For at least the past several decades, scientists have been attempting to provide solid scientific support for a biological basis for homosexuality. Findings have supported a genetic contribution at least as regards male sexuality, but evidence has been conflicting as to whether there is a link to one or more specific chromosomes. Other biological causes have also been explored, but the debate has continued over whether homosexuality is biologically based or a choice. This paper will include a brief look at the history of research on a biological basis for homosexuality. Even this short review should be adequate to support my position that, yes, there is a biological basis for homosexuality but sexuality cannot, or at least should not, be determined
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The general finding of this study has been confirmed, including some studies which analyzed sisters of lesbians. However, most of these studies have been unable to control for shared non-biological factors within families such as nutrition, drug use, religious and social orientation, and so on. They were also subject to potential bias in reporting because of their methods of recruiting participants. More recent studies like a 2000 analysis of 4,500 twins in Australia use random samples and attempt to exclude other factors; this study showed that in only 30% of identical twin pairs (both male and female pairs) were both twins homosexual (CRG, …show more content…
The cultural debate in this country in particular appears to center on the question of whether homosexuality is a choice or is biologically determined. Most who argue for the "choice" side usually appear to be very disapproving of homosexuality; they want people to make the "right" choice and are willing to enforce that choice by social pressure and legal means. However, there are those, including a minority of gay people, who maintain that sexuality is a social construct, sexual orientation is a positive lifestyle choice, and that gay people are no more victims of biology than are straight people. I believe that biology heavily influences cognition, emotion, and behavior. It also provides greater opportunity to some individuals than to others for a full range of physical, emotional, sexual, and socio-cultural expression. However, neither we as humans in general nor scientific researchers yet have the complete story about the reasons people make different choices about their sexuality. Our preferred sexuality choice may be inborn, based on personality or temperamental traits that we inherit. However, scientists are not trying to over-simplify why people are attracted to certain vocations or certain recreational activities
The general finding of this study has been confirmed, including some studies which analyzed sisters of lesbians. However, most of these studies have been unable to control for shared non-biological factors within families such as nutrition, drug use, religious and social orientation, and so on. They were also subject to potential bias in reporting because of their methods of recruiting participants. More recent studies like a 2000 analysis of 4,500 twins in Australia use random samples and attempt to exclude other factors; this study showed that in only 30% of identical twin pairs (both male and female pairs) were both twins homosexual (CRG, …show more content…
The cultural debate in this country in particular appears to center on the question of whether homosexuality is a choice or is biologically determined. Most who argue for the "choice" side usually appear to be very disapproving of homosexuality; they want people to make the "right" choice and are willing to enforce that choice by social pressure and legal means. However, there are those, including a minority of gay people, who maintain that sexuality is a social construct, sexual orientation is a positive lifestyle choice, and that gay people are no more victims of biology than are straight people. I believe that biology heavily influences cognition, emotion, and behavior. It also provides greater opportunity to some individuals than to others for a full range of physical, emotional, sexual, and socio-cultural expression. However, neither we as humans in general nor scientific researchers yet have the complete story about the reasons people make different choices about their sexuality. Our preferred sexuality choice may be inborn, based on personality or temperamental traits that we inherit. However, scientists are not trying to over-simplify why people are attracted to certain vocations or certain recreational activities