Posted on 06/01/2013 5:59:38 PM PDT by Coleus
Eight major studies of identical twins in Australia, the U.S., and Scandinavia during the last two decades all arrive at the same conclusion: gays were not born that way.
“At best genetics is a minor factor,” says Dr. Neil Whitehead, PhD. Whitehead worked for the New Zealand government as a scientific researcher for 24 years, then spent four years working for the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency. Most recently, he serves as a consultant to Japanese universities about the effects of radiation exposure. His PhD is in biochemistry and statistics.
Identical twins have the same genes or DNA. They are nurtured in equal prenatal conditions. If homosexuality is caused by genetics or prenatal conditions and one twin is gay, the co-twin should also be gay.
“Because they have identical DNA, it ought to be 100%,” Dr. Whitehead notes. But the studies reveal something else. “If an identical twin has same-sex attraction the chances the co-twin has it are only about 11% for men and 14% for women.”
Because identical twins are always genetically identical, homosexuality cannot be genetically dictated. “No-one is born gay,” he notes. “The predominant things that create homosexuality in one identical twin and not in the other have to be post-birth factors.”
Dr. Whitehead believes same-sex attraction (SSA) is caused by “non-shared factors,” things happening to one twin but not the other, or a personal response to an event by one of the twins and not the other.
For example, one twin might have exposure to pornography or sexual abuse, but not the other. One twin may interpret and respond to their family or classroom environment differently than the other. “These individual and idiosyncratic responses to random events and to common environmental factors predominate,” he says.
The first very large, reliable study of identical twins was conducted in Australia in 1991, followed by a large U.S. study about 1997. Then Australia and the U.S. conducted more twin studies in 2000, followed by several studies in Scandinavia, according to Dr. Whitehead.
“Twin registers are the foundation of modern twin studies. They are now very large, and exist in many countries. A gigantic European twin register with a projected 600,000 members is being organized, but one of the largest in use is in Australia, with more than 25,000 twins on the books.”
A significant twin study among adolescents shows an even weaker genetic correlation. In 2002 Bearman and Brueckner studied tens of thousands of adolescent students in the U.S. The same-sex attraction concordance between identical twins was only 7.7% for males and 5.3% for females—lower than the 11% and 14% in the Australian study by Bailey et al conducted in 2000.
In the identical twin studies, Dr. Whitehead has been struck by how fluid and changeable sexual identity can be.
“Neutral academic surveys show there is substantial change. About half of the homosexual/bisexual population (in a non-therapeutic environment) moves towards heterosexuality over a lifetime. About 3% of the present heterosexual population once firmly believed themselves to be homosexual or bisexual.”
“Sexual orientation is not set in concrete,” he notes.
Even more remarkable, most of the changes occur without counseling or therapy. “These changes are not therapeutically induced, but happen ‘naturally’ in life, some very quickly,” Dr. Whitehead observes. “Most changes in sexual orientation are towards exclusive heterosexuality.”
Numbers of people who have changed towards exclusive heterosexuality are greater than current numbers of bisexuals and homosexuals combined. In other words, ex-gays outnumber actual gays.
The fluidity is even more pronounced among adolescents, as Bearman and Brueckner’s study demonstrated. “They found that from 16 to 17-years-old, if a person had a romantic attraction to the same sex, almost all had switched one year later.”
“The authors were pro-gay and they commented that the only stability was among the heterosexuals, who stayed the same year after year. Adolescents are a special case—generally changing their attractions from year to year.”
Still, many misconceptions persist in the popular culture. Namely, that homosexuality is genetic – so hard-wired into one’s identity that it can’t be changed. “The academics who work in the field are not happy with the portrayals by the media on the subject,” Dr. Whitehead notes. “But they prefer to stick with their academic research and not get involved in the activist side.”
I could have told him that and saved the time and money. My previous husband was an identical twin, and his brother was gay. Actually, that was how I told them apart when I first met them. A while later I saw a photo of them at age 3, and I could tell which was which by the gay look on the other one’s face. Knowing their mother, I consider it a wonder that they weren’t both gay.
What difference does it make if it’s “genetic”?
I mean, obviously it isn’t, but if proof that it was were published tomorrow, it wouldn’t change any opinions I hold, not even a little bit.
Why does this keep coming up?
