Discussion: Is being gay genetic?

Nemo

I tend to believe it is not genetic, but at times I begin to think it is. And so, I'm genuinely curious to know what all of you believe.

I'm gay. My mother is bisexual. Her brother (my uncle) is gay. 2/3 of his daughters (from when he was "straight") are bisexual. My mother and uncle's aunt (my great aunt) is gay. This is just out of the family members on my mother's side, who are out, that I live in the same state as and know well. There's plenty more relatives on here side that I do not know, and I don't know my dad's side really at all.

What do you believe? Is being gay genetic, or is it not genetic?

beautiful player

Yes of course. Anyone saying no is racist.

Su-Barbie-A

Are you talking the gay white twins that are models and Ellen DeGenerate gave $10k because they came out to their dad?

Sazare

I think it can have genetic roots but that every person's specific sexual orientation stems from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and that those factors differ for every person.

I don't think there's any one "cause" for being gay but I don't think we'll ever be able to pin down an exact etiology for sexual orientation because it's so variable between people, even those who share the same DNA and were raised in the same environments.

perfectly.ill

It's many things.

CakeLike

Who knows. I hope one day soon we will find out so we can finally end the whole is it a choice debate, i'm sick of it

Ishiba_Makuza

woo lawd it must be so easy for you when half your family is either gay or bi. I wish it was genetic since that would mean there would be some gays in my family, but the only gay in my family I'm aware of is like some distant cousin.

Harly

I read online that it's actually a mutation in the human chromosomes.

izzy™

I don't know, I just wish I wasn't this way.

Nemo

Quote:

Originally posted by Su-Barbie-A

Are you talking the gay white twins that are models and Ellen DeGenerate gave $10k because they came out to their dad?

What?

Quote:

Originally posted by Sazare

I think it can have genetic roots but that every person's specific sexual orientation stems from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and that those factors differ for every person.

I don't think there's any one "cause" for being gay but I don't think we'll ever be able to pin down an exact etiology for sexual orientation because it's so variable between people, even those who share the same DNA and were raised in the same environments.

I agree with this so much! This was basically what has been in my head, but I wasn't able to describe it or get it out correctly. Thank you

Quote:

Originally posted by Ishiba_Makuza

woo lawd it must be so easy for you when half your family is either gay or bi. I wish it was genetic since that would mean there would be some gays in my family, but the only gay in my family I'm aware of is like some distant cousin.

You'd think so, right? Nope. It's a huge dilemma in my family, especially because there are several bisexual/gay people in my family. Even my parents had trouble fully accepting me (still do).

Buddy!

Nobody in my family is gay, so idk. I feel so alone

heidimontag

Quote:

Originally posted by Su-Barbie-A

Are you talking the gay white twins that are models and Ellen DeGenerate gave $10k because they came out to their dad?

wtf

Haus_of_Will

It's a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. Like alcoholism.

Tsuko

I think it's partly genetic, party determined by childhood experiences (this doesn't mean it's a choice, by the time you've hit puberty, you can't change what your childhood experiences were).

It's the same with height, intelligence, skin colour, etc. It's partly determined by genetics, partly determined by your surroundings/environment.

BadBoy

One of my uncles is gay tho.

Nemo

Quote:

Originally posted by Haus_of_Will

It's a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. Like alcoholism.

I've never looked at it that way

but that is a PERFECT way to put it, as to what I believe

DancingShoes

Nobody in my family is gay, bisexual, etc. This is interesting though. I feel like if we find out its genetic though, people will try to change the genes of possibly gay babies like they do with disorders and diseases.

Raphy23

Yes it is generic.

Darren-5-08

Quote:

Originally posted by Sazare

I think it can have genetic roots but that every person's specific sexual orientation stems from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and that those factors differ for every person.

I don't think there's any one "cause" for being gay but I don't think we'll ever be able to pin down an exact etiology for sexual orientation because it's so variable between people, even those who share the same DNA and were raised in the same environments.

This!

Guernica

I believe gay runs in families but I don't know if I would say it's genetic exactly. I'm bisexual and my brother is gay and I'm convinced we were always this way right from the start. However our other brother is 100% straight and he has the same parents and grew up in the same environment. I remember someone telling me about how certain hormones you're exposed to when in the womb can effect your sexual orientation and that makes sense to me. It can't be completely in the genes because there are many cases of identical twins that do not share the same orientation.