Does the gay gene exist?

Blue_Mason

I have been doing some research and I am starting to believe that a gay gene is real and can be inherited.

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Reply 1

PillsIV

...

Ok. Im out.

Reply 2

mangala

yeah there's correlation between homosexual parents and homosexual children, but obviously it's rare because homosexuals very rarely have children

Reply 3

Asuna Yuuki

Who knows. I'm calling no.

Reply 4

username2130115

Original post by Blue_Mason

I have been doing some research and I am starting to believe that a gay gene is real and can be inherited.

I'm no biologist but 'These factors, which may be related to the development of a heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or asexual orientation, include genes, prenatal hormones, and brain structure.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation

Reply 5

User1333171

All my genes are gay.

So yes, I believe.

I'm saying no.

We don't actually know. However, my guess is no specific gene exists for sexuality at all.

Thanks for the link

There may be a gene that makes you more likely to be gay, but thats it. If there was a gay gene then identical twins would both be gay if one is gay, this isn't the case.

Reply 10

Leona-L

Like other aspects of personality, I'd expect that sexuality is determined mostly by environmental factors and in part by genetic predisposition. But 'a gay gene' makes very little sense as it's doubtful that one gene, coding for one little protein, would have such a profound effect; maybe a collection of divergent (no negative implications here, I just mean specific/different) genes would, when converged into one body, have the extended phenotypic(is phenotypic a word? very tired here) effect of making someone more likely to be gay, which would only really take effect if supported by a certain series of environmental triggers.

Such is my understanding, I hope it makes sense.

Not buying it.

well if it's not genes and if it's not a choice, what is it?

Reply 13

meediaabid

There's actually a section of your brain that influences typical male/female behaviour, can't remember which part - my psychology teacher who also teaches biology was discussing this, anyway, this section of the brain was found to be smaller in women and gay men, and bigger in straight men (so theoretically bigger in lesbians too). It influences behaviour however has been recently speculated to influence sexuality due to correlation and generally whatever happens to your body is heavily influenced by genetics, so to answer your question, possibly, indirectly
a good article to research is this: http://brainblogger.com/2015/05/14/homosexuality-in-the-brain/
However I'm open to being contradicted:-)

Spoiler

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 14

hellodave5

Original post by meediaabid

Spoiler

Think Baron Cohen (Ali G's cousin) came up with some theories regarding the extent to which people can be on a male-female spectrum, and the hormonal effects on cortical structures etc.
Not sure the hypothalamus is implicated, but definitely differences in male/female emotional brain regions (such as the 'amygdala').
All complex stuff.

But yeah, definately a genetic component, as there is in pretty much anything. I assume there is a lot of research on the extent of genetic influence, but again I assume its probably moderate... and interacts with environment strongly.

Reply 15

LY_LU

To be honest I think there's a choice in what your sexual orientation is and that your sexual orientation is influenced on your past experiences and the people you are around. For example, if a girl was bullied by a group of school when she was young she may feel that she likes girls. I also believe that if you grow up in a more socially accepting environment then you are more likely to come out as gay, bisexual etc. I think that is why a lot of homosexual parents have homosexual children because the children are taught that being gay isn't a bad thing whereas living in a family where being gay is strange and deemed inappropriate, a child is less likely to come out. I'm not saying that people who are not brought up in the most accepting environment will be heterosexual but it's less likely that they'll have the confidence to come out.

I also think that some people want to find some explanation for others being gay because they are either curious or don't accept other people's sexual orientation. That's my personal view on the idea anyway. I believe that a persons sexual orientation is their choice but that it can be influenced by something.

Reply 16

meediaabid

Original post by hellodave5

.
All complex stuff.

But yeah, definately a genetic component, as there is in pretty much anything. I assume there is a lot of research on the extent of genetic influence, but again I assume its probably moderate... and interacts with environment strongly.

You make an excellent point

Reply 17

Maker

Original post by Leona-L

There could be a control gene that controls expression of other genes rather than a gene that codes for a protein. Although I doubt such a gene exists but you never know.

Reply 18

username1560589

I'd say it's probably the product of a complex interaction between many genetic and environmental factors.

Original post by Macauley Ware

There may be a gene that makes you more likely to be gay, but thats it. If there was a gay gene then identical twins would both be gay if one is gay, this isn't the case.

This isn't necessarily the case. There could be a gene with two alleles such that one makes you definitely gay and the other gives you some chance to be gay(determined by environmental factors), or some other complex situation. If the twins had the second allele in my example then they would both have a chance of being gay, so one could be gay and not the other and yet there's still a gene that makes you definitely gay.

Reply 19

Dannyboy2015

There probably isn't a single gene like a 'gay gene', if sexuality was controlled by a single gene then I imagine we would have discovered that gene by now. Could it be multi-factorial? By that I mean a combination of different genes and environmental factors, well I would think that is likely. That being said, scientists at this point in time don't know what exactly causes homosexuality. So to answer your question, we don't really know yet.