science New study on genetic factors related to Same Sex Relations

[W_L]

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2019-08-29/there-is-no-single-gay-gene

This is a very interesting note, there has been wide debate for almost 3 decades since the human genome project on whether being "gay" is genetic?

A study conducted on over half a million people may get us closer to the answer, which interestingly is a "mixed" bag. According to research into genetics, there are some genes that do have prevalence, but they are only about 8%-25% of our the population for same sex behavior,. Not all same sex behavior fall in line with this, which means according to the study, while genetic factors are influential, they do not predetermine sexuality.

If these findings prove true through the test of time, I wonder what this may mean for gay/lesbian/bisexuals/queer people. It also raises a lot of intriguing question for the future:  One of my biggest fears has always been that if genetics were the only reason we are non-heterosexuals, then there might be a threat to "cure" it like a genetic defect. If this is not a genetic defect per se, but a complex expression of human genetics and environmental factors, then there are 2 major points: 1. You cannot cure sexuality like a defective body part, and 2. Sexuality exists in a spectrum and you cannot easily label people. Also, the same can be said of heterosexuals, who have potential same sex attraction, you never know what a few things in life might open up. 

Anyway thought I would share this in the Lounge for open discussion

[Benji]

😎...….......I tend to agree as I have always believed that homosexuality is just a variant of the human sexuality spectrum.  As further discovery's continue, I think this will be a settled question and the religious zealots will have acknowledge it, and stop it's persecution. 

[Timothy M.]

It's no different from a lot of other human genes which are only potentials until the right factors come along. You may be predisposed for music talent, cancer, mathematical ability, mental disorders, drawing skills, or whatever, but environment and opportunity may decide whether the potential becomes reality. Sometimes, a combination of genes may override the importance of environment, like when people who never smoked get lung cancer, and others smoke all their lives without contracting lung cancer, but for most humans it's the combination of smoking and predisposing genes. Or when the musical or mathematical skills are so huge and obvious, it overcomes adversity such as poverty, upbringing or repressive culture.

For me, the most important part of identifying any genes which may play a role in same-sex attraction, is the added force it brings to counter the hateful and stupid idea that being gay is unnatural  It happens in nature, it's part of the human genome, it's real, and it works well if accepted, so just stop with the bigotry already. 

[GabrielCaldwell]

If you ignore the sex bits, males and females are very similar. Sexual attraction isn't usually just about the vagina or the penis, it's about many other aspects of appearance and behavior. I can't help wondering if we try and genetically remove things that lead towards homosexuality, we might also manage to increase the chance of people becoming asexual, with no attraction to males or females.

Just a thought.

[W_L]

1 hour ago, GabrielCaldwell said:

If you ignore the sex bits, males and females are very similar. Sexual attraction isn't usually just about the vagina or the penis, it's about many other aspects of appearance and behavior. I can't help wondering if we try and genetically remove things that lead towards homosexuality, we might also manage to increase the chance of people becoming asexual, with no attraction to males or females.

Just a thought.

Removing genes for sexuality with the result of asexual majority, sounds almost like a Dystopian world, like Lois Lowry's The Giver series (Actually, in that Sci-Fi dystopia, sexual interest was as muted as the color spectrum, so maybe. you're onto something )

I think if people remove aspects of sexuality from human genome, we will lose a piece of ourselves, there may still be hetero and homosexual attraction and relations, but the color behind the relationships: the attractiveness of your boyfriend's sleepy face, the extreme degree of anger and lust from a heated argument, and slow moments in between. Sexuality is more than just the sex, there are parts of it that extends into everyday life.