What makes a person gay?

I believe that it's inborn and at least partially genetic - I came across a study involving gay males who had identical twin brothers, and of those twin brothers, something like 60% were also gay, even those who'd been brought up separately. I've heard theories that one factor can be an incorrect amount of male hormone to the foetus during pregnancy, but I'm not sure how valid those theories are.

 

Personaly?
I think that your sexual attraction is in your DNA. Whether you are male or female. It's hard for me to explain in words. :/

 

Britney Spears

....and also probably genetics

 

I think that maybe it has to do with genes but I think it also has to do with the type of environment that a person grows up in. I think that can be a huge factor. I disagree with the 'lack of male hormone' because that femme stereotype of gays is just that, a stereotype.

 

More likely than not there are genetic factors, as well as certain biological factors other than genetics (the so-called epigenetic factors, like hormone levels in the womb).

Since homosexuality seems to arise in all cultures regardless of how tolerant or repressive they are, I'd say social influence is at most peripherically involved.

 

No idea. Does it matter?

 

being naturally attracted to both or the same sex. in all apsects. as for genes and what not, i have no idea.

 

I heared that if the more female babies a mother has the more chance the next male will be Bi/homo sexual - Each female baby has something to do with the mother releasing hormones to the child. The next male is also given hormones, if the mother has had a few female children in a row, the hormones given can be mixed up and a male is given female hormpones, aparently this is partly why Bi/homosexual males are produces inside the whomb.
Scary, eh?
Thx
James

 

They must fulfill all these requirements:

1. An attraction mainly/exclusively to the same gender.





...that's it.

What causes it? I'm assuming it's a genetic thing. Just like being good at math or having blonde hair. It may be a genetic response to overpopulation, to help "put the brakes" on a population explosion. Or it may be just some random thing. I foresee a day when we can (and possibly will) be able to detect it early, and alter it. If I'm still around, I foresee a big to-do about that...

Lex

 

Here an article you might find interesting. You don't have to register with the site if you hit print, you can read the whole article. (without printing)

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/08/14/what_makes_people_gay/?page=1

 

Probably an undetermined combination of genetic and social factors.

 

Actually, recently more and more proof has come up that it is link to hormonal difference in your mother's womb. Of course, this only accounts for male sexuality.

Besides that, abuse as a child usually causes one's psychology to get changed around a bit.

 

I'm guessing there's a few reasons - there was a TV show a while back about it (at least, for gay males) - there were several possible reasons, genetics, hormonal imbalances in the womb (which show themselves in several ways, including "female style hands") and a theory that the more older male siblings you have, the more likely you are to be gay.

Now, I have no older brothers, but my hands show the "feminine look", which makes me think that of the three the show explored, I'm more likely to be the result of a hormonal imbalance than anything else.

In fact, it was that very TV show that helped me realise that I can't change what I am, and it's something that's pre-programmed into me.

 

Everything I know I learned from watching John Barrowman's "The Making of Me"...

In seriousness though, I don't know - it may be environmental; but then there is no common factor in the upbringing of LGBT people. Most LGBT people I've spoken to know that they were whatever they are when they were a kid, although they may not have realised it at the time - me included - so that suggests something either genetic or related to conditions in the womb.

Beyond that, no idea. All I can say for sure is that it's wired into your brain, one way or another, and it can't change. And it is not a sin or a sickness.

EDIT: Sounds like you watched The Making of Me too, tm74?

 

Physical attraction to exclusively (or almost exclusively) the same sex.

As to why people are gay, genetics almost definitely has something to do with it. I'll use my own family as an example: Me, my half sister and my cousin are all gay, none of us were raised together and have never had especially close contact (my sister lives in the US and I don't see my cousin all that often). I know that's quite a small sample, but it is quite a hefty coincidence seeing as nobody that I know of on my mother's side of the family is gay/bi/etc.

 

I only watched that cause John Barrowman was it it :icon_redf

..but i did learn some interesting things!

I really think it has nothing at all to do with upbringing. No social factors can "change" your sexual orientation. More specifically, no factors PERIOD can "change" your sexual orientation. If you could change that, i would have by now. I grew up in a fierce anti-gay and religious area, as did alot of you im sure, and if given the chance at the time many of us would have taken it. Its not like we tired to be gay, it just happend.

And yes, that being said, its a from birth thing im convinced.

And Davo, if Britney makes you gay then maybe thats why i am. Some further research may need to be done there.

 

That was a significant factor here, too

 

I watched "The Making of Me" a while ago when someone posted a link to it here. I was honestly a little put off by the way he was so obsessive about getting proof that he is gay and finding some simple reason why. Personally, I'm very skeptical of the whole "gay gene" thing - and in the documentary I felt like John Barrowman was trying to get the geneticist to make claims about his research that he didn't feel were appropriate. Then when Barrowman turned out not to "have the gay gene" he was so crushed. It just weirded me out.