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Does Anyone Think LGBT+ is genetic?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Spectralhaze, Dec 24, 2016.

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  1. Spectralhaze

    Spectralhaze
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    Becuase, seriously, I'm Polysexual, my bro is a demiboy, and my youngest brother might just be my sister. Also, if one twin is gay or lesbian, than the other twin has like an 80% chance of being gay/lesbian too! What do you think?
     
    #1 Spectralhaze, Dec 24, 2016
  2. Blood Elf

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    No, I don't. No one on either side of my family is trans (besides me). None are even bi/gay/etc..
     
    #2 Blood Elf, Dec 24, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2016
  3. guitar

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    It's not genetic. But there is something called the birth order effect whereby with each male born to a mother, each child has a slightly greater chance of being gay than the last (so afirst born boy would be like 10%, but the 5th born boy would have like a 20% chance of being gay).

    If you're interested in a scientific perspective on this, check out Simon Levay's book "Gay, Straight, and the reason why."
     
    #3 guitar, Dec 24, 2016
  4. guitar

    guitar
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    It's not genetic. But there is something called the birth order effect whereby with each male born to a mother, each child has a slightly greater chance of being gay than the last (so afirst born boy would be like 10%, but the 5th born boy would have like a 20% chance of being gay).

    If you're interested in a scientific perspective on this, check out Simon Levay's book "Gay, Straight, and the reason why."
     
    #4 guitar, Dec 24, 2016
  5. Libertino

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    ^So is that the reason why I'm non-heterosexual and my twin brother is straight? He was born before me by several minutes :wink:

    In all seriousness, I doubt that there is a "gay gene", but there me some genetic factors that contribute to an increased likelihood of developing a sexuality that is not heterosexual (as I do not believe it would be in-born).
     
    #5 Libertino, Dec 24, 2016
  6. NoPlaceLikeHomo

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    There have been several scientific studies done to suggest that genetics play a bigger role in determining sexuality than if you're right or left handed.
     
    #6 NoPlaceLikeHomo, Dec 24, 2016
  7. Kodo

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    I don't know enough about genetics to properly give my opinion. However, I can say that there is much about the brain (and hence sexuality) that is unknown. So while we haven't discovered a "gay gene" and perhaps never will, there is likely to be a neurological explanation that we haven't addressed yet. But like others said, correlation does not necessitate causation and there is little scientific proof asserting that being gay is inherently genetic.

    Being transgender is an entirely different thing than sexuality, however. There are tentative findings in neuroscience suggesting a biological basis.
     
    #7 Kodo, Dec 24, 2016
  8. anthracite

    anthracite Guest

    If it was genetic we would have died out. I like the hormone theory. You're AFAB and get too much T while being still a fetus you become a lesbian. You get way too much T, your neurological sex becomes male. And the other way round.
     
    #8 anthracite, Dec 24, 2016
  9. Andrew99

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    No.
     
    #9 Andrew99, Dec 24, 2016
  10. andimon

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    The "multiple brothers" theory checked out on me, so I guess that one has to have at least a grain of truth. I don't really know what causes non-heterosexuality, but it's got to be a combination between genetics and environment.
     
    #10 andimon, Dec 24, 2016
  11. Bolt35

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    Nah, I don't think it's really genetic. I have 3 people in the family, including me, that are openly gay, and probably another 4 being "bisexual tendencies". my family has a habit of popping out a lot of kids
     
    #11 Bolt35, Dec 24, 2016
  12. Chip

    Chip
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    What we know is, there does seem to be a heritability pattern of some sort. But it's not absolute. (I hope people realize that trying to generalize information from their own family isn't remotely scientific and is pretty meaningless.)

    Identical twin studies are a good example: If one identical twin is gay, the likelihood the other is gay is about 50%. But there's no such increase in fraternal twins, so that pretty much rules out the "similar nurture" factor. And I believe there's some (older) data looking at this among twins separated at birth, that shows the same results, again pointing more to nature than nurture.

    Likewise, there are studies that seem to indicate extended families where, say, there are lots of gay cousins, and others with none or almost none, again implying some sort of heritable characteristic.

    And as has been pointed out, there are birth-order studies that seem to indicate an increased susceptibility among later-born children in the same family.

    One of the most intriguing associations I've seen is the pattern of increased left-handedness among gay people; about 10% of the population on the whole is gay, while between 20 and 35% of gay people are left-handed (depending on whose study you read.)

    So I think it's safe to say there's some sort of inheritance and/or birth order pattern going on; it clearly isn't just nurture. But I don't think there is yet a clear answer.
     
    #12 Chip, Dec 24, 2016
  13. RMember1

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    I suspect epigenetics contribute.
     
    #13 RMember1, Dec 24, 2016
  14. johndeere3020

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    Chip, Where could reading material be found on this subject? I remember Christian that tried to "fix" me said I never bonded with my father....
     
    #14 johndeere3020, Dec 24, 2016
  15. MaoKingofcats

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    Yes this. I'm pan polyamorous and my aunt is gay.
     
    #15 MaoKingofcats, Dec 24, 2016
  16. Austin

    Austin
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    Yes. Almost everything about us has a genetic component.
     
    #16 Austin, Dec 24, 2016
  17. Shadowgirl37

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    I don't think so. In my family I am the only LGBT+ person.
     
    #17 Shadowgirl37, Dec 24, 2016
  18. lesbian188

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    yeah. i mean, probably. it's definitely not dependent on how you're raised, considering i was raised in a homophobic environment.
     
    #18 lesbian188, Dec 24, 2016
  19. anthracite

    anthracite Guest

    The twin studies could also be a support for the hormone theory.
     
    #19 anthracite, Dec 25, 2016
  20. Cinis

    Cinis Guest

    This, particularly for the T part. ( If I remember correctly the chances of both twins being trans is even significantly higher than both being gay etc. (although numbers in these studies tend to vary so...))

    Generally I'd say that it's definitely something biological but it's unlikely to be purely genetical.
    As for the example of your family you gave: I highly doubt that the LGB part is biologically related to the T part as both affect completely different things.
    The T is part due to people being perceived as part of the LGB either prior or past transitioning due to the nature of their situation, if that makes any sense.
     
    #20 Cinis, Dec 25, 2016
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