"I don't think there is any single gene that governs any complex human behaviour. There are genetic components in everything we do, and it is foolish to say genes are not involved, but I don't think they are decisive."
Why does the author bring up two discredited studies, LeVay and Hamer? It's as though she wants to muddy the waters, write that there is no gay gene while hinting that one may still be found. And left on the backburner is the idea that people would abort gay babies if there were a genetic test for them.
Be careful what you wish for-if they do ever find a queer gene, lots of folks are going to want a test, and they may abort if it's positive. After all, it's their "choice", right?
What about a “lawyer gene” which might predispose a kid to grow up to be a lawyer?
If they really wanted to know. They would know.
First, they ignore that men and women are different. There is, therefore, no obvious connection between gay men and lesbians in any way...yet quite often both are included in these studies depending on the outcomes desired. Homosexual parenting is an example.
Second, while there are studies for a gentic basis for homosexuality and/or lesbianism, there are no valid studies for a behavioral basis. The closest studies looking at this aspect simply tried to claim that homosexuals are no more likely than anyone else to have suffered any given trauma...and again, they include both men and women as well as all trauma, with all backgrounds, going so far as to use instances of a single case of molestation or single instances of trauma to force that out of the picture ... and again for political reasons.
If they wanted to know, they would only study men who, as boys, were molested for several years for sexual deviancies, with the understanding that homosexuality is but one expression of several paraphilias that can be created through psycho-sexual trauma.
Would this show that all gay people are molested? No. However it would show if gay people can be created, and that would end the discussion. At that point, the scientific community would be compelled to look at other reasons gay people are made, and cease looking for the unicorn.
"Born that way" mass murderers, psychopaths who have an uncontrolable urge to torture and kill people can be said to be an "innate instinct" as well. That doesn't mean society should tollerate that kind of behavior.
They actually HAVE one of those?
Oh, Canada!
A person might have beaten daily as a kid and has grown up full of anger - wants to kill someone. Or maybe they had a normal life and still have a tremendous desire to do someone - anyone, else harm. Maybe even one day a gene will be found that predisposes someone to random violence. Some of those people, no matter what the cause of their impulses, will not be able to control themselves, but them some will. No matter what the cause of that desire or impulse, we can't and don't dismiss it as okay or even natural just because it may somehow be linked to a physiological condition or state, psychological conditions or previous experiences. For me, a simple glance at the anatomy of a man and a woman tells me what is natural and what is not.
I can’t wait for the headline, “Homo’phobic’ gene found!”
I can’t help it, I was born that way.
You mean Jordache?
If there is a gene found, then they will claim “Hah, told you so.” while medical science will seek to cure the disease.
However, if no gene is found, then the gay community will have to come to grips with their choice.
Either way, bad news for gays in my opinion.
I know a girl that went to prison straight and came out a lesbian, it was her choice.
Folks either believes what He gave us in the Bible or they don't. I do and always will.
If there’s a gay gene for men, then there must be a DIFFERENT gene for gay women. Elementary logic. Then the gene must reappear over and over again, because it is not passed on to any descendents.
Really want to muddy the waters? Parents whose embryos are found to have the gay gene can give them up for stem cell research.
I would love to see how the Democrats spin that one.
Naming your son “Lance” while still in the womb automatically causes him to be infected by the gay gene.
If sexual behavior is dictated by a gene....what about pedophiles? Will that be the next crusade to give these sorry perverts an excuse?
This is sheer bunk.
There’ll be a lot of gay genes at the Gay Pride Parade in Minneapolis today.
Maybe it’s imprinted, like when chicks recognize their mothers in the first creature they ever see. Maybe at some point in our psychosexual development, whatever event or situation comes up, it triggers awakening and fixes preferences. This isn’t altogether nature, nor altogether nurture.
The hunt for a Gay gene will be fruitless. The condition if genetic, could just as well be the result of a missing gene. A lack of a specific gene will be near impossible to detect.