Comments on: Gay Genes?

By: Barry

Barry — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:49:59 +0000

As I discussed in a comment at http://science.kqed.org/quest/2007/11/12/gay-genes-part-deux/, studies do show that female sexuality may be more of a continuum…male sexuality appears more bimodal.

By: trisha ingle

trisha ingle — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:30:59 +0000

there are people who are born gay, and there are people whose life situation makes it more likely that they "become" gay. HEAR ME OUT: i know a LOT of women who were sexually abused by men as children and teens and are now gay. and this may seem like a rash generalization, but if you know a female stripper who is gay, ask her if she was sexually abused as a child.

i think sexuality is a bell curve. every one is X amount gay and Y amount straight, some are just more gay or more straight than others. the gayest guy i know has some straight things about him, my best girlfriend (who is gay) has many "girly" traits, and she makes fun of me for being the butchest straight chick she knows…

i don't like the idea of "big brother" tweaking around with genes, period….

By: entre nous

entre nous — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:12:50 +0000

Being gay is not a choice, period.

By: aluncouk

aluncouk — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:14:28 +0000

I wish there was a gay gene then may be we culd make a go gay pill. I wish I had some at school as there was this guy he was so sweet I just fell for him I never new I culd feal that way. I never did know why I liked him at 1st. Just kiding about makeing a go gay pill realy I am.

Do we realy need to find the gene if we do will we have a gay test. Will that be used on teachers as a lot out there think it is gays that harm children. Why not spend the time and money in finding the gene that makes men abuse and rap kids and not be picking on thows that are openaly gay as it is not gays that do harm to peopel. I know am geting off the beat just a bit but I say this as growing up gay and geting beaten up and haveing peopel say don't you be going near kids. I was just a kid my self so I say it a gane lest spend the time and money in finding the gene that make man an women yes women harm children. Or fine the gene that make pig headed peopel.

By: Barry Starr

Barry Starr — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 19:38:44 +0000

The key is to compare fraternal twin pairs to identical twin pairs. Both kinds of twin pairs have similar environments but the identical twins have the same DNA. So if something happens more often to two twins in an identical pair compared to the two twins in a fraternal twin pair, then genes are probably involved.

The elephant in the room here is whether identical and fraternal twins really have the same environment. Do two twin boys who look alike really have the same environment as two twin boys who look different?

This is where separated twins can help. There are some identical twins who are separated and raised by different families. If these twins are gay more often than fraternal twins from a similar situation, then genes are almost certainly involved.

Unfortunately, since homosexuality is relatively rare and separated twins is even less common, there hasn't been a lot done on this. One study did show that identical twins in this situation were both more likely to be gay but the study was very small.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:53:26 +0000

The research seems to assume that there is a genetic component to being gay. I'm not entirely familiar with all the work done on the subject, but isn't it a bit biased to base this assumption on the occurence of homosexuality in identical/fraternal brothers? Knowing a few pairs of twins, they seem to do just what the other does, whether consciously or not. This introduces an environmental facet- how have the twins been influenced?
If genetics are to come into the question, what work has been done on the children of men who were gay and then later had children in a heterosexual relationship, or conversely, had children and then adopted a gay lifestyle? I think perhaps this may be more indicative of genetics- but again, there is always the chance that a child could have been influenced by his/her gay parent.

I'm not exactly sure what to think on the matter at this stage- it does confuse me a little. I know for a fact that there ARE people who choose to be gay- and this is the most common scenario. I do however, know gays who seem to have just been born that way, and knew it from childhood.

At any rate, it's an interesting question- genetic or not- though i do think that the statement "Since identical twins have the same DNA, this suggests that something genetic is going on.." may be a little premature since there are so many other reasons that people could be gay…be it environmental or psychological, biochemical… it doesn't have to be an in built tendency.

By: QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED » Gay Genes? part deux

QUEST Community Science Blog - KQED » Gay Genes? part deux — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:43:43 +0000

[...] Last blog I talked about some studies that link homosexuality and genes. The most powerful studies are those that compare identical twins to fraternal twins. These studies show that both twins in an identical pair are more likely to be gay than are both twins in a fraternal pair. Since identical twins have the same DNA, this suggests that something genetic is going on. [...]

By: Barry Starr

Barry Starr — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:29:26 +0000

Your comment got me to thinking about X-men III and the shot they developed to shut off the gene that gave mutants their special powers. Some folks wanted to take it to fit in and others wanted to remain true to who they were.

By: mihai andrei

mihai andrei — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:08:01 +0000

the posibilities are in fact very scary
say they develop a pill to switch off you gay gene; or to turn it on; gay people could want to use it as well