Born gay? 'No', say studies

The matter of whether we choose our sexual orientation or it chooses us is a subject of great controversy which has caused a longstanding debate among the scientific community. There are those in the fields of human biology and genetics who maintain people’s sexual preferences are mainly determined by their DNA, while others contend that the social environment plays the crucial role in making a person become straight or gay.

An factor that adds to the very passionate debate is the mainstream social acceptance homosexuals have gained in modern society. But some serious scientific studies suggest that homosexuality is in fact not linked to genetic predisposition but to the social environment one is raised in. In other words people are not born gay because of their DNA.

Eight major studies on identical twins in Australia, the United States and Scandinavia during the last two decades arrive at the same conclusion: Homosexuals were not born that way. ‘At best genetics is a minor factor”, says Dr. Neil Whitehead, PhD. Whitehead who is a biochemist, has worked as a scientific researcher for 24 years for the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy. Identical twins have the same genes, which means they are nurtured in equal prenatal conditions.

If homosexuality is caused by genetics then both twins should be homosexual. “Because they have identical DNA, it ought to be 100%”, say Whitehead, who believes same sex attraction is caused by post-birth factors. He says the studies on identical twins showed that only 11% of one of the identical twin males and 14% in females have same sex attraction. He says that the external factors are those that to a large degree determine the sexual preferences of an individual and not genes. It is sure that the debate will continue and more studies will come to light supporting one side or the other. As long as these studies are free of religious or politically correct biases they are welcome to gives us a better understanding of why we choose our mates.