Genetic homosexuality

[jsands]

Hi, so does anyone think that this actually exists? I'm asking not because any of my parents are gay or anything, but:
- I know my youngest brother is definitely
- My other brother has always been curious, asked a lot of questions and admitted trying stuff with one of his friends
- And I'm curious to see whether I like guys or not

Basically out of 4 kids (3 guys, 1 girl) all three guys have some interest in guys. I mean is that normal, a coincidence or what?

[kissban]

I think yes, its genetic...

[drhalsey1]

There might be some genetics, but not like a dominant trait that would be passed down, just a side thing that may or may not appear I think

[Abhorrence]

I believe it has something to do with the DNA structure although I think it could be more random than actually passed down. I'm terrible at biology so this may not even be possible but perhaps the gene exists in everybody and it's sort of just either dormant or active. However, with the whole 'sexuality is fluid' thing this would be complete bollocks so maybe there's a chemical that acts the same way. Fuck if I know but I definitely don't think that it's environmental factors or choices that define sexuality so there's gotta be some science behind it.

And if you genuinely think it's a choice - then show me how to not be gay.

[Ragle]

Hi, so does anyone think that this actually exists?

I don't think so. But if it is genetic, then it's all even in your genes.


Basically out of 4 kids (3 guys, 1 girl) all three guys have some interest in guys. I mean is that normal, a coincidence or what?

I reckon it's more a matter of socialization in an social environment. Such as a group dynamic thing of an interacting individual, while growing up in a social group and it's surroundings. Something like that.

[Sailor Mars]

I don't believe it's biologically possible for sexual preference to be genetic... There's no gene that can code for it. Hormones maybe? But again, what hormone could cause someone to have more attraction to a guy than a girl? Or vice versa.

[Bull]

I am 19, my brother is 17, we have both been in bisexual relationships.

[Sabercat]

I think that we are all born with the desire to love both genders but it is society that drills it into our head that it is only okay to love the opposite sex for whatever reason you want to fill in there.

[Zachary G]

Studies comparing identical and fraternal twins suggest there is some heritable component to homosexuality, but no one believes that a single gene or genes can make a person gay. Any genetic predispositions probably interact with environmental factors that influence development of a sexual orientation.

but you can read this, too :http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/11/study-gay-brothers-may-confirm-x-chromosome-link-homosexuality

[Hermes]

The Wikipedia article on biological causes of homosexuality (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation) has information on genetic theories and much more.

One of the things it deals with is the size of various regions of the brain and in many case the conclusion seems to "the size of brain area X in gay men is somewhere between the size in straight men and (straight) women" but that the variation does not seem statistically significant

Personally, I suspect the reason why there is continuous variation in some of the things researchers are hoping to correlate with sexual orientation is because there is continuous variation in sexual orientation.

[nnoooooooopppeee]

I think it could be genetic but is also largely influenced by our environment and what we are exposed to (media, religion, etc...).

[jsands]

I think that we are all born with the desire to love both genders but it is society that drills it into our head that it is only okay to love the opposite sex for whatever reason you want to fill in there.

I think this is probably right, I reckon that if there was no cultural influence to be straight, even in very liberal places where homosexuality is accepted, you'd get a lot more people being free with their sexual preference.

[ImCoolBeans]

I think you could easily argue that you all had the same environmental influences, growing up very similarly. These influences could have also played a large role in the development of your sexualities. I believe it is both genetically and environmentally influenced. There are so many factors involved in raising a child, some out of your control (like genetics), it's hard to say exactly what causes somebody to be homosexual. Though I do think genetics play some role in it.

[mcdaniels]

I think homosexuality is in genetics but it is also influenced majorly by your environment, I think your environment can either spur on these homosexual tendencies or silence them

[UNKNOWN8198]

There was an interesting study that read a while ago, that I can't for the life of my find, however it was a study into the sexuality of siblings, but focusing more on the male children. I'm not entirely sure how to phrase it, but it compared the 'number the sibling was', e.g. eldest or 'born 3rd' etc, and their sexuality, and the results that they had suggested that every time the mother had a child, if the next child was male, it had a 'X'% higher likelihood to be 'not straight'. Of the top of my head, I think the X was 30, however that seems quite high, but I can remember it being surprising.

They didn't give a definitive reason for the results, cause I think the point was that they didn't have a reason, but they listed a couple of 'ideas' that could cause such results, and I think the one that had the most 'scientific merit' (loosely said), suggested something to do with the mother having an immuno-response towards the 'male part' of the baby, and this response being better with each successive male child. I'll say again, it's been a long time and I'm not 100% sure this is what it said completely.****

As for my own personal view, I think it is genetic, to an extent. I think that people are born with a sexuality spectrum, and over time, due to experiences and other factors, like parental pressure, or pressure from views around etc, that spectrum refines and becomes smaller over time. I think that the spectrum for everyone starts slightly differently, and they may never have been able to 'like guys sexually', but other people (obviously) do; for me, I know that I have never fancied girls in a 'sexual' way at all, and I know I never could, however I also know that I could potentially fall in love with anyone, regardless of their gender, but 'romantically', or 'emotionally', even if I'm not attracted to them as a 'physical body'.
It kinda links to a thing in biology that I can't for the life of me remember the name of (go me and my memory), but basically gives the idea that based on your genetics, you have limits to what you can be. As an example, your genetics may 'say' that you can grow to a maximum height of 6', however experiences in your life may decrease that, like you may fall over and damage something in your back, or you may eat unhealthily and not grow properly, for a few examples, but the idea being that our DNA gives us limits to certain factors in our bodies. I like the idea that we start with our own sexuality spectrum, and then through life's experiences, that spectrum reduces and you're left with your own little niche.

Basically I'm saying I think that our sexuality's 'boundaries' is set by our genetics, and then environmental factors reduce those boundaries until you're left with your 'current' sexuality.

Also as a note for the OP topic, if you wanted another reason for it, statistically there will be a family of 5 gay brothers somewhere, and 4 etc. Your family may just be an example in that statistic. Also the fact that you will (probably) have had similar upbringings, doesn't help you to distinguish between genetic and environmental, because both could be affecting it somehow, if at all.

Sorry bout that, bit higgledy piggledy. Anything that doesn't make sense just ask me.

**** I FOUND IT-ish
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prenatal_hormones_and_sexual_orientation
Although not the study I read, it does include some information on it, under the heading 'fraternal birth order', although there is other interesting reading on the page as well.

[Living For Love]

It is definitely influenced by both genetic and environmental/cultural/educational reasons. There is a certain gene in the X chromosome that it's linked to homosexuality, but not determinant. As far as environmental reasons are concerned, I once read somewhere that young boys that were bullied mainly by girls in school would have a greater chance of developing homossexual tendencies during their teenage years and pre-adulthood.