Homosexuality: Choice Or Genetics?

The gay personality may be determined during a child’s early years of development or throughout the individual’s life. A lesbian or gay individual like heterosexual individuals are influenced by family, peers, and society. Family structure, social factors, and cognition and conditioning help the development of sexual identity (Kwiatkowski, 2010). The child while living with the parents, adopt many of the customs and values the parents emphasize. The parents may stress the importance of gender roles in the household which the child may learn to

Many scientists have a difficult time understanding homosexuality on the evolutionary aspect. They believe a human beings’ main purpose is reproduction, which makes the sexual relationship between two males a confusing concept for most evolutionary thinkers (McKnight 1). Evolutionary thinkers believe that the less desirable genes are removed from the system when they are not breed as often, but this cannot be said for homosexual males who have been a continuing presence in most societies over numerous generations (McKnight 1). These evolutionary thinkers, like most humans, have a need to place others into

Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and presidential hopeful, recently stated that being gay is a choice not biological. He likes to think that you can’t change your sexual orientation till you are old enough to make that decision. He believes it’s not possible to have “gay genes” because being gay isn’t genetic it’s your choice whether you want to be or not. People should understand that being gay is a choice that we as individuals make in this world and choose to live through everything that gets handed to us for how we want to be. While growing up you start to develop your feelings of sexuallity and their bodies and mind set start to change.They can not be able to be born gay because they do not

A highly debated issue concerning homosexuality is whether sexual-orientation is biologically determined or if it is a socially learned behavior. One case study done about this topic gathered that “the homosexual desire seems in most cases to be implanted in those who develop an unusually strong attachment for one parent” (Cory 1951:67). This seems to suggest that homosexuality can be influenced by family structure or other sociological elements. On the other side of this argument, there is the belief that people are born either gay or straight. Even though there is no scientific or genetic evidence to prove this, there have been many studies done and most homosexuals interviewed take this view-point. McIntosh states, “[homosexuality] is still commonly seen as a condition characterizing certain persons in the way that birthplace or deformity might characterize them” (1968:182). To support their cause and to fight for acceptance in society, it would be beneficial to convince people that sexual orientation is biologically determined. “Research indicates that people who believe that homosexuality is a choice are more likely to condemn it than are those who believe gays and lesbians are born that way”

Dualism in the concept of “the nature versus nurture” means that the human behavior comes from combination of both nature and nurture. Many of us appear to have a feeling that we have a control in choices we make and presented with options, we get to decide the way things turns out. That is the “free choice.” When assuming the dualism is valid regarding “free choice”, we are free in some respects and not in others. For example, when someone is imprisoned they can’t choose to go out, eat a pizza or go to the cinema. On the other hand, they are free to think, and free to write whatever they like. If being homosexual is a truly a choice, then people who attempt to change their sexual orientation would be able to do so. However, most people who

If sexual orientation is something that we can’t change or choose, then how are these specific preferences such as heterosexuality and homosexuality created? How does one person progress to either heterosexuality or homosexuality? Studies showed that there were genetic factors linked to influencing sexual orientation in males before they were born by increasing the female reproductive capacity in mothers during multiple births. (Iemmole, Ciani, 2008: 393) Though that doesn’t mean that there technically is a “gay gene” that has been discovered, just that several human genome studies has suggested promising areas of research that are pointing to that direction. (Iemmole, Ciani, 2008: 393) With more

The most controversial questions that arise in relation to sexual orientation are targeted towards how one’s sexual orientation forms, what factors go into it and most importantly whether individuals have a choice in this process. According to the American Psychology Association, one’s sexual orientation is not adopted via an individual’s choice, but rather develops as a result of “cognitive and biological factors” and as well as by interacting with the surrounding environment. In simpler terms, there is a possibility in everybody even you and me being a homosexual.

As a group of people we have a compulsive need to put people in groups based on their sexuality. Many people having this need can cause a problem be people saying that homosexuals are choosing this life and they combat that with saying they are born this way. It is true they did not have a choice to be sexually and physically whom they find themselves attracted to, yet they have a choice to how they express their sexuality. Homosexuality is not a choice scientist have proven through many studies it is genetically.

