Study finds genes on X chromosome linked to male homosexuality

I suppose another nail in the coffin to the " it's a choice" argument?

Source

A study of gay men in the US has found fresh evidence that male sexual orientation is influenced by genes. Scientists tested the DNA of 400 gay men and found that genes on at least two chromosomes affected whether a man was gay or straight.

A region of the X chromosome called Xq28 had some impact on men’s sexual behaviour – though scientists have no idea which of the many genes in the region are involved, nor how many lie elsewhere in the genome.

Another stretch of DNA on chromosome 8 also played a role in male sexual orientation – though again the precise mechanism is unclear.

Researchers have speculated in the past that genes linked to homosexuality in men may have survived evolution because they happened to make women who carried them more fertile. This may be the case for genes in the Xq28 region, as the X chromosome is passed down to men exclusively from their mothers.

So apparently, it's all because of mom. Kidding of course, but as we can see, the more we research this, the more the conclusion seems clear.

Homosexuality is the result of naturally occurring genetic traits. I believe it's also partially environmental, but that's purely a personal perspective.

What do you think the odds are that further research will eventually find that exact genetic mechanism that determines sexual preference?

Thoughts in general?

~Tenth

tothetenthpower

Thoughts in general?

~Tenth

Subsequent research reveals a simple, inexpensive genetic therapy which repairs this defect. The social ramifications are:

reply to post by tothetenthpower


If not a choice then it's a disease.

They need to isolate the gene and finally remove it. It could be a breakthrough that could life changing for individuals, it could be on the level as the discovery of the polio vaccine.

reply to post by TheLotLizard


Thank you for your drive by insult to LGBT people .

It would be good in the future to add some real thoughts to a post.

~Tenth

reply to post by Bedlam


Defect I suppose is a matter of opinion. Luckily fact and opinion are different things .

~Tenth

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I never thought it was a choice. One of our school mates was more girl than guy which we always figured it was due to having an older sister.. He came out a full blown flamer when he turned 18; or so I was told. I worked for an airline and met many gays. Some were in a long lasting relationship with other gay men. Some were very talented in an artsy kind of way... Just people who were trying to live their life... The 80s and AIDS took a big toll on the gay flight attendants....

I have always had a strong aversion to a man touching me... I bet I was in my 20s before I ever gave my dad a hug (we were very close) and I think he instigated it? ... It was always a hand shake for him and a hug for mom... Just the way I was wired...

tothetenthpower

Defect I suppose is a matter of opinion. Luckily fact and opinion are different things

.

Well, fact would be that the purpose of mammals is to reproduce. This behavior is non-reproductive. And this research shows it's a genetic mis-fire that's only conserved because it generally increases the fertility of females whilst occasionally inducing homosexuality...maybe.

But back to the question - if you could fix it by spraying a carrier virus with a gene patch up your nose for $20, what would you do? What would society do? If you were gay, would you do it? Would society mandate it? Ban it?

727Sky
I have always had a strong aversion to a man touching me...

I wonder how much of that is upbringing and culture. My entire extended family is touchy-feely, and in general I think Southern culture is more permissive of that than what you see in the northeast.

tothetenthpower
reply to post by TheLotLizard

 

Thank you for your drive by insult to LGBT people

.

It would be good in the future to add some real thoughts to a post.

~Tenth


~Tenth

edit on 2/14/2014 by tothetenthpower because: (no reason given)

I don't see that as much of an insult. If homosexuality truly is influenced by genes, then there is something abnormal with that person's genes. Every living thing is designed to reproduce and if everyone was gay then our species would last one generation.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


One could look at this news and say that this genetic connection is akin to having blue eyes or red hair.
Or you could look at it as a defect, since the person born with it has no urge to procreate naturally. That would be a defect in nature. The natural goal is to reproduce, those that don't could be considered defective.

Please don't read this as gay-bashing. I am just looking at this from a natural sense, with no religion or politics involved.

TheLotLizard
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

If not a choice then it's a disease.

They need to isolate the gene and finally remove it. It could be a breakthrough that could life changing for individuals, it could be on the level as the discovery of the polio vaccine.

edit on 14-2-2014 by TheLotLizard because: (no reason given)

Maybe we can find the bigot gene and cure that, too. Maybe the holier-than-thou gene, too, while we're at it.

reply to post by TheLotLizard

Oh by all means, let’s mess with the genetics of the humans. By the way what is your take on GMO crops, do you enjoy such? And how about cloning, should we pursue that as well?

While this testing does show that a person is born the way that they are, however it needs to be done very cautiously and carefully as not to be abused. Once you open that door legally and ethically, then it stands wide open and will come back to hurt you in the end. Others have tried the very same thing before, and they were very adamant about such, to the point of where if you were not of a particular background, it would go very bad, demanding proof that went back generations.


