Is there a Gay gene?

[tooblue]

"Since sexual orientation is such a complex trait, we're never going to find any one gene that determines whether someone is gay or not," says Mustanski. "It's going to be a combination of various genes acting together as well as possibly interacting with environmental influences."

Previous studies in male twins have suggested that between 40%-60% of the variability in sexual orientation is due to genes. The rest is thought to be due to environment and possibly other biologic but nongenetic causes.

http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationshi...there-gay-gene

What happens if someone has such a genetic makeup but due to 'possibly other biologic but nongenetic causes' is not gay ... must that someone accept that he/she is gay and embrace homosexual behavior, because obviously 'choice' is not a variable?

[SeattleUte]

I would be surprised if it's that simple.

[CardiacCoug]

Originally Posted by tooblue

http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationshi...there-gay-gene

What happens if someone has such a genetic makeup but due to 'possibly other biologic but nongenetic causes' is not gay ... must that someone accept that he/she is gay and embrace homosexual behavior, because obviously 'choice' is not a variable?

What people mean by "biologic but non-genetic causes" is the effects of infections and chemical exposures (in utero or after birth) as well as variations in autoimmunity that are not inherited. Just because something is non-genetic doesn't mean it's a choice. I'm not saying being gay is never a choice -- there are clearly some switch hitters out there.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by CardiacCoug

there are clearly some switch hitters out there.

Do they choose their switch hitting facility? I think not.

[CardiacCoug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Do they choose their switch hitting facility? I think not.

I agree.

[8ballrollin]

7 For All Mankind.

I'll be here all week. Please tip your server.

[Parrot Head]

Argh, 8ball beat me. I was going to go with Guess or Gitano. Definitely not Wrangler though.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by CardiacCoug

What people mean by "biologic but non-genetic causes" is the effects of infections and chemical exposures (in utero or after birth) as well as variations in autoimmunity that are not inherited. Just because something is non-genetic doesn't mean it's a choice. I'm not saying being gay is never a choice -- there are clearly some switch hitters out there.

Are we precluding environmental factors ... ie the environment in which someone was raised, behaviors to which they may have had exposure?

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Do they choose their switch hitting facility? I think not.

What if exposure as the result of abuse makes switch hitting a possibility? Clearly this is a complex issue. You have suggested it's not 'as simple as that' because perhaps you have prejudge the intent of my question, failed to read the article I linked to and summarily made a statement in contradiction.

What the article proves is that, perhaps, immutability is an impossibility because of the complexity of variables involved ... ergo it's not as simple as being born gay!

[MikeWaters]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/sc...ewanted=1&_r=1