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Gay Is Not All in the Genes
http://news.sciencemag.org ^ | 30 June 2008 | by Michael Balter

Posted on 03/28/2013 8:33:24 AM PDT by Maelstorm

Why are some people gay? Most researchers who study sexual orientation think that both genetic and environmental factors play a role, but the relative contributions of each remain unclear. A new study of Swedish twins reinforces earlier findings that environmental influences--including the environment in the womb--may play a greater role than genes.

Scientists studying complex human behaviors often turn to twin studies. Researchers look at both identical and fraternal twins to see how often they share a trait--a parameter called concordance. The greater the concordance among genetically identical twins compared with fraternal twins--who share only half of their genes--the more likely that genetic factors are involved.

Earlier twin studies of sexual orientation have suggested varying degrees of genetic and environmental influences. But they have suffered from the limitations typical of all twin studies. These include small sample sizes and assumptions that identical and fraternal twins both have the same family environments; if identical twins are treated more similarly by their parents than fraternal twins, for example, this could be mistaken for a genetic influence. Recruitment biases are also an issue: Some studies have enlisted participants who openly identify themselves as gay, who may not be typical of the entire homosexual population.

To try to get around these problems, a team led by Niklas Langström, a psychiatrist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, recruited subjects from the Swedish Twin Registry, the world's largest. All 43,808 twins born in Sweden between 1959 and 1985 were invited to participate in a Web-based survey that comprised a wide range of questions about personal behaviors and experiences. The team ended up with a sample of 3826 twin pairs, of which 2320 were identical and 1506 fraternal. Of that sample, roughly 5% of men and 8% of women reported sexual activity with a member of the same sex at least once during their lifetimes. Then they plugged the survey responses into a standard mathematical model for comparing identical and fraternal twins.

The results, published online this month in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, confirm earlier findings that identical twins are more concordant for same-sex behaviors than fraternal twins are but only modestly so: In men, genetic effects appeared to explain 34% to 39% of the differences between the two twin groups, whereas in women, genetics accounted for only about 18% to 19% of the difference--a finding consistent with other research showing that sexual orientation in women is not as rigidly determined as it is in men.

As for what environmental factors might be at play, the authors point out that these might not be entirely social but could also be biological. For example, some studies have suggested that exposure to prenatal hormones or even the mother's immune system could influence the sexual development of a fetus.

J. Michael Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, who led earlier twin studies of sexual orientation, calls the new study "good, important, and one unlikely to be bettered in the near future." But Jonathan Beckwith, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, says that the new work fails to overcome a number of problems faced by previous twin studies. He notes that the final sample included only 12% of the males in the Swedish registry, leaving open the possibility of recruitment bias. And Beckwith says that the failure to control for family environment could inflate estimates of genetic influence.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gay; gaygene; genes; genetics; homosexualagenda; scotus; sourcetitlenoturl; ssm
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I think this adds a very important context to the whole gay marriage debate. Too many "conservatives" are relenting on the "born this way" bs. There may be propensity for any number of behaviors but just because there is a propensity does not mean one should gravitate to a "biological natural state". The whole of human civilization has been built not on striving to affirm an animal nature but to exceed it.
1 posted on 03/28/2013 8:33:24 AM PDT by Maelstorm
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To: Maelstorm

Some people are born with a propensity to kill. We call them sociopaths.

Predisposition is something we fight with Civilization.

Whether we think civilization can accept or must reject homosexuality (much less the “marriage” of gays) is a crap-shoot.

But let’s not suppose that just because someone is born with a predisposition it makes it incumbent upon Governments to validate their predisposition as a right.

I have a predisposition to molest most attractive women I see. I don’t get to. Tough luck! And, even if they were willing, I oughtn’t. And I shouldn’t be allowed by government to marry 8 of them, even if they all agreed.

I know one thing: G-d WILL sort this out. You place your bets and you takes your chances.


2 posted on 03/28/2013 8:40:24 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Due Process 2013: "Burn the M*****-F***er Down!")
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To: Maelstorm

I have noticed that many gays were molested or horribly abused in their young or teenage years. Also have noticed that many that lost their mother, either died or left, when young turned queer. IMHO, about 99% enviromental.

Which means that it IS treatable.


3 posted on 03/28/2013 8:40:26 AM PDT by ohiobuckeye1997
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To: ohiobuckeye1997

I’ve noticed the same thing, there always seems to be something deep and dark in their past. Or, some were drama queens to begin with, so some things became even more significant in their eyes, leading to their lifestyle choice.


4 posted on 03/28/2013 8:43:29 AM PDT by Borax Queen
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To: Maelstorm; longtermmemmory; Gilbo_3; cradle of freedom; posterchild; BillyBoy; Impy
This is the right argument but I am afraid too late.
This argument needed to be made strongly about 10 years ago when GWB was POTUS, and kept up over time.

HERE :
If they are not born with these desires then how do their (un-natural) desires acquired in their life become their new (legitimate) constitutional rights that redefine centuries old traditional marriage regardless of voters opposition?

This is an argument I pose at young people,
I dont tell them its Biblical sinning because they will naturally just blow that off. For most of them Obama's word trumps the Bible's word.

5 posted on 03/28/2013 8:43:30 AM PDT by sickoflibs (To GOP : Any path to US citizenship IS putting them ahead in line. Stop lying about your position.)
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To: Maelstorm

A friend of my husbands is a twin. He is ‘gay’ and his brother is heterosexual.

