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 | Studies on monozygotic twins: These are twins that resulted from the splitting of a single fertilized egg -- the zygote -- into two separate zygotes with identical genetic structure. They are commonly called "identical twins." Studies have been made which involve identical twins who were separated at birth and have not been in contact since. Studies consistently show that male homosexual orientation is mainly (perhaps entirely) determined at conception by a person's genes. This is such an important and definitive study that we describe it in more detail in another essay. | ||||
| Suicide implications: The National Institute of Health (a US Federal Government agency) reported that as many as 30% of youth suicides are by gays and lesbians. That is, homosexual young people commit suicide at a rate as high as six times the normal value. These are committed by youth who are certain that they are stuck being gay or lesbian for the rest of their lives. These young people who commit suicide may have been taught by their families, religious institutions, schools etc to hate or reject homosexuality. If they had any hope of changing their orientation, they probably would seek counseling instead of killing themselves. Most probably believe that their sexual orientation was genetically caused and is unchangeable. | ||||
| Introspection: Most sexually active adults are aware that their sexual orientation is not chosen and
not changeable. Assuming that you are a heterosexual:
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| Irrationality of choice: In the forward to the book "We Were Baptized Too: Claiming God's Grace for Lesbians and Gays", Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa writes "Someone has said that if this sexual orientation were indeed a matter of personal choice, the homosexual persons must be the craziest coots around to choose a way of life that exposes them to so much hostility, discrimination, loss, and suffering." |
| Brain Structure: Simon LeVay, a Neuroanatomist at the Salk Institute in California published a study in 1991 which examined the brains of men who had died of AIDS. He found that the INAH 3 (a structure within the hypothalamus) differed in size between heterosexual and homosexual men. This suggested to the researcher that "sexual orientation has a biological substrate". 2 This study has been criticized on a number of grounds. Many of his subjects died of AIDS; perhaps the difference in structure size was caused by the disease, or the medications that they took, not the sexual orientation. Others have suggested that homosexual or heterosexual activity may have determined the size of the structure, rather than vice-versa. |
| Hearing: A group of researchers at the University of Texas found structural differences in the inner ears between lesbians and heterosexual women. On average, women have more sensitive cochlea amplifiers than men; they are able to detect softer sounds in a very quiet room. The researchers found that lesbians had inner ear characteristics that were more like those of men. The structure of the inner ear forms before birth and is affected during pregnancy by androgens. 7 These findings indicate that sexual orientation is at least partly decided before birth -- perhaps at conception. |
| Incidence: Gays and lesbians do not appear to be any less common in societies which condemn and suppress homosexuals; they do not seem to be any more common in accepting societies. This would argue against sexual orientation being learned from the environment. |
| Parenting: Almost all children raised in families headed by two gays or two lesbians grow up heterosexual. The sexual orientation of one's parents appear to have little or no influence over the orientation of their children. |
| Infection: A new theory has been proposed that homosexuality is caused by a bacteria or virus. |
Related essays on this web site:
| Six studies into the causes of homosexuality | ||
| Seven additional studies into the causes of homosexuality | ||
| A fairly conclusive study
involving brain hemispheres| Very conclusive studies of identical twins | |
References:
- "How PFOX can help," at: http://www.pfox.org/help.html
- Simon LeVay, "The Sexual Brain," MIT Press, (1994). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
- J.M. Bailey, R. C. Pillard, "A Genetic Study of Male Sexual Orientation", Archives of General Psychiatry, 48 (1991): 1089-96.
- J. M. Bailey, R. C. Pillard, et al, "Heritable Factors Influence Sexual Orientation in Women" Archives of General Psychiatry, 50 (1993): 217-23.
- Chandler Burr, "A Separate Creation: The search for the biological origins of sexual orientation", Hyperon, New York, NY (1996)
- J.A.Y. Hall & D. Kimura, "Dermatoglyphic Asymmetry and Sexual Orientation in Men", Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol. 108 #6, 1994-DEC, P. 1203-1206.
- "Lesbian Ears", The Globe and Mail, Toronto ON, 1998-MAR-19.
- Jeff Donn, "Finger length linked to sexual orientation: Male hormones in womb produce differences: study," Associated Press, 2000-MAR-29
- Article, title unknown, Nature, 2000-MAR-30.
- Robert T. Lee, "Against Homosexuality," The Society for the Practical Establishment and Perpetuation of the Ten Commandments," 1998-JUN-20, at: http://www.tencommandments.org/homosexual.html
- Matt Ridley, "Nature via nurture: Genes, experience, and what makes us human," HarperCollins, (2003). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store This book discusses the effects of genes and the environment on human behavior and traits. It touches on homosexuality in a few locations.
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Home page > "Hot" religious topics > Homosexuality > Cause > here |
Copyright © 1997 to 2008 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2008-AUG-20
Author: B.A. Robinson
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