I know, I probably shouldn't go here... but I am curious and in fact the curiosity is heightened by my current situation. For those of you who don't know my story; I am a confused mid-twenty something. I've thought I was straight, I've thought I was gay... and more recently I think maybe I am stuck somewhere in between. Now a big question for me has always been why? I have never understood the mechanics of it all and really for me that is a big thing of accepting or understanding something -- to know how it works. I know a lot of people just say you are how you are with no reasoning but I am inclined to believe there has to be a reason. This is also heightened by my family situation. Let me just put it this way; on my fathers side there are 10 grandchildren -- from my grandparents. Of those ten grandchildren there are two out and gay, two closeted bisexuals (I know, I know it may seem weird that I know -- but I do know, for a 100% fact) and then myself. So of 10 grandchildren 5 are are not hetero -- and 2 are still too young to tell yet. Isn't this a little uncommon? I would say nurture where we all had similar upbringings but then I thought maybe nature. Like maybe we were all born this way but maybe there is some genetic link to this? Or maybe it's something I am unaware of and it's completely normal. Just wondering about feedback on this -- also if you know of any articles or resources on this sort of discussion please let me know I am very curious. Like I said for me it's just about understanding.
I haven't taken loads of biology courses but I think most experts in the Biological community would argue that both genetics and environment play a role in lots of human behaviors. You might be interested in reading about the diathesis stress model. It's usually meant to help explain why/how some people develop certain dissorders but I bet it could be generalized to explain other behaviors and might apply to this situation. I personally think it's a pretty biological thing though.
I very firmly believe that it is entirely biological. Even in cultures that vehemently abhor homosexuality and do everything in their power to stamp it out, it remains. In every single culture and society that has ever graced this earth there have been LGBT people in it. If it was environmental logic would dictate that at least some culture somewhere wouldn't have it, and that isn't the case.
Except for the religious whackjobs, everyone credible seems pretty much in agreement that there's a strong genetic (or possibly hormonal-during-pregnancy) component to homosexuality. There may also be some early-life nurture aspect, but that is less certain. In any case, it's pretty much agreed that sexual orientation is fixed very early in life, likely before birth, but definitely before age 5. I can tell you from anecdotal data I've heard from various people that there definitely appears to be a genetic aspect; for example, in my family, I have several cousins (my dad's brother is their father) who are gay or lesbian, and there are many others in the more distant family as well. This would comprise substantially more than 10% of that generation, raising the possibility of a genetic component. Additionally, the nurture in the two families were as different as night and day (my aunt and uncle were uber-conservative-religious; my parents were not) so there isn't any consistent pattern there. I also know of numerous other extended families where there are multiple LGBT children, implying, again, a genetic rather than nurture aspect. The problem with all the literature is potentially confounding factors, and without raising a whole bunch of children in very controlled environments, with different parents, we're unlikely to get an absolutely unquestionable answer. But the above is, to my understanding, the prevailing wisdom at the present time.
I strongly belive that its Nature just because many of us try so hard to be straight but in the end we fail. If it was Nurture I woudnt be here right now writing this. I wouldnt have had those days and nights trying to be like every one else around me. I wouldnt have hated myself for the person that I am. I wouldnt have had to try to be some one else that I am not. Wouldnt have had so many things in my life happen that did. I wouldnt have cried for hours to my parents when I came out to them. And so many people here and every where around wouldnt have had all these things happen to them. That is why I belive so strongly that we all were born this way and there is no way to change it. You are who you are and the only thing you can do is accept it and be happy that you are still on this earth. Because so many of us are no longer here. And so many more are in that deep dark closet with no light, no hope, nuthing but fear, nuthing but self hate, alone pleading for help with no one around.
For me, it was biological. I was gay before I really knew what sex was. When I came out to my therapist, he explained what he had studied and explained that it was biological and it made sense to me. But a good friend of mine, who is also gay and a therapist, says that it's environmental. The biggest problem I had in my life until I really accepted myself as gay was guilt. I was always trying to figure out what I did to mess myself up. What did I do wrong? When I finally accepted that I'm just me, a gay guy and that God made me a gay man, that I really stopped that war in myself and started healing all those self-inflicted wounds. Regardless of which side of the fence you end up on (nature or nurture), just realize you have no reason to have guilt over who you are. Be at peace with yourself, and all the other things start to come together. Tracker
Well, there's only one 100% true answer to that: nobody knows for sure. It's pretty much proven this isn't a conscious choice, but beyond that all we have for now are wild guesses and possible correlations. And maybe it's better that way. Just think how results of such a research could be applied, - to make your sexual attractions and gender identity somebody else's conscious choice. Although, on the other hand, I always sort of fantasized about a world where sexuality or even gender is indeed a choice, The Culture-style, but then again, I never quite understood why anyone would've chosen to not to be bi, even when I thought I was straight, so it's probably just my subconscious knocking at the closet's door, rather than an honest and logical speculation. But human sexuality, being a mess it is, probably won't be deciphered at this level any time soon. So it's all dreams, fears and speculations, "Singularity ninja robot zombie apocalypse preparedness drill," rather than any sort of actual issue one must fret about (when there are real problems facing us all.) They have their place, but I don't take them too seriously.
Hmmmm.. interesting topic. I am currently learning about DNA in biology class and I believe it has to do with DNA. I don't mean to be negative (i love being gay) but maybe being homosexual is a.. mutation. Because what if a male offspring got the gene for what it is attracted to from it's mother instead of father on accident.. that could explain it. I mean I'm no Biology genius but I'm just saying. It's a thought that seems to make sense to at least me
I'd say it's not uncommon actually...I suspect that although the majority seems to be straight, I believe everyone lands somewhere on the spectrum somewhere. I have a group of friends (ten people), and four of them are either bi, gay or lesbian - this was before we knew about each other's sexual orientation. So having 5 that are non-hetero seems actually normal to me.
No, X-Men are cool! Well it can't be neither. It would make sense for it to be mainly caused by genes or prenatal factors such as levels of testosterone. There are physical differences that hold in general between gay people. And I stress in general. Such gay men being more likely to have finger length ratio similar to that of straight women. Also, given the strong evolutionary purpose of heterosexuality, it could probably be overridden by something else biological. Most scientific evidence points to a biological base, but I think there are people who can be pushed more strongly in a direction because of nurture, or specific events in childhood. Also, there's no reason you shouldn't go there. Science is interested in varieties of hair colour, so inevitably it will be interested in varieties of sexuality.
For me I'm sure it's nature. I never knew the facts of human sexuality when I was growing up and only knew that men want to be with and marry women. I assumed I'd get married to a woman even while I was in college, although I didn't think of it much. I had no idea that some guys are attracted to other guys in the same way that most are attracted to women. I don't see how I could be nurtured into having sexual attraction to guys when I didn't know that was possible until well past puberty. I can now see that I was attracted to guys as far back as 6th grade if not earlier.
Nature. I'm adopted - no one else in my adoptive family is LGBT. The first time I fell for a guy was when I was seven years old, nothing sexual - just an innocent schoolboy crush. It was exactly the same as falling for a girl in my class when I was 5 years old. Nothing about it was different really. It just happened naturally. And as Prof. X said "mutations are groovy" lol.
