Many Genes Influence Same Sex Sexuality, Not Just One

[TruthBTold]

An article in the NYT regarding whether there is simply one gene that determines whether we end up gay. I thought that had been decided but I guess not.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/science/gay-gene-sex.html?campaign_id=60&instance_id=0&segment_id=16585&user_id=c9a7ae09fb2cbcb06a141f8a8fd9c94f&regi_id=48049439ing-news

[+ Gar1eth]

They also said at least from the study that genetic influences only accounted for around 30 % of same sex behavior. But one of the people quoted in the article who was not part of the study made a good point. This is not a study on what makes people gay. It's a study about about the influences on people who have had a same sex encounter. From reading the article, a person wouldn't necessarily have to be gay to be included in the study. You could have had a single same sex experience.

 

Gman

Edited August 30, 2019 by Gar1eth

[+ Gar1eth]

On a personal note-if it's not a false memory, I think I can remember being attracted to men-at the time probably handsome actors -by the age of 5 or 6 at least. I also have a vague memory-I don't know whether it's true or not-of thinking to myself that a certain boy in my kindergarten class was cute. Then immediately after that thought thinking, "Boys don't think other boys are cute." But I don't know if this is a true memory or not.

 

Other things I've wondered about-I've heard that I was a difficult pregnancy. My Mom was on bed rest for months. I wouldn't be surprised if she was placed on hormones at some point to prevent a miscarriage.

 

Other thoughts-not so much for my older siblings in the first few years of life-but by the time I came along, Dad was a traveling salesman. I know when I was 6 and older he was often away 3 or more days at least every other week. My Mom was the dominant parent in our household.

 

I wonder how much any of this impacted my sexuality.

 

Gman

[MaybeMaybeNot]

I couldn't glean much from the article, probably because I don't know enough about genetics. I'd be curious to understand how they calculated the 30%. Plus, I wonder how might sexual exploration have watered down the findings. If I had sex with a woman once, is that a reflection of opposite-sex attraction or a desire to try something new?

 

Gman, I was watching a video from a Christian organization online the other day where a researcher noted that studies show that most people who report faulty relationships with parents still end up heterosexual.

 

My earliest sexual fantasies involved vivid imagery of group oral sex among men. I would have had no idea of homosexuality at that point.

[+ Gar1eth]

 

Gman, I was watching a video from a Christian organization online the other day where a researcher noted that studies show that most people who report faulty relationships with parents still end up heterosexual.

 

 

But there is a stereotype of gay men having dominant mothers and absent fathers. My mother was the more dominant parent although not dominant in a termagant way. Some stereotypes have a basis in fact. Some don't. I wonder which this one is.

 

Gman

[+ Charlie]

My spouse has a brother who is also gay. A close gay friend of ours has a brother who is also gay. But what is more important in their cases: nature or nurture?

[MaybeMaybeNot]

But there is a stereotype of gay men having dominant mothers and absent fathers. My mother was the more dominant parent although not dominant in a termagant way. Some stereotypes have a basis in fact. Some don't. I wonder which this one is.

 

Gman

 

I do think effeminate traits come from relationships with mothers. My nephew, for example, used to walk around in high heels as a toddler, carrying his mother's purse. We copy what we see. He, however, had an active and involved father, so he no longer wants to be like his mother. What if he didn't have an active and involved father? Would he be effeminate on some level? I think so. Would he be gay? I guess that's the question here.

 

My mother was also strong and dominant. However, I know plenty of gay men who had rough relationships with their fathers without dominant mothers. I also know gay men who had great parents with mothers who were equal to their fathers and still turned out gay. My brother was abused by a family friend. I was not. He is straight, I am not. The video I watched implied that the majority of people with bad parent relationships or facing abuse turn out to be heterosexual.

[+ Steve yabsley]

Here is I think the source - I love the title:

 

Proving pride is in our DNA

 

https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/sexual-behavior-not-meaningfully-predicted-by-genetics-new-study-finds/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=23andme&utm_campaign=3.2.3_q3nl_cx_us_ha&utm_content=j_57800747_p_d0f90faae1a328be

[Rudynate]

My spouse has a brother who is also gay. A close gay friend of ours has a brother who is also gay. But what is more important in their cases: nature or nurture?

 

My sister is a lesbian and I found out just recently that one my nephews is gay. And he's the one t hat I was secretly hoping would be gay.

[Chad Constantine]

My sister is a lesbian and I found out just recently that one my nephews is gay. And he's the one t hat I was secretly hoping would be gay.

 

Why were you hoping he was gay?

[Chad Constantine]

I do think effeminate traits come from relationships with mothers. My nephew, for example, used to walk around in high heels as a toddler, carrying his mother's purse. We copy what we see. He, however, had an active and involved father, so he no longer wants to be like his mother. What if he didn't have an active and involved father? Would he be effeminate on some level? I think so. Would he be gay? I guess that's the question here.

 

My mother was also strong and dominant. However, I know plenty of gay men who had rough relationships with their fathers without dominant mothers. I also know gay men who had great parents with mothers who were equal to their fathers and still turned out gay. My brother was abused by a family friend. I was not. He is straight, I am not. The video I watched implied that the majority of people with bad parent relationships or facing abuse turn out to be heterosexual.

 

At least mothers that dont correct that habit or treat their male children like males. You dont necessarily need a father, though it is better to have one, you definitely need a strong male father figure. The majority of the Earth's population is heterosexual so makes sense.

[Rudynate]

Why were you hoping he was gay?

 

 

Because he's so exceptional he deserves to be gay.

[Chad Constantine]

Because he's so exceptional he deserves to be gay.

 

Hmm.... so if he wasnt exceptional you would hope he was straight?

[Rudynate]

Hmm.... so if he wasnt exceptional you would hope he was straight?

 

 

I wouldn't care.

[+ Charlie]

My spouse has a brother who is also gay. A close gay friend of ours has a brother who is also gay. But what is more important in their cases: nature or nurture?

I should have been more specific in my reference to my gay friend: they are actually half-brothers, same father but different mothers, yet raised in the same household. Which complicates the nature/nurture question even more.

[Rudynate]

I should have been more specific in my reference to my gay friend: they are actually half-brothers, same father but different mothers, yet raised in the same household. Which complicates the nature/nurture question even more.

 

 

It's a difficult topic to study for that reason. The best studies use identical twins who were raised separately. Of course, it is difficult to assemble a large sample of such a rarefied subject.