Yet another fascinating article that very well might be complete bullshit from the New Scientist claims that "researchers discovered that women tend to have more children when they inherit the same - as yet unidentified - genetic factors linked to homosexuality in men. This fertility boost more than compensates for the lack of offspring fathered by gay men, and keeps the “gay” genetic factors in circulation. "
And what does Simon LeVay have to say about it? “We think of it as genes for ‘male homosexuality’, but it might really be genes for sexual attraction to men. These could predispose men towards homosexuality and women towards ‘hyper-heterosexuality’, causing women to have more sex with men and thus have more offspring.”
I personally think Simon LeVay is a total boob, in the worst sense possible of the word. He's the mastermind behind both the Gay Gene and the Lesbian InnerEar. Plus he has an AOL webpage. Can we take a scientist seriously who uses AOL? I didn't think so. Plus he lives in Hollywood and the Gay Gene study that made him famous only used ten men as his sample! Although I am not averse to the idea of individuals being predispositioned genetically towards inclinations that might trigger them into the homosexual realm, I'm still a big fan of polymorphous perversity (it's also fun to say).
Posted by bluprnt at October 13, 2004 11:56 PMLeVay is being bypassed.
The new study has nothing to do with a gay gene, there is no gay gene. It has more to due with gene expression - how genes interact within the cell to form it. It is possible that there may be some genes on the X chromosome which may be dominant over that of the Y and act in concert with other genes from other chromosommes in important structures of the brain which would affect a male's sexual orientation. There could be a range of affects in men from that of bisexuality though homosexuality to those who believe themselves the wrong sex (the transgendered).
It might be our socialization that leads to a polymorphous perversity (pansexual sodomy?) as society bends some of our orientations towards the heterosexual.
...
Posted by: Lij at October 22, 2004 01:42 AMthe problem with the idea that polymorphous perversity is social, is that young young kids often wanna make out with anyone. if you've ever tought a class, you will know what i am talking about. but i dont know if they do it because it feels good (sexual) or because they are playing adult (social).
I totally agree that genes and hormone levels have a role in sexual orientation. But I think people need social triggers and arenas to become actually "gay" as the social identity we have now. I would like to be able to say that we are also triggered into being straight, but in the end, i think biology forces a large amount of hetero sexual activity and that it's unstoppable.
Posted by: rebecca at October 23, 2004 06:33 PM