Homosexuality- Is It in the Genes?
Homosexuality- Is it in the genes?
CHFD220 - Human Sexuality
Earnilia Joseph
American Military University
The scholarly article I chose is titled The Gay Science of Genes and Brains; it was published in The Economist in December of 1992. The purpose of this study was to determine whether homosexuality could be linked to genetics. The study was aimed at fraternal and adolescent twins and was done in a survey and observational style. Three teams of scientists conducted observations and surveys on fraternal and identical twins, in which at least one of the twins were homosexual. These studies showed that in identical twins if one of them was homosexual, there was at least a 52-66% chance that the other twin was homosexual as well. Whereas the same study was done on fraternal twins and the percentage dropped to 22-30% chance of the other twin being gay as well. The differences in percentages were attributed to the fact that identical twins share all of their genes, while fraternal twins only share half (The Economist). Scientists feel that by studying families who consist of both homosexual and heterosexual members will be the key to discovering what gene(s) can be attributed to homosexual predisposition. There was a study done on some male rats where they were given injections that blocked the male hormones as fetuses. Those rats developed normally but later developed a sexual attraction to other males. A scientist named Simon LeVay studied the brain and found that some of the differences between homosexual and heterosexual males were the same as differences noted between men and women brains. Studies have also shown that homosexuals are about 1/5 as likely to reproduce when compared to heterosexuals because of their less likelihood to have children, there is a possibility that if there is a homosexual gene, then it will disappear. As scientists get closer to
CHFD220 - Human Sexuality
Earnilia Joseph
American Military University
The scholarly article I chose is titled The Gay Science of Genes and Brains; it was published in The Economist in December of 1992. The purpose of this study was to determine whether homosexuality could be linked to genetics. The study was aimed at fraternal and adolescent twins and was done in a survey and observational style. Three teams of scientists conducted observations and surveys on fraternal and identical twins, in which at least one of the twins were homosexual. These studies showed that in identical twins if one of them was homosexual, there was at least a 52-66% chance that the other twin was homosexual as well. Whereas the same study was done on fraternal twins and the percentage dropped to 22-30% chance of the other twin being gay as well. The differences in percentages were attributed to the fact that identical twins share all of their genes, while fraternal twins only share half (The Economist). Scientists feel that by studying families who consist of both homosexual and heterosexual members will be the key to discovering what gene(s) can be attributed to homosexual predisposition. There was a study done on some male rats where they were given injections that blocked the male hormones as fetuses. Those rats developed normally but later developed a sexual attraction to other males. A scientist named Simon LeVay studied the brain and found that some of the differences between homosexual and heterosexual males were the same as differences noted between men and women brains. Studies have also shown that homosexuals are about 1/5 as likely to reproduce when compared to heterosexuals because of their less likelihood to have children, there is a possibility that if there is a homosexual gene, then it will disappear. As scientists get closer to
References: Barber, N. (2009, June 9). Could Homosexual Genes Be Naturally Selected? | Psychology Today. Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/200906/could-homosexual-genes-be-naturally-selected The gay science of genes and brains. (1992, Dec 05). The Economist, 325(7788), 87-87. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/224166938?accountid=8289