M57

Gay gene discovered

November 20 2014

I just read an interesting article in newscientist online titled "Gay gene discovered has good and bad implications" Though the details are somewhat sketchy it seems that there is a strong link between the genes and male homosexuality. This will have wide ranging implications amongst the gay community, government policy makers, and generalsocial attitudes. There are many anti gay groups that seem convinced that being gay is a life style choice but these finding indicate that being gay is as much a choice as what colour your skin is. Though I personally think that this will take some time for these group to accept the finding it will most certainly help make it easier to regulate and even ban some of the more disturbing practices. There is also the more confronting implication that it is now possible to determine the sexual orientation of man at the point of conception. Derringer babies will no come in a range of sexual orientations. Please tick the appropriate box. Over all I think it will prove to be beneficial to the gay community in the short run. Yet once again I do feel that I am still in the forgotten category as i could find no information regarding this gene when it comes to Bi sexual men. As I do not I identify with either the gay or straight communities and the debate over rights seems permanently polarized I hover in the middle ground. And then what of the privacy implication, I have always defended my right to refuse to answer any questions concerning my sexuality and some doctors pushy insistence that I must fill out all the questions and that that information is held in the strictest confidence. I would like to think that all the doctors, nurses, clerks, health insurance companies and employees, governmentemployees, social security and anyone else associated with the health system would not let their personal views influence how I am treated. I am not that naive. I say none of your business.Well guess now its black or white, just a drop of blood is all that is required. Gay guys will be classified straight, straight guys will be gay, and bi guys, where will we fit in. So I leave it open for discussion. Oh I was going to change the title as the reality is we have discovered both the gay, and straight genes. But as its the pride weekend here in WA its seems more than apt. Been a long day so apologies for typos and spelling, I just dont have the energy right now proof read.

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RHP User

10 years ago

As you stated in your comments it is all sketchy at the moment and I for one would not believe every thing I read. - Posted from rhpmobile

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RHP User

10 years ago

I always thought it was a spectrum from heterosexual to homosexual and all shades in between. Personally (Mr) I'm not attracted to men but I will suck a cock if I'm in the mood, so what gene would that be? I can also see the dark side of this too, religious extremists seeing it as a genetic disorder that needs a cure, designer babies where you not only choose the sex but also the sexuality. It would be good to believe that people could take a Taoist mindset and accept things as they are rather than always wanting to categorise or judge things into good/bad or desirable/undesireable.

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RHP User

10 years ago

Doesnt change the fact that all humans all deserve the same rights. - Posted from rhpmobile

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RHP User

10 years ago

I am currently trying to find the paper that the article is based on. Will add more when I learn more. I also find it very hard to believe sexuality is so black and white.

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RHP User

10 years ago

unless you're reading the journal paper itself, or an article in a very sciency publication - you're getting the super dumbed down and missing key points version. Science reporting in the media is shocking, like legal reporting, or anything technical - even the technical side of sport gets shortchanged when journos oversimplify things for a lay audience. I doubt it would all come down to a single gene, gene expression can come from many many factors beyond just having a single gene, and they don't often act in isolation it is combined effects of other genes. (I don't find it surprising though, all we are is a bag of chemicals bumping against each other - so something physical within that bag has to account for why we do what we do)

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RHP User

10 years ago

This announcement is more likely to be media license as opposed to what the actual research paper says. Twin studies (where two individuals have the same genes but one is gay and the other is not) demonstrate that epigenetics is a far more likely contributor than genes themselves. This particular study methodology would be questionable in that they specifically selected 409 pairs of gay brothers. They also simply targeted 2 previously identified DNA regions (Xq28 and 8q12). All this study appears to demonstrate to me is a correlation not a causal link.

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RHP User

10 years ago

'S_OnTheLoose' I completely agree with you, sensationalism sells copy. After some digging I discovered that the heading is more than just misleading, it is just plain untrue. The research did not do any form genetic sequencing and comparison, and is nothing more then a statistical analysis a small group (less than 500) of men from western countries that showed a strong correlation between homosexual brothers. It is completely meaningless with out a method to explain the correlation. There have been a few older studies that showed similar results, though they too only showed a correlation not a cause. Though there have been some actual genetic studies undertaken the is no evidence that such a gene or genes exist. Scientist them selves are not immune from the desire to make the front page and as the peer review process is far from perfect some get published that should never have seen the light of day. Sex sells. NewScience is not a peer reviewed journal but I never expected that they would stoop so low to get eyes on the page. Live and learn.

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Mischeviouslad

10 years ago

IF theres a so called "gay gene" and its connected to the make Y chromosome.... how dies it explain lesbians? Therefore... the report is best cut into small squares and used to wipe ones butt. DG

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Gay gene discovered

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