Determined At Birth

Another research suggests that sexual orientation is impacted by a gene or genes found on the X chromosome. Though genetic tendencies for homosexuality may be passed from mothers to their children (Rahman & Wilson, 2003). During human evolution, homosexuality was developed to minimize competition between males for a limited number of potential female mates (Schulling, 2004).

If sexuality is developed at an early stage in a person’s life, then how does homosexuality occur? Homosexuality in Darwin’s selection theory doesn’t even exist. (Roughgarden, 2009, 127) Some say that it’s based on the person’s surrounding environment and influences while others say that it’s purely genetic. There has been substantial evidence that points to both genetic and environmental factors in developing homosexuality, but no one factor that clearly pushes over the top to define the origins of homosexuality. Statistically if a male is straight then there is a 4% percent chance that his brother might be gay, but if the male himself is gay, then the percentage jumps to 22%. (Roughgarden 2009: 247) These statistics simply show that gay males tend to group in families, it doesn’t necessarily point out anything specific about the environment’s effects or the male’s genetic makeup. (Roughgarden, 2009, 247)

The problem in figuring out if being gay was something that a person is born with or not is that it will most likely take a lifetime. There are so many different facts and statistics on both sides and really they could go back and forth forever. The biggest problem within the argument is that the people arguing against being born gay are mostly heterosexual people and homosexuals are arguing against it being a learned choice. Although there are many different statistics that can make both sides strong, its truly just a “my word

As time develops the debate of sexual orientation, more so being “gay” has become a popular topic to discuss. The common question that many ask is whether your born gay or if it’s a choice. For some that answer is yes, for me the answer is no because I definitely don’t think it is. Some answer yes with the fear of openly being homosexual and admitting they have chosen to be gay. Sexual Orientation is defined as a person's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted; the fact of being heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Homosexuality is present in at least 10 percent of the human population. Do you think sexual orientation is determined at birth? Imagine your first day out of your mother’s womb and someone telling you, that you were gay. The more you think about it, the more you begin to realize that would be impossible. With curiosity, you begin to do your research on the topic of sexual orientation, among many websites, blogs and newspapers. Such a thing is portrayed by John Money’s book “Gay, Straight and In- Between.” The point of emphasis in his story was viewing key points on pre-natal influences of sexuality, as well as discussing gender differentiation in childhood. With that being said, I believe sexual orientation is a choice! There has been many study’s that support my opinion.

Individuals in a certain family maybe “nurtured” into believing that heterosexual orientation is the only route of orientation, but may claim that they choose a different path because they were “born that way”, implying that it was genetic. This concept can also be applied with numerous incidences across races, religion, social afflictions, and many other things. This makes the arguments of the nature versus nurture issue a very complex one in that it is very conditional. Sigelman and Rider conclude in their argument, “that it is not nature or nurture; it is nature and nurture”(Sigel & Rider, 2012, p. 8). I believe this point is important when trying to understand my brother and other people in the future as a public health

If homosexuality was more socially acceptable, there wouldn’t be a reason to provide evidence that the act if being “gay” is genetic. In this society, being homosexual has been shunned by the public, leading to scientists trying to find a reason “they” are different. There is now a term for revealing homosexuality called, “coming out of the closet”. A study estimates that 40% of gay youth leave home due to family

Psychologist from King’s London College says: “It's a bit like making the proverbial 'haystack' just that bit more smaller so you can find the needles - there is no such thing as one gay gene, there are most likely many genes that influence sexual orientation."

The scientific perspective of homosexuality is whether homosexuality is caused by environmental influences or whether gay individuals are born that way. This question has been pondered byscientists for decades, but there is strong evidence to support the idea that homosexuality is an inborn characteristic. Research done on both identical and fraternal twins, show that there are higher concordance rates of gay monozygotic twins. Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus, (2005) report that about “52% of identical (MZ) twin pairs were found to be “concordant” (in agreement) for a gay male sexual orientation, compared with 22% of fraternal (DZ) twins and only 11% of adoptive brothers” (p. 312).

     If nurture isn’t the cause for sexual orientation then nature must be. According to Grant Steen, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, a large study was recently conducted which gathered gay males who have either identical or fraternal twins or adopted brothers. The goal of the study would be to see if genetics played a role in twins. At the end of the survey more than half of the identical twins of gay men were also found to me homosexuals. At the same time only about 22% of the fraternal twins were found to

People think that sexual orientation is something that is “caused” or “developed”. This is not the specific case because researchers can show that it is based on biological factors that are in place before birth. This means that it can come from studies of family histories and genes. Plenty of research has been conducted to determine the influence of genetics,

A scientist at the US national cancer institute, investigated the family histories of around a hundred gay men and found homosexuality was very likely and prone to be inherited. This study came up with the results that more than ten percent of brothers of gay men were gay themselves, in comparison to approximately three percent of overall inhabitants. On the other hand, uncles and male cousins on the mother’s side of the family led Hammer to have a closer look at the X chromosome. After arduous and continuous studies, he came with these results, he found that thirty-three out of forty-four homosexual brothers inherited alike genetic

Further research provides additional evidence to link homosexuality to nature is. It is Dr. Dean Hamer who successfully identifies a gene marker on the X chromosomes, a region which he termed Xq28. In his study, he examined 114 families with homosexual members and found that the incidence of homosexuality was higher in the maternal side of the families. As males get their Y chromosomes from their fathers and, X chromosomes from their mothers, Hamer came to the conclusion that there is definite proof that male homosexuality does have a biological basis in the Xq28 region of the X chromosome. (Shultz, 139; Hammer, Online)

On the other hand, scientists who are homosexual themselves have conducted some of the more recent and more scientifically significant studies. This lends a validity to the research that has not been seen in the past. Those who would like to see scientific progress continue are those who would like to see the "born that way" argument validated. In the interests of scientific curiosity, and in the hopes that the evidence gathered will be used appropriately, the following are examples of correlation between biology and homosexuality.

Science would say that they are born. However there is no gene that can determine sexual orientation and they believe that there are many factors that can influence one’s sexual orientation. However it sexuality weren’t socially constructed, we wouldn’t have to determine one’s sexual identity.

Another thing that people usually ask is “Are children raised by gay parents more likely to become gay then a child raised by a straight couple?” You can’t change someone's sexuality. Sometimes children are gay sometimes