When people say they were born gay..?

Question

would that mean there was a gay gene? if so, would that suggest that this gene was passed on through the family gene pool? If so, would that mean that there would be several people in the person's family within the last few generations that were gay? If the family didn't have several gay family members, how can one say it's genetic?

Don't get me wrong, i'm not homophobic, but I just want to clarify my understanding of genetics. When I think of genetics, I think of features or something else that is common among a family line such as facial features, etc. So if there is in fact a gay gene, which would be the case if a person was born gay, where are all the gay relatives?

Welltraveled: I appreciate your answer and your answer actually supports those who don't believe that people are born gay. After all, you can say you were either born gay or chose to be To state that there was a combination of circumstances, upbringing, etc. automatically goes against the 'born gay' theory.

Another thing guys, how does one know that he was born gay when memories of infancy are forgotten? It would be better to say "for as long as I can remember" or "since I was younger" than to say born because how could you really know?

Again, this is not meant to be disrespectful. You've got to understand why people find this theory hard to believe..

Answer 1

I have the same problem. My understanding of genetics does not support a "gay gene"; however it is very possible and more frequent then most people think that certain males are exposed to more female hormones than normal and vice versa for females. These hormones (similar to how animals are attracted to one another) can influence whether or not and individual is attracted to males or females. Also (using males as an example) if a boy was exposed to or born with more female hormones and thus acts more feminine, he will most likely be attracted to someone who is opposite to him (hence masculine). It is more natural for feminine and masculine to attract rather than simply male or female. For example I am naturally more attratced to masculine guys, rather than feminine guys. I am not attracted to masculine women ("dykes") simply because society has taught me not to be attracted to women from birth, so my sexual preference is trained towards males...

Answer 2

Evidence, not proof, has been mounting that homosexuality is an interaction of many genetic combinations, which do seem to run in families.

For instance, if there are homosexuals on the mother's side, there is a higher propensity for a man to be gay (67%), with five X-chromosome markers on Xq28. The same is not true with gay relatives on the father's side, although someone can be gay under those circumstances, just that the particular genetic marker is not there.

There are both dominant and recessive genes and not all genes are expressed in the same way within members of the same family.

Even John Money, who probably knows more about the study of sexuality than anyone in the world, has said of sexual orientation, "Of course it is in the brain. The real question is, when did it get there? Was it prenatal, neonatal, during childhood, puberty? That we do not know."

Answer 3

Being "born gay" doesn't necessarily mean that there is one specific gene that makes a human gay or not gay -- like any other aspect of human behavior, it's probably a combination of genetic factors (and almost certainly more than one gene), family history, social circumstances, thought and emotion, etc. It always amazes me that people would be willing to believe that something as complicated as homosexuality could be ENTIRELY genetic because of one gene, or ENTIRELY a matter of choice -- no human behavior is that simple. The simple fact is that there have always been humans who were attracted to the same sex (well before there were any religions to prohibit it), and people attracted to the opposite sex. There are people who are trying to find out why, but the best minds in the field caution not to look for a simple answer like a "gay gene." Would you say the same thing about compulsive gambling (a gene that controls it), a man who can't commit to women, a woman who spends all her money shopping, or other complex human behaviors?
We're all much more complicated than that.

Answer 4

Most scientific studies point that perhaps a gene is responsible for homosexuality (depending on where you get your information). Looking back on my family I see where this is a possibility as four males from different generations have come out gay. Also the identical twin study showed that if one twin was gay the other was as well about 90% of the time, even if they were raised separately. It was not the same with fraternal twins however, only about 20%. It seems most heterosexual people have failed to look deeper into homosexuality before they start making judgments or claims. Almost every species on earth has engaged in homosexuality activity. These animals do this strictly by instinct with out reason, religion or so called "moral choice". Also, people tend to confuse the difference between behavior, which is a choice, and what someone is...a homosexual’s behavior is a choice, however, simply being homosexual is not. If a gay man marries’s a woman is he now heterosexual or is he a gay man married to a woman? Being gay runs much deeper than who you have sex with. I always knew I was different from other boys - later on I realized I was homosexual. My parents said they knew at 3, by the things I liked, did and said. A friend of mine asked me if I thought her 16 year old son was gay, she had suspected he was by the things he liked and just by the way he was. I told her "yes" I thought he was, however I could be wrong, but most "signs" point to yes...I was right he came out a year later. Religious zealots and ignorant, uneducated individuals will argue that is it wrong based on all sorts of “facts” and personal ideals. Most that say it’s a choice will say they never made a choice to be heterosexual though, somehow, we as homosexuals did. When people get over their fears and realize that this world is NOT black and white things will change. Hopefully, one day, they will see that the people of this world are truly a beautiful rainbow.

