that most or even all of the homosexual population had said they had not chosen to be gay but were born that way. So my question is....do you agree? and if so what makes them "born gay"? Are you saying its genetic and there is a gay gene? Is it hereditary? I am honestly curious because (take my family for example) not one person in my entire family is gay. And I wonder why not. Do we not carry the "gay" gene??
2007-06-21 08:31:04 · 17 answers · asked by GAgirl 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
I personally don't believe it's genetic. I'm bi and I'm the only one in my family with any kind of homosexual tendencies. It most definitely is not a choice - when I was younger I fought with myself for years wishing I could just be straight and lead a normal life, but I've since accepted it. From what I've studied I believe it to be more of a society-created phenomenon. Of course, it's hard to tell if today's more accepting society allows people who would be closeted in the past to be out today, or if today's society actually breeds homosexuality.
Remember that overall, homosexuals don't make up that large of a portion of the population, so it's not all that surprising that no one in your family is gay.
2007-06-21 08:54:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
It may or may not be a "gene" that is the cause but could be any number of things from developmental changes (such as male fetus' who are, for lack of a better term, doused with additional hormones during the pregnancy have a higher chance of being gay than others), a combination of different hypothalamus sizes and thus, hormone levels, or there could be a recessive portion of a gene somewhere. The jury is still out because it has only recently been tested objectively. Up until the 1970's, the medical establishment still viewed homosexuality as a disorder and therefore did not give it appropriate consideration for testing.
When you decide something is "abnormal" or a "disorder" without actually testing it first, you tend to be unable to discern the actual causes.
I have many gay friends, all of whom know that they were gay from the very earliest ages. All of them have said, numerous times, that their feelings of attraction for the same sex occurred from before they even knew what they were. It is a choice who you have sex with, not who you are attracted to at a base, gut level. Attraction is not something that is within our individual control biologically and physiologically.
Just because you don't know, for sure, if someone in your family is gay doesn't mean that they aren't. A lot of gay and bisexual people feel compelled to hide their sexuality from their family for a variety of different reasons. I thought the same thing until I realized that my cousin's "roomate" who always came over for the holidays was more than just a roomate.
Peace,
Jenn
2007-06-21 08:46:48 · answer #2 · answered by jenn_smithson 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure that someone in your family is gay, although they may be in your extended family or they may not feel able to come out (I wonder why). Statistically, there are or have been gay people in your family history.
It is well known that genetic traits can skip generations too.
How can anyone answer this question to your satisfaction? We don't truly know why people are gay, but all of the gay people I know, say that they knew that they were gay from a very young age and that it was definitely not a choice.
It baffles me how straight people can be so adamant that it is a choice; how can they know!? Willing something to be true does not make it so.
2007-06-21 09:15:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
The reason I say I was born gay is that I can remember being attracted to men when I was as young as 6. At that age, it couldn't have been hormones. Pueberty didn't come along for a while yet. I have always been attracted to men, Hence I say I was born that way.
p.s. To the best of my knowledge I am the only gay member of my family. so I don't think it's genetic.
2007-06-21 08:37:39 · answer #4 · answered by ron s 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is a matter of recombinate DNA. There is not a gay gene per say but a combination that dictates what the hormones and other things that go on pre-natally. About 10% of the population is gay and has been since two cells differentiated.
2007-06-21 08:55:34 · answer #5 · answered by bocasbeachbum 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
ummmmm, just for the record being left handed or right handed is genetic, that issue was one of the first ones laid to rest with the Human Gnome project.
Another interesting point is that pretty much all living things can change their reproductive systems in order to survive. It was recently published that female sharks can reproduce without being with a male.
To me though the bigger questions is this, "what is the issue with being gay?". You know I pretty much agree that murder is wrong, lying is wrong almost always, molesting kids wrong, stealing wrong, all those things hurt someone else. Being gay doesn't hurt anyone so why is it even a moral issue?
And just for the record I am not gay, I like my partners with a hard handle! {there easier to control that way :<) }
- Inez
2007-06-21 09:15:53 · answer #6 · answered by Inez K 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I do believe it is genetic. Oh and I am sorry your family missed out on the gay gene. You don't know what you are missing!
2007-06-21 08:38:08 · answer #7 · answered by regularguynlr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You know my uncle is gay, and no one else in my family is, but we whole heartedly believe he was born like that. According to my grand mother my uncle has always acted the way he does, he has always been more attracted to the male sex. And they are researching to prove the gay gene....
2007-06-21 08:36:37 · answer #8 · answered by life_long_song 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have absolutely no idea how the science/biology/physiology works.
I do know that I have always dug girls. I have never, ever been emotionally or sexually attracted to a male.
I believe that I was born gay. I don't know if it's genetic or chemical or whatever. It doesn't matter.
I am a decent human being; that's all that should matter.
2007-06-21 08:36:05 · answer #9 · answered by FTW 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
When people say they are "born" gay, I don't necessarily believe they are referring to genetics. Rather, I think they are referring to how their brains process information. It's like being born with an inclination towards being left-handed versus right-handed. There's no genetic code or sequence in one's DNA that makes this distinction, because it happens in our brains. The same with homosexuality, I believe.
2007-06-21 08:36:09 · answer #10 · answered by tooblessed2doubt 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