Startling Study Says People May Be Born Gay

HealthDayNews ^ | October 6, 2003 | Amanda Gardner

[AntiGuv]

MONDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDayNews) -- The origins of sexual orientation may be evident in the blink of an eye.

In what is the first study to show an apparent link between a non-learned trait and sexual orientation, British researchers have discovered the way peoples' eyes respond to sudden loud noises may signal differences between heterosexual and homosexual men and women that were developed before birth.

The authors, whose study appears in the October issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, say about 4 percent of men and 3 percent of women are gay. Scientists have long sought to determine whether sexuality is learned or biological.

"We have several decades of research which suggests rather strongly that human sexual orientation is to some degree biologically determined," says study author Qazi Rahman, a lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of East London. "The problem with those types of studies is that we can't disentangle the effects of learning."

The question then became, "What kind of task could be used that is not influenced by learning or socialization?" The answer came in human startle responses, which are involuntary and instinctual.

Specifically, Rahman and his colleagues decided to use pre-pulse inhibition (PPI). When humans hear a sudden noise, they respond by blinking. If that loud noise is preceded by a quieter noise (the pre-pulse), the response to the second, loud noise is weaker. In other words, it is inhibited.

The researchers compared responses to a loud noise both alone and after a quieter noise to see what the degree of inhibition was. Participants were 59 gay and straight men and women.

In the heterosexual women, the PPI averaged 13 percent and, in heterosexual men, 40 percent.

Lesbians, however, had a PPI of 33 percent, closer to the straight-man end of the spectrum, while gay men averaged 32 percent, slightly lower than that of straight men but not statistically significant.

The findings are consistent with other studies, which have found that certain traits in lesbians are highly "masculinized," while the same traits in gay men are almost the same as in straight men.

While it's difficult to make generalizations about gay behavior on the basis of these findings (for example, "all gay male thinking is like that of women"), it is possible to build a case for the origins of sexuality, the authors say.

"On the basis of these results and in conjunction with the bulk of the literature in the last three decades or so, the evidence points to some prenatal factor or factors [in determining sexual preference]," Rahman says.

The findings could have implications for a number of social issues.

"Actual sexual orientation and sex-related research is now being accepted as a legitimate national investment in terms of research," Rahman says. "We have problems with STDs [sexually transmitted diseases]. Understanding sexual behavior is clearly important to that."

The findings may also help illuminate sex differences in mental health issues. "Although homosexuality per se is not related to psychiatric problems, on those occasions that gays and lesbians do present with psychiatric problems, they often show disorders that are typical of the opposite sex," Rahman says. Gay men, for example, may be more likely to suffer depression, anxiety and eating disorders than their straight counterparts, while lesbians may be more vulnerable to substance abuse than heterosexual women.

"Maybe having an understanding of brain basis of sexual orientation in healthy individuals may give us some clues in what is going wrong in the brain circuitry underlying certain psychiatric problems," Rahman says. "In the future, we may be able to tailor treatments more specifically."

It's important not to draw too many generalizations. "It's not that the gay brain is like the heterosexual brain of the opposite sex. It seems to be a mosaic of male and female typical traits," Rahman says. "Because we're looking at humans, thing are always more complicated that you would expect."

[Old Professer]

It could be that queers are just hard-of-hearing, like the legless frog.

[wardaddy]

I clarified Dykey Lesbos as I recall.

Yes, I know two lipstick lesbos and they both come from questionable families...with daddy problems....multi-generational in fact.

I think Dykes often go for other Dykes because they are so manly and homely that's all they have....they know early on that boys have nothing for them.

I have also seen attractive women who were molested as girls become rather promiscuous because they equate easy sex with approval from males....and they were sure not lesbos. What made them different?

I agree that there is some correlation to some molested boys and homosexuality but is it because the molestation did it or were they targeted because they seemed more feminine and vulnerable by the chickenhawk predator to begin with?....and all molested boys don't go queer...maybe not even most.

Not to defend Nazis, but do you have a link on all the homosexual SS/SA/Gestapo rangers? I thought Hitler purged a lot of homosexuals?

How do you explain 4 or 5 year old sissies and how I have seen them grow up to be queer? I noticed I'm not the only one to have witnessed this.

I am not defending queerdom btw....I liked em better when they were in the closet.

[WackyKat]

Well, what does your libertarian agenda say to the indoctrination, recruitment and seduction of children

It says that is morally wrong and illegal.

I specifically said "consenting adults" didn't I?

Was that not clear enough?

[yankeedog]

God, I just have to love you..."read this" , "read that" .Well, heck, we can all read and link and post until the cows come home....and we do. Sure, there are plenty of people who have had traumatic sexual experiences. Wait, that's everybody, it's during the first one....But you know , there is a big ol' difference between sex and reading about it in a link somewhere,....what I'm saying is to you and pram yeah I had that conversation: in 1979.
Yes I am that old. heh.

