imho, homosexuality could not be genetic.

Else there would be none existing. They would die out rapidly.

Hmmm.  Interesting point Sprintcyclist.  But if it happens intra-womb it's probably passed on from ancestors.  It could also be a minor chromosone alteration which can occur naturally - I think.  :-/

Sprintcyclist wrote on Oct 7^th, 2008 at 10:59am:

imho, homosexuality could not be genetic. Else there would be none existing. They would die out rapidly.

That would only apply for those who are exclusively homosexual.  Do you ever wonder how some women seem to be attracted to metrosexual types (slick dressers) and even full on gays? In my younger years I found it to be very frustrating.  Maybe some fringe homosexual traits have advantages for reproduction.

Do some people become more homosexual at different stages in their lives?

My own view is that it's a mixture of nature and nurture.

Homosexuality is perfectly natural, what causes it I don't know but I do know its not a conscious choice one makes in life, you are either attracted to the same sex or you are not, you cannot force yourself to be so.

I don't think it's a genetic thing, probably more likely to be due to hormones the fetus is (or isn't) exposed to in utero and the amounts of these hormones at different developmental stages. There has been some research into birth order and older sibling sex as well, which may support the hormone theory.

Else there would be none existing. They would die out rapidly.

That is not necessarily true. Plenty of species, even mammals, have members that do not reproduce, but instead assist with the rearing of the offspring of siblings, parents etc. Given that they share so much in common genetically, they are increasing the liklihood of their genes being passed on by doing so. There are plenty of different strategies that 'work' in a Darwinian sense.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Oct 7^th, 2008 at 10:59am:

imho, homosexuality could not be genetic. Else there would be none existing. They would die out rapidly.

There very well may be a genetic predisposition.  However there more factors than genetics involved.

queer wrote on Oct 7^th, 2008 at 11:19am:

Homosexuality is perfectly natural, what causes it I don't know but I do know its not a conscious choice one makes in life, you are either attracted to the same sex or you are not, you cannot force yourself to be so.

That makes perfect sense. The thought of a straight person suddenly choosing to be gay is totally inane. I can only speak for myself, but my stomach and the rest of my body would revolt at the thought. (eeew)

I disagree Sprint, genetics is far from understood, it is a new science, and the variables are mind boggling, so I certainly would challenge your simplistic interpretation that if the parents aren't gay then the kid can't be, due to his hetero biology.

I have had many gay friends, and I knew some who were raving queens, and others who you would never pick unless they told you, I don't think any of them 'decided' to be gay because they thought it was cool.

You just have to think of your own experiences, do you ever find the sight of a guy sexually arousing?

I know some people can close their eyes, and fantasise about who they would like to be with, and perform sex with someone they do not really find attractive, but they are just deceiving themselves, and whoever they are with, if they do that.

I have known just too many gay people who are not shallow and puerile enough to fake their sexuality, they just choose to accept who they are, and what they are, just as god made them.

Sprint, the original Mendel's experiments prove you wrong.
The same genotype (genetic composition) can produce different phenotypes (outward physical manifestations) thus while homosexual phenotype may not produce offspring heterosexual phenotype may still contain homosexual gene, which is recessive at that particular combination but it will be passed on to a heterosexual's offspring and become dominant in some future generations, e.g if both of heterosexual pair have recessive genes, which recombined may become dominant and manifest itself in homosexual phenotype.

October 27, 2008


Quote:

IN THE largest ever genetic study of transsexuals, Australian researchers have discovered a DNA variation linked to male-to-female transsexualism. The finding strengthens the view that there is a biological reason why some people feel they are living in the wrong body, in this case men who have an strong desire to live as a woman.

Sexuality.... hmmm... If it's completely genetic how do you explain previously hetero males whilst in prison taking part in homosexual practices and then when released reverting back to hetero again?

Do they undergo some miraculous genetic change?

Quote:

Sexuality.... hmmm... If it's completely genetic how do you explain previously hetero males whilst in prison taking part in homosexual practices and then when released reverting back to hetero again? Do they undergo some miraculous genetic change?

That's a bit different and easily explained.  There are no females in prison.

::) ::) ::)

Yet another missed point mantra?

Quote:

Yet another missed point mantra?

You keep saying this....but I can't see your point.

A male doesn't have to be a homosexual to have sex with another man.  Many blokes are raped in prison and the others who make a habit of it do it purely as a physical release.  

lol
Then homosexuality is just a behaviour and not genetic????  ;D ;D ;D

Wrong again Grendel. ::)

Many of those males in prison - if they had the choice, would rather have sex with a female.

Homosexuals don't and never will want to have sex with females.  

Actually I have missed the point.  

Maybe we could divide it into two categories - homosexual behaviour under duress and genetic homosexuality?  :)

So homosexuality isn't about men having sex with men?

what about those men who were previously hetero that after prison choose to just have sex with men?

What abot bisexuals?

Gee life just isn't fair when it becomes complicated is it...
Oh almost missed this...  not all men in prison have sex with men under "duress" mantra... some do it of their own free will.  it is a choice.

Rape in prison is not about sex. It's about power. Just as hetero rape is not an expression of heterosexuality.

In high school biology we studied a list of various forms of hermaphrodity. One example is someone who is chromosomally one sex (ie XY vs XX), but because of hormone exposure or some other malfunction is physically the opposite sex. I think that was a case study of a person who felt trapped in the wrong body.

Of course, that sort of hermaphrodity has nothing to do with homosexuality.

I wasn't talking about rape in prison...   ;D

how naive some people are.

Well I don't pretend to understand it, but a lot of the biggest, toughest guys in our jails, do stand over others for oral sex, but do not practice anal sex.

They rationalise the oral sex as not being gay, because they can close their eyes and think of some girl of their fantasies, and even those who go the extra mile always do so as the "father", rather than the "mother".

Now a gay friend who got stuck in jail for drugs always said that half of them were closet queens, but they would slit your throat if you ever suggested it.

The other half, he thought had just accepted that twenty years of masturbation deserves to be broken up with a few BJ's, even if it is with a guy, as Grendel said, they just want to get their rocks off.

It would be interesting to see what a psychologist would make of their behaviour, and motivations, but how he would get the truth would be problematic.

Grendel wrote on Oct 27^th, 2008 at 10:35am:

So homosexuality isn't about men having sex with men? what about those men who were previously hetero that after prison choose to just have sex with men? What abot bisexuals? Gee life just isn't fair when it becomes complicated is it... Oh almost missed this...  not all men in prison have sex with men under "duress" mantra... some do it of their own free will.  it is a choice.

Oh gee - maybe it's a question of an overriding need to ejaculate in a place where there is no privacy, and oh hell - maybe they like it when they ejaculate by whatever means and their hypothalamus neuroendocrine neurons in the medial preoptic and arcuate nuclei assign it as a pleasurable sensation which they actively seek out from then on, and Bob's your auntie.

Maybe rapists, murderers and other such scum have a stronger stomach than most of us and the pleasure centre overrides the vomit centre.  

mozzaok wrote on Oct 15^th, 2008 at 2:22pm:

I know some people can close their eyes, and fantasise about who they would like to be with, and perform sex with someone they do not really find attractive, but they are just deceiving themselves, and whoever they are with, if they do that.

There's a term for that. It's called marriage.