Makes sense to me, always has. Even before I knew I was LGBT I just felt LGBT people had to be born that way. Not to be cheeky about this, but as hated as LGBT people have historically been, why would anyone choose to make themselves a social pariah?
Sense and feelings, however, are no way to quantify the truth. Or, to put it another way, just because I and Lady Gaga want it to be true doesn’t mean it is. This is a woman, after all, who’s covered her clothes with dead cows and live Muppets.
Wikipedia, however, is another matter. (Though they do have plenty of entries involving, “dresses,” “meat” and “Muppets)
When it comes to research: “Science has looked at the causes of homosexuality… with the general conclusions being related to biological and environmental factors.”(2)
When it comes to biology: “A simple and singular determinant for sexual orientation has not been conclusively demonstrated… but scientists hypothesize that a combination of genetic (and) hormonal… factors determine sexual orientation.(3)
When it comes to environment: “Although much research has examined the possible... developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors.”(4)
When it comes to nature vs. nurture: “Both play complex roles… though there is ‘no substantive evidence’ which suggests parenting or early childhood experiences play a role.(4)
In other words, while scientists know there are biological influences on one’s sexual orientation, and they suspect there are likely some influences from the outside world, they really don’t know what they all are. They just know in some cases what they aren’t.
As always when I quote from Wikipedia in bulk, I do so because they sum up the information in a far better, more efficient and even more eloquent way than I ever could. These are complex issues, and in attempting to explain them I don’t want to screw anything up. As always, you should read the links from the Wikipedia article itself if you’re interested in learning more. (Seriously, even the Wikipedia entry on Lady Gaga’s meat dress has 32 citations.(5))
The other reason I’m using Wikipedia in bulk, however, is because research in this area is progressing rapidly. Any attempt by me to wrap it all up in a neat little bow would be both futile and probably wrong. Indeed, the study I cite next was published just days before I wrote this piece. (And is probably cited somewhere inside Wikipedia by the time you read this.)
“Homosexuality is only partly genetic with sexuality mostly based on environmental and social factors, scientists believe,” says scientist Northwestern University’s Dr Michael Bailey. “While gay men shared similar genetic make-up, it only accounted for 40 percent of the chance of a man being homosexual.”(6)
Dr. Bailey, however, added: “Don’t confuse ‘environmental’ with ‘socially acquired.’ Environment means anything that is not in our DNA at birth, and that includes a lot of stuff that is not social.”
In other words, it’s not a choice people make. “The thing that’s consistent,” Dr. Bailey says, “is that they all point to sexual orientation being something fundamental to a person rather than the lifestyle choice some opponents of equality repeatedly suggest.”(6)
I don’t think Lady Gaga could have put it better herself.
(Next week: Why men -- and especially women -- have a hard time finding their gay genes.)
References:
1) AZLyrics: “Born This Way”
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladygaga/bornthisway.html
2) Wikipedia: Homosexuality, Cause
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality#Cause
3) Wikipedia: Biology and Sexual Orientation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation
4) Wikipedia: Environment and Sexual Orientation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_and_sexual_orientation
5) Wikipedia: Lady Gaga’s meat dress
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga's_meat_dress
6) The Telegraph: Being homosexual is only partly due to gay gene, research finds
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10637532/Being-homosexual-is-only-partly-due-to-gay-gene-research-finds.html