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
“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.
The problems with the hormonal “theory”, is that it leaves no baseline for measurement, and,like the authors’ conclusions, is, for all intents and purpose, an untestable path to pathology. Adding the fact that, any human testing of this theory would result in a massive ethical suit brought against those performing the research. Without any controlling factors, the only thing left for a qualitative approach would be that of identifying, and defining “gayness” from those just born, and the various stages of their maturation into adulthood.
I see no viable way to make such a study produce convincing results?
Tim-