If Gayness Is Hereditary Then Why Hasn't Any Scientist Discovered The Gene ?

Question

I'm really wondering . And I don't ask questions about gays , so if you're gonna go on a rant about it , then save it for someone else .
Somebody's answer to another question got me thinking about this . And it does sound logical that if it were hereditary or in our genes so to speak , then just how hard or really easy would it be to prove it ? Cmon now . . take a hundred or a thousand gay people , do a dna analysis and compare to see if there's any consistencies . Right ?
I would love to see reputable scientific studies on this to answer the question once and for all .
Wouldn't you ?

Answer 1

If one wants to rationalize one's sinful lifestyle; one can always come up with some obscure study or "fact" to justify one's position. Logic and rational thinking would lead one to believe that such a gene would be self-limiting and would die out in just one generation; however, those with a vested interest in the lifestyle seem to get too emotionally involved to think rationally and logically! In psychological terminology, the principle is called "cognitive dissonance"(definition under "Source", below). A simple explanation of this follows: a man buys a Ford, which proves to be a "lemon"; one would think that such a man would read up on Chevrolets, Chrysler products, Hondas, Toyotas, Hyundais, etc. The principle of cognitive dissonance predicts (and generally proves) that this Ford owner would read up on Fords, in order to justify to himself, his purchase of a Ford!

Until the Twentieth Century, I do not believe there was any means to perpetuate any such homosexual (or "sad", as I would refer to it) gene. The only exceptions I can envision, would be that someone having bisexual urges would have impregnated a women, or that a married man would suddenly "discover", after having fathered one or more children, that he was really a "sad"! Otherwise, the only two ways I could see such a gene(assuming it actually existed) coming about, would be: 1. a mutated gene, which would be an *extremely* rare occurence; 2. a recessive gene. If both a mother and a father carried this recessive trait, one-fourth of the offspring would be SS, one-fourth ss and one-half Ss. I have yet to hear even the most ardent advocate claim that the percentage of "sads" in existence is as high as 25%! Most of them claim (perhaps based on Kinsey's discredited studies) as high as 10%, while more objective scientists usually say no more than 1% - 5%!

Today, medical science enables homosexual men to donate to sperm banks and homosexual women to have eggs removed from their ovaries and fertilized in-vitro. By 2007 this would have surely have provided enough children to be tested for a possible homosexual gene! However, I have yet to learn of any such study which has not been discredited.

Answer 2

There is a single, non-hereditary cause of homosexuality in women: childhood sexual abuse. There is no evidence whatsoever that lezbianism has any genetic roots; however, there is a mountain of evidence as to what are its principle causes. In men, the situation is more complicated. There is the non-hereditary cause, childhood sexual abuse, and the hereditary cause, likely to be a single gene, autosomal recessive trait based upon monozygotic and dizygotic twin studies.

While the causes of homosexuality are well-understood by some, you have to understand the way science works. Science is expensive and it takes a lot of money to do scientific research. If the research is not going to result in a marketable product, private industry is not interested in funding it. If the research is politically sensitive, the NIH is not interested in funding it. This is also a hot button social and political topic, and department chairmen will steer their faculty away from it if at all possible. It's the kind of research that has the potential to ruin careers.

All that said, if you have an extra $200,000, I have the knowledge and the capability to identify the gene. I could identify it and publish the data within a few months. Shoot me an email if you're interested...

Answer 3

YES.. there are zillions of genes..with xxx #'s of components in different combinations/patterns.
It is NOT difficult to isloate DNA. Computers and other lab eqiuiptment can help sequence a section of a gene or its entire pattern. Normally DNA is cut into managable sections.
Yes..many logically conclude that genetics is beyond true understanding since there are xxx zillions of patterns,combinations so one can never be sure whether this section/pattern actually causes "x" because "x"can be combined with another sequence that changes, repressess or expresses the "x trait".
One answer by the Republican re: the identical twins w/ one hetero and one feeling like they were born gay is the real crux.
The intensity of Sexual attraction /gratification varies; Every individual has the ability to act on a desire even if it is hard wired (fight or flight ,intense arousal caused by a taste, smell, or possibility or desire for sex, ). A hard wired requirement for water does not eliminate an ability to force ration one's remaining water when lost in a desert..
Medical science has shown that individual chemical inbalances and or natural patterns of chemical cycles (menses) can and do effect intensity of sexual desire.
WE all know that different substances (drugs,diet,inhaled gasses that we dont even notice etc) and other things such as sleep can also effect body chemistry.
...With IDENTICAL twins....the ability to have one hetro and one gay would likely rule out a gay gene...

