A question about gays/lesbians

[ckj846]

STOP. Before you come in here with the mindset of flaming me/gays or lesbians in general, please do not even think about posting in here. This is a question (or more like a theory) as to how gay/lesbians are still here on the planet. There will be no flaming at all, just debating on what you think. Now that that is over... here is my question.

In science, we learned in depth more about natural selection. I really was thinking, why are gays/lesbians still on the planet? If it is ideal to be "straight" in order to have children and pass on your traits, wouldn't the "gay" genes eventually be elimiated? I understand that the gene might be recessive (thus having a 25% chance of appearing in offspring) but you would think that EVENTUALLY all gays/lesbians would cease to exist. This really does bring up the question, what decides whether you are gay or straight? Is it a genetic mutation or some error while you are still in the womb? Please discuss.

Mods, if things DO get out of hand (and I hope they don't) feel free to lock this topic or move it if this isn't CT material.
O_o

EDIT: Reading it over again, it really does sound like I hate gays/lesbians, and the truth is, I don't. As long as they don't start hitting on me, I'm cool with them. I do have a few gay friends and I have asked them about this and they didn't know. Sorry about that if you are gay and I sound like one of those super religious gay bashers. My apologies.

[talisman]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

There's probably more than one gene involved in determining sexuality. As to your main question, I don't know. I had a book called "Biological Exuberance" by a guy named Bruce Bagemihl that I think offered one explanation, but I can't remember quite how it worked.

[Afrobean]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

I would say that being gay is more based on your upbringing than on your genes.

[ckj846]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Well it is pretty much proven it is a genetic mutation in this book. Sorry I couldn't get the actual official site.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006...lance&n=283155
I think that the enviroment that one grows up in has an influence to an extent, but I don't think that it is the major part in determining one's sexuality.
O_o

[BluE_MeaniE]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

It's generally accepted that you're born with it. So like everything, it's most likely a mix of genes and environment. A mutation is possible. But it's pretty common.

But in any case, there is a distinct fact of the matter on the truth.

[Chrissi]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

It's hard to see the forest for the politically correct trees.

[Afrobean]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Well it is pretty much proven it is a genetic mutation in this book. Sorry I couldn't get the actual official site.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006...lance&n=283155

Nice try. However, you could have at least given me a BS link that supported what you said, but instead linked me to a buying a book page (which actually gives no indication of what you said being true-- and if the book does prove such a gay gene to exist, it would obviously be identified in the synopsis).

Until I hear from a reliable source that genes cause homosexuality, I'll stick to what I said before. Your argument is the equivalent to saying that genes decides what kind of food you'll like or what kind of music you'll like. There might be things in your genes that affect it, but the end result of your taste in whatever subject comes from your environment.

[jwcgator]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

I remember something about being that the Y Chromosome being smaller than the X, it sorta gets "beat up" by the X chromosome, or something to that effect. Eh, I dunno i saw something about it on the discovery channel, dont quite remember it all.

[talisman]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics_and_sexual_orientation

for afro.

[Afrobean]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic...al_orientation

for afro.

An increasing number of studies have investigated this link, but no scientific consensus exists as to the specific biological factors that may play a role, nor to the precise nature of their influence on sexual orientation.

oh.

[DarkVampiress21]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

I don't think anything makes you gay/straight. Well, maybe your environment.

But it's just whatever turns you on..

I suppose it's like asking, "What determines whether you like Rock or Techno?"

[ckj846]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Sorry afro. I was thinking of the book I read about the Genome and I was kinda rushing for a source. Totally didn't think of wiki. Well none of you guys really answered my intended question, why are do gays/lesbians exist. Doesn't this go against the idea of natural selection?
O_o

EDIT:

Male homosexuality appears likely to be influenced by a complex genetic interaction which may be mediated by H-Y antigens in the mother’s immune system (see "fraternal birth order"). Whichever genes are implicated they almost certainly cause male brains to differentiate in a female typical direction. As for female homosexuality, there remains little evidence from replicated genetic linkage studies.

oh. Afro, don't go yelling at me please for not having a reliable source when you don't even read the whole article that talisman provided...

[Z3ratul]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Heh, well, there's a few takes on this.

First off, it highly depends on your view of a few things:

Do you believe your sexuality is a free choice? IE... I consider myself to be straight. I could go eff some dude in the ass right now. Does that make me gay? Was I ever gay? What if I choose to never have sex... does that make me gay or simply anti-procreation? Or just a weirdo? Or is it a matter of your DNA that determines your sexuality?

Regardless of that... the current trend of this topic is to believe it's genetic, so I'll go with that. It brings up some interesting thoughts... perhaps humans don't have that instinctual behavior to continue the species. Perhaps there's too many of us and this is mother nature's way of of controlling our population. Maybe it's a fluke. I honestly don't know, but it's certainly something I've thought a lot about, but I've yet to reach any conclusions.

[Afrobean]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Sorry afro. I was thinking of the book I read about the Genome and I was kinda rushing for a source. Totally didn't think of wiki. Well none of you guys really answered my intended question, why are do gays/lesbians exist. Doesn't this go against the idea of natural selection?
O_o

Not really. Homosexuals aren't made in the way you're talking. Homosexuality isn't passed from generation to generation. I am certain that preferences are not passed down from generation to generation in ANY form, so why would sexual preferences?

oh. Afro, don't go yelling at me please for not having a reliable source when you don't even read the whole article that talisman provided...

I never yelled. And why should I read the whole thing when the first few sentences basically say "people study links but it hasn't been scientifically proven." What good is anything that's not scientifically proven?

Really, they're just looking at correlations anyway. correlation!=causation;

[DarkVampiress21]

Re: A question about gays/lesbians

Maybe they just want to be different/get attention. I know that's true by some of the people I know >_<

But if they're truly gay/lesbian, well I suppose they found someone who makes them happy but they're of the same sex. To them it doesn't matter, because they truly love that person and decide that they are gay/lesbian.

And does it matter if it goes against natural selection? They aren't thinking, "Oh man, I love him, but oh darn! It goes against natural selection! I'm going to impact the human race out of 6 billion people!"

Although, if the whole world becomes gay/lesbian, then that would definately be a problem. I seriously doubt that would happen though.