One is gay and the other is a homophobic hater who is actually gay but has not come out yet. That’s the only explanation. It’s all explained in the new Federal Employee Handbook.
Or, that any man who was morally corrupted could get into pederasty (sex between an older man and a post-pubescent young man), assuming there were some way to induce the young man's participation, e.g. slavery, bribery, or force.
But none of this notion of there being a set homosexual "identity."
Not a sense of humour, but a proclivity to explore random mutations.
Women with natural penises and men with lactating breasts are a sick joke if only they were designed as such.
Interesting angle and I know exactly what you’re talking about.
That boy ain’t right.
For the Marxists, consistency with Natural Law is irrelevant. The control over human beings is the objective. Redefining marriage is the Trojan Horse to that ends.
Just remember, any means to justify totalitarian control is the objective. If it requires a surgical procedure, they will make sure the knife is sharp.
If it was genetic, it would lead to the argument that sexual orientation was an immutable characteristic like skin color, which is regarded as a prohibited basis for discrimination under law. I think they’ll get there anyway based on equal protection jurisprudence. But that’s what the pro gay rights folks were hoping for.
This researcher better be ready for a shi*storm from gays. They don’t want to hear this.
There is a heck of a lot more to biology than just genetics. For example, halfway through gestation, a male fetus will excrete a squirt of testosterone, which will travel to its brain to make it a “male” brain. If that testosterone does not arrive, by default, brains are “female”.
Importantly, a male or female or mixed brain in a human is *not* enough to determine their sexuality, just their masculine or feminine behaviors.
And it gets odder. Males have a small amount of estrogen in their bodies, and females have a small amount of testosterone in theirs. But females with more than the usual amount of testosterone generally have stronger libidos, and want and enjoy sex more.
Of course not. Homosexuality is a proclivity, a sexual degradation, a weakness of the mind.
God forbid my beautiful twin daughters, just 6 months old, were touched by the insidious proclivity of the homosexual agenda.
However, I know that their genetics are strong enough to fight any female weaknesses.
As their mother, I can attest against the homo agenda. I’ve never been inclined or even curious about what being gay might feel like. I know I’m a woman, and I have NEVER had the desire to ever try to imitate a man (no matter how flimsy of a man).
So, I freaking know that being a homo is not genetic, but a mental weakness given into perversion. And btw, I hate weakness!
Well, heck, I could have told you that!
It can’t be hereditary because if it was, it would have evolved out of the species by the simple fact that homosexual behavior is not reproductive. Dance with your own gender, you have no babies. End of the gene.
It isn’t rocket science.
I would submit that there's a difference between the relative masculine or effeminate personality trait and their sexual preference. There's plenty of heterosexuals that are more effeminate and homosexuals that are more masculine to show that, for either sex. The curious thing to me however is that of the gays I've known over the years they do, almost without exception, always pair up in relationships with their role opposite. That's to say... Two gay men will pair up with one in a masculine role and one more effeminate, and lesbians will likely pair up with each taking a gender role. It's inescapable.
The curious part is why... For example... A lesbian woman claims not to be naturally attracted to men but is attracted to a masculine woman. Seems its not about gender or psychology at all... But merely about the equipment. They're happy to have sex with a masculine-acting woman with strap-on equipment... But not with a man. That's not gay... That's just a man hater.
Can you find a link, other than to this blog, and some references or links to the studies that the article refers to? Not that I don’t believe the article, but I would like to be able to back it up.
Your opinion is actually backed up by studies. Many studies, and they are all consistent. I believe they fall within th 85-90 percentile range, but it's been 3 years since I looked at the data.
Your opinion is actually backed up by studies. Many studies, and they are all consistent. I believe they fall within th 85-90 percentile range, but it's been 3 years since I looked at the data.
That said, it still could be some kind of birth defect, or perhaps due to exposure to something in our water/food/air (soy anyone?).
My fear is that this might be something physical, and preventable or treatable, but because both sides are so adamant, it will never be discovered.
Only those with testosterone develop a prominent Adam's Apple. Some females are especially sensitive to testosterone and since they have some of this hormone in their systems (through liver conversion or the adrenal gland) they can develop the Adam's Apple along with a degree of male-pattern baldness and hirsutism...these are unfortunate in a female.
Just as some females are unusually sensitive to testosterone some unlucky males are totally immune to its effects. This is called Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. They generally develop very feminine characteristics.
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