[wardaddy]

I think it was more like prison sex....domination and cruelty but no doubt arguably some leather and chains latent homosexuality probably running in there.

Any man engages in homosexual content pitching or catching is queer to me....maybe if he is a lifer in the joint and gets drunk on hooch and lets some blatant sissy give him a BJ in the dark....I might give him a pass that he is not queer but just desperate, drunk and hopeless...maybe...although he'd be ridiculed by most other prisoners. I said "maybe"....remember that.

All homos are not sissies but I'd say most are/were.

I've known a few pretty tough homos. I knew one in particular who loved to fight....I think he liked the "contact". He would just grin from ear to ear when someone "checked" him. He actually looked forward to it. Get a little contact and indulge in his masochism at the same time...a twofer basically.

He was also crazy as a bedbug too btw.

[yankeedog]

I am vehemently opposed to the gay "political agenda".
I want a "yankeedog political agenda" but it's just not happening

[First Amendment]

I only have 8% on my laptop batteries so I have to be quick - try reading "The Pink Swastika" by Scott Lively and Kevin Abrams, I have read it and consider it good. Lot of footnotes and references. A new book "The Hidden Hitler" also has a lot of info about Nazis and homosexuality, written by a German. Haven't read it yet but I plan to. Yeah, it's true about girls molested when young. They often either become lesbians or wildly promiscuous. Either way, their sexuality gets distored because of the early violation.

[Misterioso]

This was never God's intention, and has nothing to do with the natural biological design of human sexuality.

Could you explain just what God's intention was (is?), since you seem to know? And do you see this intention as superior to the "natural biological design" you mention? Or are you just confused?

[wardaddy]

Weren't either Himmler or Heydrich sexually ambiguous?

some even said Hitler was as well...right?

[yankeedog]

Yeah, it's true about girls molested when young. They often either become lesbians or wildly promiscuous. Either way, their sexuality gets distored because of the early violation.

I want to see some sources here. Especially that whole "wildly promiscuous" part. Personally, I think they( and they know who they are) are wildly without women, or joy, or good purpose.

[yankeedog]

not quoting you.... just talking

[wardaddy]

Well, it's been a long time since I was around young women in that respect so I can only opine historically.

[wardaddy]

excellent tagline.

we are glad to have you!

[LPM1888]

I wonder if you have read any of the many links available on FR about the subject?

I've read a lot of biased nonsense on FR about it.

[Maelstrom]

This is physiological ejaculation being passed off as "pleasure" aspect of the disease.

[Maelstrom]

As long as homosexuals left the rest of us alone, I'd agree. The fact of the matter is, it doesn't involve only living, consenting adult humans and even when it does, they DON'T leave the rest of us alone.

[Maelstrom]

"My only agenda is the libertarian one of opposing those moralistic busybodies who wish to control the private sexual behavior of consenting adults "

In that case you should hold the opposite viewpoint. Your children are being indoctrinated into the first stages of homosexual conversion in many schools today, right now. Your adolescents are being shown more conversion on prime time television.

Control over private sexual behavior is, today, one of the driving forces of the homosexual agenda. They have successfully separated parents from sexual education via the mass media and the educational institution.

[Maelstrom]

"I think Dykes often go for other Dykes because they are so manly and homely that's all they have....they know early on that boys have nothing for them.

I have also seen attractive women who were molested as girls become rather promiscuous because they equate easy sex with approval from males....and they were sure not lesbos. What made them different? "

The flip of a coin. This promiscuity and the total rejection of all males in favor of a female are both dysfunctions to an extent. The promiscuous one is quite likely to decide she's a lesbian after a single encounter with another woman.

I agree that there is some correlation to some molested boys and homosexuality but is it because the molestation did it or were they targeted because they seemed more feminine and vulnerable by the chickenhawk predator to begin with?....and all molested boys don't go queer...maybe not even most.

This is the classic "Blame the Victim" game. For raped women it is the question: Was she wearing suggestive clothing? They are targetted simply because they strike the predator's fancy. Vulnerability alone plays a far more significant role in the selection of victims...or if you prefer: "Boys with a homosexual tendency". Low self-esteem, coupled with any addictive personalities are exploited by bringing the victim to physiological ejaculation and giving the victim a sense of belonging to a larger group and identity. "You're one of us, you always were, we just needed to find you."

thought Hitler purged a lot of homosexuals?

He did, however, he only and very specifically purged feminine-seeming homosexuals while embracing the more militant homosexuals.

How do you explain 4 or 5 year old sissies and how I have seen them grow up to be queer?



Sissies do not always grow up to be queer. However, the teachings they suffer, their home environment, and the possibility and probability of a molestor will keep a sissy a sissy until adolescence at which point they will find a sense of "belonging" by a molestor..."Mentor" and the addictive behavioral defect will be reinforced and set.

[Maelstrom]

There isn't any unbiased information about it.

[AntiGuv]

coin-flipping placemarker..