution of man.... thinking here of the primate upright walking and the replacement (displacement) and size change of the sexual organs in both male and female to new positions to accommodate the new body design.

If there is a homosexual element in our development I would hope there will be enough curious humans over the future decades to get at the truth.

Nature herself has homosexuality activity in many animals - and while humans are not animals, and we do have the gift of decision-making and choice - I think nature wins the war over choice in some instances - and perhaps homosexuality is one choice which hasn't much of a chance. I don't know.

I figure questions are worth asking of learned members here, and don't mean to inflame people just want opinions - opinion is one of the few personal attributes we get to keep and nurture these days - we must guard them - but we must also be willing to look at what we perceive to be the "dark side" too on occasion, either to re-validate our own beliefs, or to update them.

[wbill]

Isn't is possible, however, that the chemical imbalance can have genetic causes?

Possible, but to me at least, not logical. Homosexuals, by definition, cannot reproduce, ergo a genetic predisposition cannot be passed along. Logically, the only way that it could be genetic is if it was an anomaly - the example that I used previously was 'Fragile-X'. Genetic anomalies are *very* rare in comparison to the incidence of homosexuality.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of both genetics and the endocrine system stops at High School anatomy.

Had an argument with a co-worker on this once...they thought that homosexuality was genetic and that societal pressures would influence gays to 'act straight'. Perhaps in today's society - but 30,000 years ago, did the same pressures exist? Possible, but I really don't think that it's likely.

Or, is homosexuality a relatively new (within the past 250 or so human generations) phenomenon?

Like I said before, the entire issue has become so politicized, that I doubt the answer will definitively be found, at least in my lifetime.