So I was reading some news stories and I came across some interesting research in the origins of homosexuality.
First let me start off by saying the implications of the argument about nature-vs-nuture are vital to civil rights of homosexuals. Rights are supposed to be given to everyone equally, but what if you had a choice? For instance, a murderer has the choice to kill, but when he/she does, they lose their rights. Blacks and women and latinos and any other citizen of the US has full rights (or supposed to anyway) because they don't have a choice in the matter. Well Michael Jackson has a choice apparently.
The true question is what causes homosexuality and if it is environmental or training cues or something biological within the being or a combination that causes it. If it is nature (genetic mutations, hormone imbalences, etc) then one cannot really prevent or choose that way of life, but rather it is natural and ingrained into the being similar to handedness or skin color. If, however, one was brought up in a family that stifled femininity and that individual is reacting by being effeminate now because of that upbringing, that is a choice (albeit subconscious) that individual is making. The argument is that in the first case, rights should be granted. In the second case, however, it is a bit more complicated.
Now, back to the research I read.
One of the studies shows that homosexual men have similar brain structures as heterosexual women and that homosexual women have similar brain structures as heterosexual men.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080616/lf_nm_life/brain_gay_dc
This interesting because this could be caused by prenetal development AND the upbringing because of the prenetal precursors. But there is obviously a physical connection to homosexuality.
Also, I was reading an article that found birthing order has more to do with sexual orientation. The more older brothers an individual has, the more likely the youngest will be homosexual.
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/103/28/10531
This also makes an interesting argument about the biological triggers in place for homosexuality.
But this poses a question (wow, finally the point of this thread). What it is treatable? What if a mother can take a pill with the right cocktail of hormones and such to prevent the birthing order issues? What if training the child who is now "cured" from the womb was raised more in line with teaches successfully geared to raise heterosexual beings? What about fertility clinics where you can pick the gender of the child, can you also pick the fetus/egg that doesn't have the precursor genetic code for the "gay brain structure"?
Would you cure homosexuality if it was as simple as not grounding the kid when he/she plays with a doll and taking a daily pill while pregnant?
First let me start off by saying the implications of the argument about nature-vs-nuture are vital to civil rights of homosexuals. Rights are supposed to be given to everyone equally, but what if you had a choice? For instance, a murderer has the choice to kill, but when he/she does, they lose their rights. Blacks and women and latinos and any other citizen of the US has full rights (or supposed to anyway) because they don't have a choice in the matter. Well Michael Jackson has a choice apparently.
The true question is what causes homosexuality and if it is environmental or training cues or something biological within the being or a combination that causes it. If it is nature (genetic mutations, hormone imbalences, etc) then one cannot really prevent or choose that way of life, but rather it is natural and ingrained into the being similar to handedness or skin color. If, however, one was brought up in a family that stifled femininity and that individual is reacting by being effeminate now because of that upbringing, that is a choice (albeit subconscious) that individual is making. The argument is that in the first case, rights should be granted. In the second case, however, it is a bit more complicated.
Now, back to the research I read.
One of the studies shows that homosexual men have similar brain structures as heterosexual women and that homosexual women have similar brain structures as heterosexual men.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080616/lf_nm_life/brain_gay_dc
This interesting because this could be caused by prenetal development AND the upbringing because of the prenetal precursors. But there is obviously a physical connection to homosexuality.
Also, I was reading an article that found birthing order has more to do with sexual orientation. The more older brothers an individual has, the more likely the youngest will be homosexual.
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/103/28/10531
This also makes an interesting argument about the biological triggers in place for homosexuality.
But this poses a question (wow, finally the point of this thread). What it is treatable? What if a mother can take a pill with the right cocktail of hormones and such to prevent the birthing order issues? What if training the child who is now "cured" from the womb was raised more in line with teaches successfully geared to raise heterosexual beings? What about fertility clinics where you can pick the gender of the child, can you also pick the fetus/egg that doesn't have the precursor genetic code for the "gay brain structure"?
Would you cure homosexuality if it was as simple as not grounding the kid when he/she plays with a doll and taking a daily pill while pregnant?