My opinion is that a gay gene does not exist...
---if it did,then the gay gene would- over generations- be extremely rare... all species are hardwired to reproduce.
Humans are not hermaphrodites.--self fertilization is not possible.
...thus doing a comparison of xx# of gays and looking for a specific marker,change, dna pattern etc would not verify or even prove what is causing their attraction to the same sex.
...Additionally, the existance of "bi's" tend to reinforce the concept that ALTERED sexual attraction in humans can caused by some disturbance in their body chemistry. If a female athelete can stop ovulating then why cant x cause a individual to "feel" attracted to the same sex, or experiance a elevated desire for sexual gratification.?
..AS for a reputable study..yeah it would be nice but even if one was done..the reults would produce a firestorm of denials and other "experts" debunking the "bad/false/
discriminatory study..

Answer 4

Good question and still no good answers.
All animal populations when they reach a certain point about 10% turns up gay.

The question is going to be if they can isolate it can it be used to terminate a pregancy.

Homosexual rights groups have been trying to push for that but doesn't that fly in the face of freedom of choice.

Some of the other factors that can lead to homosexuality is abuse at an early age.
That is another one homosexuals are ready to deal with either.

My guess it isn't a single gene turn on or off but a series of genes that have to be one together influnced by the population of the speicies.

One added thought about the gay gene it was found to be found in one family but when they did the family tree it didn't make sense.

So we got a mystery to work out.

Answer 5

I don't think we can 'find genes' for a lot of things. There are trillions of genes to find. On the same token, I don't think they've found the 'straight gene' either or any gene that controls urges of any kind. I don't think we understand nearly as much about genetics as we think we do.

But, I don't necessarily think it's genetic, but I certainly don't think it's a choice people make. Because, honestly, why would you make that choice given the way gays are treated and discriminated against?

Homosexuality actually occurs quite a bit throughout the animal kingdom, not just in humans. Do some research and you'll find out.

"""EDIT""" They have done studies about homosexuality and 'body chemistry', and there are many results that show the balance between testosterone and estrogen while in the mother's womb, no matter the sex of the baby, has a profound effect on thought patterns about sexuality and sex identity later in life. I'll try to find the link to information about this.

Answer 6

If it were that simple to prove, it would have already been done. A big problem with this kind of research is that your subjects are human beings; ethically you can't do the same sort of experiments that would resolve the issue as if you were working with, for example, fruit flies, a common experimental subject for genetics. As well, it's very possible that sexuality is controlled not by a single gene but by several, as is the case for many behavioural traits. Finally, many genetic traits are not expressed unless there are certain environmental conditions present. Differentiating between environmental and genetic causes is a big headache.

There are scientists working on the problem. The lack of definitive progress on the topic is a sign of the difficulty of solving this problem. The ideological baggage that this research carries also makes it difficult to work on. In the end, even if a genetic cause is found, it will have no influence on the various debates around homosexuality. People who disapprove of it will still disapprove of it; to take an extreme example, the fact that no individual has control over his or her ethnic background did not prevent Hitler from persecuting and killing people who were in the "wrong" ethnic group.

Answer 7

That;s for telling me that. next time I am being mugged or run off the road and i have to pop a cap on them I will feel bad. Maybe I can reason with them before I exercise my rights People down the road have dirty mouth gene. They will be talking so load and arguing nad anyway about every third word is bank this or blank blank that, you know what I mean. If could be because the kids are out at 1-2 am and I mean toddlers listening to that dribble. Yo, yo peace out.. Have a 2009!

Answer 8

I don't know of anyone who is seriously suggesting that "gayness" is hereditary. However, there are serious theories that believe homosexuality to be something that happens prior to birth...which is a somewhat different perspective. In other words, something could happen to the fetus "en utero" that gives it a predisposition towards homosexuality. The "something" is most likely a hormonal imbalance at the wrong time during gestation. But, again, it's just a theory at this point, and it does not discount that, even if the theory is true, SOME homosexuals learn the behavior...that it is a choice for them.

Answer 9

Human behavior and genetic inclinations are definately difficult to determine with certainty. Part of the reason for this is that in many, if not all behaviors, involve an assortment of genes. So, in short hand, something as complicated as human sexuality, it is doubtful one gene carry's the day.

In addition to this, cultural norms play an important role. It is well known that in ancient Greek society, it was not unusual for male same sex relationships to be a cornerstone of the Spartans, and Greek culture in general.

Kinsey felt that many human beings have the capacity for same sex relations, but, cultural expectations and norms sort of greatly cloud the issue.

Answer 10

"A survey of Italian men has provided evidence that homosexuality may be partly influenced by genetics. The same genes that are proposed to predispose to homosexuality may also boost reproduction in women, solving the apparent paradox of why these genes have not been removed by natural selection.

By quizzing around 200 men of different sexual orientations, researchers at the University of Padua have discovered that maternal relatives of homosexual men tend to produce more offspring than those of heterosexuals. This suggests that the mothers and maternal aunts of homosexuals have a genetic advantage - but one that reduces reproduction when passed to male offspring."