Every study about the biology basis of sexuality is based off gender expression?

So my educational background is what I'll base this on: science still can't quite explain it, whether the paradigm that's tackling the issue is evolutionary biology, psychology,or neurology (or Astrophysics, take your pick), we really don't know why people are the way they are. There are some interesting correlations that have been found, and some of these correlations seem to coincide with, and perhaps support, some theories, but correlation is not causation. There is still so much to understand.

The 'answers' in fields like this also tend to change over time. While your reading you might take note of the publication dates on the documents. Many magnificent minds have offered what appeared to be answers, only to later be shown to not be correct (or at least not quite right). Consider how many psychologists and psychiatrists currently view the work of Freud.

One of the first things a science student learns is that we cannot prove that anything is right. We can only show that something is probable. Keep this in mind while you read. When a scientist performs and experiment, he or she is not actually trying to prove they are right, they are only trying to prove that they are not wrong. Science is not infallible, so try not to panic if you find something that worries you -- just keep digging!

In regards to the material you seem to be describing, I personally ascribe somewhat to the theory of androgen exposure during gestation, but it is very important to remember that biology is only one part of the human puzzle. Nature and nurture must be considered. Conformity to a gender role is certainly something that, while it seems to be affected by organic (biological) factors, is also tightly entwined with sociocultural norms. What happens in the womb doesn't seem to be enough to determine how you will behave when you come out. How one views the opposite sex, is likewise a complex phenomena. We don't yet know what mix of factors makes a gender-conforming heterosexual (at least I don't think we have).

Happy researching!
-B

 

I think that it is plausible that there are multiple explanations to causes of homosexuality. Prenatal hormone exposure might be one explanation but it does not rule out that there are other possible causes.

One casual observation in this forum and among my friends is that some people tend to have very clear signs of homosexual attraction from a very young age. My own sister was very masculine and she hated doing the girly stuff from very early age. In my case, I had clear and strong heterosexual interest from very early age and I cannot remember any homosexual interest from my early childhood. The first clear homosexual interest I had was in my mid 20s and even the most vague sign that could indicate homosexuality was when I was 16.

Among my friends, those who knew their orientation early on are visibly effeminate while those who only realized it at later age tend to conform to the gender norms in terms of behavior, interests and appearance. Perhaps homosexuality is caused by different mechanisms in those who discover it at later age and don't find any hints of it while they were young.