Answer 5

I think it is more religious or spiritual reasoning than specific genetics. God makes people exactly as they are, so that's how gay and lesbian people are made.

There have been some studies done that show a higher incidence of gay brothers depending on birth order and the number of brothers.

We are learning more and more about human genetics every day. I actually hope that a "gay gene" is never found, because it could cause some religious zealots to program against it, or not have children because of it. Gay people certainly cause a lot less harm than those bigots!

Answer 6

Yes, all evidence suggest that there is a gene site that determines Straight or Gay. And it does move through families. In some families, you will find several gay relatives, in others few or none. Seems to skip a generation (in my observations, at any rate) so every other generation seems to be heavier with gays than the other. And, whether we like it or not, we all have Gay relatives..often, we just don't know about it. And often, we have Gay children we never know about.

Answer 7

It might not be a gay gene itself, but more biological activity in the womb prior to birth.

If there were a gay gene, then its still possible for it to pass down the family. Like with other types of gene, it would be possible for someone to merely carry it, without it having any effect on them.

The existence of bisexuality, and the continuum of sexual orientation makes me lean towards the idea of biology rather than genetics.

Answer 8

I think it is a latent or recessive gene so that if two people have the gene and marry or produce offspring then there is a chance they will be born gay or not. Like the blue eye gene if two people marry and both carry the gene for blue eyes they have a one in 4 chance of having a blue eyed child even if both parents are green eyed.

Answer 9

Brain scans have indicated differences in the brains of gay and straight people. The brains of gay people scanned are similar to each other. The same is true for straight people. Most people have only the most rudimentary grasp of genetics, by the way.

The important thing is, that since we can no longer oppress ****** for being the sons of Ham, or Cain, we still have someone we can vent our righteous spleens on.

Answer 10

There are recessive genes that often skip MANY generations. If you go back just a couple of generations, you wouldn't be able to find the gay people because it was nearly impossible for gay people to be in the open.

Answer 11

There are several studies that are proving being gay is not a choice, it is pre-determined.

In one study they have discovered that the brain centers that control sexuality in gay men and women are very similiar, and that the same brain centers in lesbians and men are very similar.

Another study studied the reactions of straight men, gay men, straight women and lesbian women to male and female pheremones. The gay men's brain activity responded like the straight women's, the lesbians brain activity responded like that of straight men.

In gay men, a large percentage of gay men are the 2nd or 3rd brother in the family. Scientists believe this is nature's own form of population control. They believe the mother's body forms an anti-body during the birth of the first male child. Subsequent male children are submitted to this anti-body and hormones which alters the brain and results in a "sterile" child. The more children a woman has, the more likely there will be a gay child. I'm the 2nd brother in my family, and most of my gay friends are the 2nd or 3rd brother as well.

To all of those who believe it is a choice, you're obviously not gay and I can see how it would be hard to understand something you're not familiar with. I knew from a very young age (5 or 6) that I was different than the other kids. I suspected I might be gay when I was about 13 or so, but suppressed it until I couldn't take it anymore. At the age of 21, after years of trying to make myself date girls, I sunk into a deep depression because I was very afraid that I WAS gay. I began to contemplate suicide because there was nothing worse in my mind than being gay.

One particularly bad day, I went into the bathroom with thoughts of ending everything on my mind, but instead I collapsed on the floor and cried harder than I ever had in my life. I cried so hard I could barely breath, I just wanted all the pain to end. After what seemed forever, I began praying for God to heal me and I turned myself over to him. I told him that there was nothing more that I could do because I had tried to fix myself and had failed. I left my fate in his hands and asked him to do what he would.

This was the most profound moment of my life, and it gives me chills now to think about it. After a few minutes of prayer, I felt someone touch me, and I felt arms around me. It felt as though someone lifted me up off of that floor and gave me the strength to stand. I began to feel warm again, as I had felt very cold and alone on the floor.

It was then that I heard what I can only imagine was an angel. It was not a loud voice, but a very soft whisper in my ear. The voice simply whispered, "There is nothing wrong with you, you are as you were meant to be."

Instantly I knew what the message meant, my depression which had lasted for about six months ended that very moment. Within days I had come out to some of my closest friends and within a year to my entire family. I was never sad again after that moment about being gay.

That was seven years ago, today I'm 28 and in a very happy and committed relationship. I hope everyone can come to terms with who they are and find the happiness that I've found.

Sean..