How about eye and hair color, perhaps we should mandate that so many children be born with blue eyes, so many with brown eyes, so many with one hair color or another. While you are at it how about we mandate that all new children be born with a particular set of traits or skin color or any number of other things in a long list of traits that are out there. Why we could start a breeding program and breed the ideal humans, breeding out all minor traits and fixing all of the problems that a person could have.

It has been stated, you cannot legislate by a wicked law, you can only hurt all with it. Take a look back in history, and the proof is there, ideal on breeding the better human, removing those that were undesirable from the gene pool. There are some species out there that are suffering from that exact same problem where it is bottled necked genetically and those species are dying off or having a lot of birth defects.

No, let them continue on the testing and then prove that it is a genetic in nature and let it die there, never to continue on to try and fix that which is not broken. And if you think that homosexuality is a disease that we should revile and repulse, if that is your mindset, then please keep this in mind: Homosexuals have influence in all aspects of the modern life. There is no aspect of such that you do not come into contact wither with someone who is homosexual, or see the results in their influence on society around the world. All aspects of life, from medical, to cultural they have a hand in. The entertainment and arts we see and hear, film, literature, and music. The clothing and fashion industry, the clothing that is in or the style that is in, they have influenced. The food we eat, the homes we live in, the landscaping and even the very technology that we use, chances are there is a homosexual that has had a hand in either creating it for you, or in its production.

DeepVisions

tothetenthpower
reply to post by TheLotLizard

 

Thank you for your drive by insult to LGBT people

.

It would be good in the future to add some real thoughts to a post.

~Tenth


~Tenth

edit on 2/14/2014 by tothetenthpower because: (no reason given)

I don't see that as much of an insult. If homosexuality truly is influenced by genes, then there is something abnormal with that person's genes. Every living thing is designed to reproduce and if everyone was gay then our species would last one generation. If anything, homosexuality is an insult to the human race.

No, not every living thing is meant to reproduce. Every living species is and countless examples across the animal kingdom shows us they naturally have ways of controlling their population.

If the last three people on Earth was a woman and two gay dudes, I'd say you have a point. However, with countless starving people on our planet, I'd say the gay folks are a boon to our species at this point in human history.


ps edit - I just wanted to add that any couple who is willing to adopt instead of having their own is a blessing on our planet.

reply to post by Cuervo


Lets say there is a society of homosexuals and a society of heterosexuals. Which society will last the most generations?

reply to post by butcherguy

On the other hand, since humans are a species whose survival is highly dependent upon socialization and cooperation, perhaps there is an evolutionary advantage for the group which accepts homosexuals instead of outcasting them (or worse).

After, females live for quite a while after their reproductive "usefulness" is gone. Hard to see much evolutionary advantage there.

reply to post by Bedlam

But back to the question - if you could fix it by spraying a carrier virus with a gene patch up your nose for $20, what would you do? What would society do? If you were gay, would you do it? Would society mandate it? Ban it?

No, because I don't consider it a defect. I'm biased though as I am gay and have lived my entire adult life married to a man and have raised 4 children in that scenario. Successfully I might add.

Considering the issues we currently have with people having too many children they aren't taking care of and the rising cost of keeping people alive ( see the baby boomer generation now and then next 15 years), it makes perfect sense that a natural trigger like homosexuality would appear.

Considering we also seem the same behavior in over 100 species of other animals, sometimes increasingly so where over population has occurred, that shows me that there's more to it than just being 'broken'.

So IMO the defect issue is entirely subjective and a matter of opinion. Outside of the moral arguments, gays aren't hurting anybody.

It's not like we discovered how to get rid of sociopaths. I'd get behind that because sociopaths are an actual danger to society as a whole. See what I mean?

~Tenth

reply to post by butcherguy


Unless it also serves as a form of population control. Something I find rather frightening is that people on these forums will object tooth and nail to genetically modified foods (and for good reason). But seem to have no qualms at all about the idea of going and "fixing" another humans genes so they conform to their idea of healthy and normal.

reply to post by DeepVisions


Yet if it's a defect then shouldn't't the genes have died out? As Bedlam mentioned there does seem to be a positive correlation between homosexuality and fertility at least in women. So in a way it balances out.

DeepVisions
reply to post by Cuervo

 

Lets say there is a society of homosexuals and a society of heterosexuals. Which society will last the most generations?

In modern society? I'd say the homosexual society would outlive the heterosexuals. With reproduction confined to choice and very intentionally-chosen parents, they would not only be sufficiently populated but they would also be incredible case studies for best-case scenarios of evolution within a matter of centuries.

DeepVisions
reply to post by Cuervo

 

Lets say there is a society of homosexuals and a society of heterosexuals. Which society will last the most generations?

Without resorting to genocide they would both flourish actually because the heterosexual people will continue to make homosexuals that would then be pushed into their society.

DeepVisions
reply to post by Cuervo

 

Lets say there is a society of homosexuals and a society of heterosexuals. Which society will last the most generations?

That's such a poor argument and question, I don't even know where to begin.

It's actually a complete straw man tactic TBH.

Considering homosexuals are generally from heterosexual couples .

~Tenth