Nature Or Nurture

Many questions have persisted through the course of humanity, none more existential than that of who we are. Abstract in nature, many have sought to answer this question whether it is nature or nurture that shapes who we are. People are incredibly complex, both biologically and psychologically making it a difficult question to answer. Many studies have been done over the years and it is clear there is no black or white answer to this age-old question. There is ample evidence to support both sides of the argument and although there is debate as to which has a greater impact it is clear that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in who we are as individuals. Perhaps one of the most controversial elements of this debate is that …show more content…
While there is no definitive answer either way surveys suggest that the more education someone has, the more likely they are to believe that being gay is in a person’s biology as opposed to a choice (Swanson 2015). There is certainly a long way to go before any generally accepted understanding is made recent studies comparing the genes of both gay and straight siblings have found a promising link between sexuality and a patch of DNA Xq28. The study, conducted by Dean Hammer examined the genes of 76 pairs of brothers. Hammer said that there does not appear to be one gene that determines whether a person is gay or straight, but that there do seem to be patterns that imply a link between sexuality and genetic make up. Interestingly it appears that these genetic markers are attached to the X chromosome, meaning it is passed down the maternal side. This has interesting implications because it could mean the so-called ‘gay gene’ could have a different effect on men and women. While certainly not unheard of, gays and lesbians are less likely to pass their genetic makeup on to offspring, because of this if there was a gene that passed down from parent to offspring it is likely that over time the gay gene would have been eradicated entirely. Instead it is possible that the gene merely increases attraction to men. This would be substantiated by the fact that on average women with gay …show more content…
There is opposition from both sides of the aisle. Some people do not want to be forced to admit that being gay might not be a lifestyle choice after all. But some of the people opposed to tracking the ‘gay gene’ actually have very pro-gay sentiments and are merely afraid that if doctors are able predict the sexuality of a baby parents may try to abort potentially gay fetuses. But perhaps the most inhibiting issues are the complexity in collecting accurate data. Being gay is still something many people try to hide. By state, the percentage of people who self identify as LGBT ranges from 10 percent down to 1.7 percent and is directly proportionate to how accepted the LGBT community is in that state (Swanson 15). These inaccuracies could potentially skew the data and therefore the