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I have been reading alot of stuff about bioethics and biotechnology, and I have found a rather interesting anaylsis about the whole question of the causes of homosexuality.
Now, alot of liberals (I myself am a liberal, but for now lest just call this group the lefties in order to make the distinction) are convinced that homosexuality is genetic. This assertion makes no sense if you consider evolutionary biology. According to evolutionary biology, genetic traits that would inhibit reproduction would rather quickly get eliminated since they serve no evolutionary purpose. If there were at any time a homosexuality gene, it would quickly have disappeared from the gene pool for the simple reason that homosexuals tend not to reproduce.
However, some recent studies indicate that other biological linkages may exist. Prenatal hormone levels seem to have an effect on sexual desire. In other words, the higher the ratio of testosterone, the more attractive females are and the more masculine the child will be (so the stereotype of butch ****s actually has biological grounding). Likewise, the higher the ratio of estrogen, the more attractive men become and the more effeminate the child will be. This throws the questions of gender and sexuality right together.
On the other hand, the right often argues that homosexuality is "learned." Now, it seems to me that neither side has it right here. It seems fairly obvious that homosexuality, like almost every other human behavior is a combination of environment and biology (nature AND nurture, so to speak).
Thoughts?
Now, alot of liberals (I myself am a liberal, but for now lest just call this group the lefties in order to make the distinction) are convinced that homosexuality is genetic. This assertion makes no sense if you consider evolutionary biology. According to evolutionary biology, genetic traits that would inhibit reproduction would rather quickly get eliminated since they serve no evolutionary purpose. If there were at any time a homosexuality gene, it would quickly have disappeared from the gene pool for the simple reason that homosexuals tend not to reproduce.
However, some recent studies indicate that other biological linkages may exist. Prenatal hormone levels seem to have an effect on sexual desire. In other words, the higher the ratio of testosterone, the more attractive females are and the more masculine the child will be (so the stereotype of butch ****s actually has biological grounding). Likewise, the higher the ratio of estrogen, the more attractive men become and the more effeminate the child will be. This throws the questions of gender and sexuality right together.
On the other hand, the right often argues that homosexuality is "learned." Now, it seems to me that neither side has it right here. It seems fairly obvious that homosexuality, like almost every other human behavior is a combination of environment and biology (nature AND nurture, so to speak).
Thoughts?
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