Saturday, January 29, 2005

Is There a 'Gay Gene'?

New Genetic Regions Associated With Male Sexual Orientation Found

This article from WebMD talks about new research regarding the genetical predisposition of homosexuality. What we have found more interesting in this debate it's not the fact that most people agree on the probable genetic foundation of homosexuality, but that the group that believes homosexuality is a sin just focus on the fact that people could just abstain, because "we are all called to chastity" -never mind if we want to ignore that call and have a fulfilled life following our own truth, and our own sense of self and identity.

It's important to remember, also, that homosexuality was demeed a sin, long before genetics as a field of study came in to being, and if the people who oppose homosexuality now accept the genetical component of it it's only due to its inevitability...They would look way too ignorant, otherwise.

Jan. 28, 2005 - The genes a man gets from his mother and father may play an important role in determining whether he is gay or not, according to a new study likely to reignite the "gay gene" debate.

Researchers say it's the first time the entire human genetic makeup has been scanned in search of possible genetic determinants of male sexual orientation. The results suggest that several genetic regions may influence homosexuality.

"It builds on previous studies that have consistently found evidence of genetic influence on sexual orientation, but our study is the first to look at exactly where those genes are located," says researcher Brian Mustanski, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
...
New Targets for Gay Gene Research

Elliot S. Gershon, MD, professor of psychiatry and human genetics at the University of Chicago, says the study represents an important step forward in understanding how genes affect human sexual orientation.

"It is worth testing genes within a region of linkage to see if one of them has a variant that is more frequent in men who are gay than in men who are not," says Gershon, who is also currently involved in another study of gay brothers and genetic influences on sexual orientation.

"This report adds to the legitimacy of research on normal variations in human behavior," Gershon tells WebMD. "There is an argument that has been made in public press that it doesn't make sense to study conditions or traits that are behavioral. But this suggests that there is a genetic contribution to this particular trait of same sex orientation."


Other articles:
Non-sex genes link to 'gay trait'

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