The gay twin grew up as a heterosexual, married, had children. Then decided at some point he was not happy and was gay, divorced, moved to San Jose with a homosexual other, and now lives a totally liberal lifestyle. Claims his being married has not hurt anyone, forgetting what he did to his wife and two little girls. He still sees them, they are of course expected to accept his new lifestyle. He feels he is a good father.


6 posted on 03/28/2013 8:44:37 AM PDT by Beowulf9
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To: Maelstorm

Is there such a thing as a “gay gene”?

If so, isn’t it a genetic defect?


7 posted on 03/28/2013 8:44:49 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: BenLurkin
Is there such a thing as a “gay gene”?

NO

8 posted on 03/28/2013 8:46:56 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

During pride week in Chicago I’ve seen some of the woman. Some of these chicks are brutes. Big shoulders, necks, thick backs.....combine that with men’s clothing, facial hair and homade tattoos. Something..I don’t know is really off.


9 posted on 03/28/2013 8:47:42 AM PDT by Blackirish (Forward Comrades!!!!!!!!!)
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To: Maelstorm

“Most researchers who study sexual orientation think that both genetic..”

The same folks that defend evolution with all of their might, seem to believe that a “gene” that CAN NOT procreate has somehow survived their millions of years of evolving.


10 posted on 03/28/2013 8:49:36 AM PDT by CSM (Keeper of the Dave Ramsey Ping list. FReepmail me if you want your beeber stuned.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

First of all, God made them.


11 posted on 03/28/2013 8:49:49 AM PDT by DooDahhhh
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To: Maelstorm

Let’s assume for a minute that gays are indeed “Born that way.”
God knows the cause, whether it is genetic or environmental, and He still said “Do not practice homosexuality.” In God’s eyes the cause is irrelevant. The Sodom and Gomorrah narrative strongly suggests peer pressure was involved.
BTW my oldest daughter is gay and the only “trauma” in her life is that her father and I divorced when she was four because he abused me.


12 posted on 03/28/2013 8:53:41 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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To: Maelstorm
Gay Is Not All in the Genes

ACTUALLY:

'Gay' Is ALL In The Jeans

It is all about the sexual activity -that IS the only differentiator.

13 posted on 03/28/2013 9:01:17 AM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: Maelstorm

“may play a greater role than genes”

Most certainly, because genes don’t play a role.


14 posted on 03/28/2013 9:01:31 AM PDT by jagusafr (the American Trinity (Liberty, In G0D We Trust, E Pluribus Unum))
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To: Beowulf9
A friend of my husbands is a twin. He is ‘gay’ and his brother is heterosexual.

The gay twin grew up as a heterosexual, married, had children. Then decided at some point he was not happy and was gay, divorced, moved to San Jose with a homosexual other, and now lives a totally liberal lifestyle. Claims his being married has not hurt anyone, forgetting what he did to his wife and two little girls. He still sees them, they are of course expected to accept his new lifestyle. He feels he is a good father.

Your anecdote sums up the fact that some people think that a fulfilling sex life is actually a right. It is a mark of immaturity and irresponsibility IMO when people behave in the way you described. Throughout our lives, we are faced with temptations and choices. Many people (both homo and hetero) make the wrong decisions based on what "makes them happy". For instance, a man may leave his wife of many years and marry his cute secretary. He doesn't "need" to do this. But he yields to his baser instincts and does it anyway.

In college, I was a theater major and was around a lot of homosexuals. A more sex-obsessed bunch you will never see. Of course we heterosexual guys were trying to score with cute the cute girls as well. We had to jump through all the hoops most guys do - take them out, buy them presents, etc. The gays just seemed to meet and immediately decide to have sex. A young and inexperienced guy could get sexual experience really fast by joining the gay clique. I saw several young fellows get snapped up by the gays almost on arrival on campus. I only know of one of those young fellows that left the gay lifestyle. He ended up marrying one of the more attractive girls and having kids.

The explosion of acceptance of homosexuality grows to a great extent out of the idea that a person has the right to be sexually satisfied all the days of his/her life.

15 posted on 03/28/2013 9:04:09 AM PDT by Sans-Culotte ( Pray for Obama- Psalm 109:8)
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To: Maelstorm

A gene that doesn’t propagate the species?

I wonder how THAT ONE evolved!


16 posted on 03/28/2013 9:06:07 AM PDT by papertyger (It's only "hate" if you're conservative.)
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To: Wiser now

um... that’s pretty tramatic.


17 posted on 03/28/2013 9:07:31 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied .. the economy died.)
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To: Sans-Culotte
The explosion of acceptance of homosexuality grows to a great extent out of the idea that a person has the right to be sexually satisfied all the days of his/her life.

Actually, I think it grew out of the de facto "ad campaign" we've been subjected to for decades by the "arts crowd's" ugly sister (i.e. mainstream media).

18 posted on 03/28/2013 9:12:37 AM PDT by papertyger (It's only "hate" if you're conservative.)
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To: Maelstorm

I believe I read this article in 1977 when my younger brother came out as gay to the family.

So in 35 years will hundreds of millions spent on 1% of our society - we appear to have learned nothing.


19 posted on 03/28/2013 9:12:37 AM PDT by edcoil (If the man was accused of leadership, there would not be enough evidence to convict him.)
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To: Blackirish

“I’ve seen some of the woman. Some of these chicks are brutes.”

Right, and I think many of them, just because they aren’t very attractive to men, gravitate towards lesbianism. They don’t look manly because they have a gay gene; they became gay because they look manly and couldn’t attract a man.


20 posted on 03/28/2013 9:15:13 AM PDT by Boogieman
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