There are multiple theories people hold on how they believe homosexuality started or is generally caused. However, after multiple studies and ongoing research the likelihood that it is nature, rather than nurture, based is going strong. Although, as of now, there has been no exact consensus among researchers, after examining possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and/or cultural influences, to prove that homosexuality is completely one or the other, but it is usually found that people cannot choose their sexual orientation, but rather only

As it stands, there is no concrete evidence explaining why some individuals are homosexuals. There are however, two contradictory causes to homosexuality: (1) homosexuality is innate and (2) homosexuality is a choice.

Even though there have been a lot of studies that indicate the biological bases of homosexuality, there are adequate evidence that prove that homosexuality might be base on nurture. Studies conducted by Kinsey in the 1940s imply that homosexuality is a learned behavior [3]. This study stipulate that homosexuality can be influence by your environment and early homosexual experiences. It can also be cause by family abnormality. Most social theorists believe that a child’s play pattern, early peer interaction, and familial patterns can determine sexual orientation. Social theorists such as Jean Foucault believe that homosexuality is a sexual preference.

Since homosexuality is said to be a behavioral trait then it can't be genetic. A behavioral trait is programmed by many genes rather than just by one gene. And the environment, these are just two of the many factors that that effect a behavioral trait. Whereas a genetic trait is affected by one gene, an example of a genetic trait is eye color. There are many ways of comparing genetic traits to behavioral traits but of all of the ways one could use ratios. For instance genetic trait has a ratio of 1 gene plus 0 environmental factors to 1 genetic trait, whereas a behavioral trait has a ratio of more than 1 gene plus more than 1 environmental factor to 1 behavioral trait.

It has long been debated where our sexual orientation comes from, particularly whether its biological or social forces driving these behaviors. In regards to homosexuality and bisexuals, some have argued that it may be a choice that these individuals are making.(Levay 2012: 41)Some have even said it is a mental disorder that one can recover from, but there is plenty of data that says otherwise.(Levay 2012: 41)(Levay 2012: 65) I believe diverse sexual orientations develop in humans due to sex hormones during fetal life, gene influences, and other effects such as birth order influences. I’ve come to this conclusion based on the narrative provided via Dr. Simon LeVay’s book Gay Straight, and the Reason Why, and the research that has been compiled showing strong influences from a multitude or reasons. I will also be looking at a research paper by Francesca Iemmola and Andrea Camperio Ciani, who looked into genetic factors influencing sexual orientation in men. It is clear there are gender differences between men and women, and this is probably one of the strongest indicators that hormones can affect the outcome of variations in gender traits.

If the argument of homosexual animals is not convincing enough, one must also consider the possibility of genetics. There is research suggesting that certain genetic markers on the x-chromosome are associated with homosexuality: “Using genetic mapping, the team found that a set of five genetic markers at the tip of the long arm of the X chromosome were identical in 33 of 40 pairs of homosexual brothers” (Journal Watch). This does not positively conclude that a person will be gay if he or she has these markers, but it does suggest that there are genetic factors at play rather than sexuality being merely a choice. Much of this research was done in 1993, and: “The same year, a study of twins found a significantly higher correlation of sexual orientation between identical as opposed to fraternal twins” (Bernstein 34). Two people with the same genetic makeup are more likely to both be gay or both be straight than two people with similar but not quite identical genetics.

The question of what causes some people to be sexually attracted to members of their own gender generates many different answers. In recent years, startling new research (Barinaga, 1993, p.17) has indicated that homosexuality is possibly inherited and determined by biological differences in Brain structure and genes. This study raises an interesting question: If homosexuality is hereditary, is there any basis for societal discrimination against something innate? If it is nature, it is good. If it is good, it should be accepted. A genetic component in sexual orientation would send a message to homosexuals and the society that homosexuality is not a fault, and not the fault of anyone other than nature. Gays and lesbians are born in nature, just like some people who are inherited left-handed gene from their parents.