Posted on 05/26/2006 12:40:46 PM PDT by DBeers
Researchers are attempting to discover a genetic linkage to sexual orientation by studying one thousand pairs of gay brothers. This five-year study being conducted by researchers from Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago will be the largest study of this kind and is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
This study follows a similar genetic study, conducted in the 1990s that found some genetic correlation for sexual orientation.
That original study was conducted with 40 pairs of brothers and revealed evidence that there might be a linkage. When subsequent research couldn't replicate these findings, the scientists realized that they weren't working with a large enough sample size to provide the statistical power required to advance the research.
Previous twin studies have pointed to evidence that the linkage is due to heredity rather than environmental factors, but until the researches can isolate the genes that directly affect sexual orientation, they can't be sure.
"Family studies tell you that something is familial, that things tend to cluster in families," says Dr. Alan Sanders, MD who heads the gay brothers research study. "Then we ask what else tends to cluster in families. Genes do."
There is not a lot of research in this area but, like most genetic research, it is controversial.
"Genetics is controversial, says Sanders. "And specifically sexuality research, but this is where there is a great deal of interest."
"Folks don't like this kind of research, that shows that sexual orientation is genetically based," he says. "It undermines the argument that it is a choice."
If they find a genetic link for sexual orientation, then the argument goes, you don't blame people because they have blue eyes, why would you blame them for their sexual orientation? This kind of research undermines the choice argument and that bothers some groups who are out to prove that sexual orientation is something one chooses.
The genetics that Sanders and his colleagues believe is responsible for sexual orientation is complex genetics where multiple genes and environmental factors contribute to the trait, as in the case with intelligence.
"Some folks might have enough of a genetic contribution that they are going to be very intelligent no matter what, others might have a better chance, but it will depend on key things in the environment," he says. "That's the way a lot of things are that we study,"
Researchers also say they believe that more than one gene is responsible, rather than a one-to-one correlation - as in heredity - for something like eye color.
"Genes do more than one thing," says Sanders. "They have more than one function. Maybe the gene that contributes to sexual orientation does something else as well."
He says each gene contributes a varying amount to each trait. This is especially true for behavioral traits and personality traits such as novelty seeking, aggression or violence. Not just one gene is involved.
Sanders says the biggest challenge with this kind of research is finding the one thousand pairs of gay brothers. He and his colleagues have been searching for participants for several years and have recently beefed up their recruiting efforts and expanded the search worldwide.
Participation is simple. Interested participants are first asked to fill out a brief questionnaire. Then, they submit a blood sample or DNA saliva test. "That's the hardest part, the thing that requires the most effort is having blood drawn," he says. "We're hoping to switch, to DNA samples from saliva soon. That should help out."
All information obtained from participants will be kept confidential and will not become part of any medical records Sanders says.
They will come up with the result they want. It is obvious from the subjects of the study they are trying to create evidence to justify a finding rather than gather evidence and base a finding on what the evidence shows.
The "gay" gene that is the alleged culprit for this disease was found not be a sex-linked gene at all, but affected the ligaments and tendons that are found in and around the wrist area of the arm, causing the wrists of these victims to go "limp". </sarcasm)
If there is a flaw in a gene producing the abnormality of being "gay" then that means it could be subject to gene therapy!
I don't think gay activist are going to like that outcome.
Rosie O'Donnell is homosexual. She has a brother who is homosexual. So is it genetic? Maybe...........
Indeed. If they come to the conclusion that homosexuality is genetic, who is to say there isn't a genetic component to pedophilia? Doesn't mean they don't make choices about their behavior.
It's interesting that scientists say there is a genetic link for obesity, but we still expect people to control what they eat. Why do they not think it appropriate to expect people to control their sexual behavior?
Exactly! They just HAVE to find some kind of link to genetic queerness to validate the queer cause, no matter how much money it takes! Disgusting!
I would also be willing to bet that people who can afford it will have their unborn children tested. If the 'gene' for homosexuality is present, they will abort the child.
The law of unintended consequences.
Then you should pray for his recovery.
sounds like a casting call for gay porn.
Questions? Is there a violent gene? An anger gene? A greed gene? A selfish gene? It seems to me that one would need to prove two things, not one. Surely you would need to also prove that no negative, destructive behavior can ever have a genetic link. Otherwise you've proven nothing even if you find the much sought after genetic link.
Then how do you account for families that have both homosexual and heterosexual children? Rosie and bro were brought up in the same family, and therefore maybe the one parent's lack of love or attention could have been involved in their sexual orientation. When an offspring does not receive the love from a parent, then they have the tendency of seeking love from another person of that same sex to compensate for the lack from that parent. Rosie may not have received the love she desired from her mother, and bro might not have received love from his father, and so to fill that gap, they sought out people of the same sex to fulfill that love they didn't receive from that particular parent.
"... how do they separate the nature from the nurture ...
The only meaningful experimental design for this question is to study a random sample of identical twins who were raised in separate families.
"This is QueerByChoice.com—a radical gathering place for people who have chosen to be queer."
"Gay Gene" Critique Links
http://www.queerbychoice.com/gaygenelinks.html
I really think so much more research has to be done to determine if there is a genetic factor in determining sexuality. The two brothers I know who are gay are also twins--I am thinking the twin factor has something to do with both being gay rather than just being brothers.
Were they raised in the same household?
If hard science proves that sexuality is genetic or that genetics plays a definite role, I really would like to see how the gay community reacts to the possibilty of children being aborted because the "gay gene" showed up in testing and parents don't want a queer kid.
Thanks -looks like many links to good sound information countering homosexual genetic junk science thus far...
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