Another 60 Minutes investigation

[dans94]

I just saw a bunch of video clips on sexuality on CBS online. Leslie Stahl (I think) interviews various people regarding what makes gay people gay. Although it could have been more in-depth, it was a very fair (scientific) piece. The bottom line is that science seems to be leaning towards a combination of genes and hormones as the cause. It would be very interesting to me if this turns out to be true. I believe it is a natural occurance due to world overpopulation but would bet that our culture would try to 'correct' this through in-the-womb hormone treatment. Finding a cause creates some discomfort in me for some reason. I feel threatened and less comfortable with my 'defect'. That is if this theory pans out. What do you think?

Here's a link: http://60minutes.yahoo.com/

[darkeyes]

It is a worry Dans hun...yas right...but if it is proved that gayness or bisexuality or ne thin else is due 2 genes or hormones or woteva, it should, though it wont put the issue 2 bed, and people should, though they wont begin 2 understand that we are a natural occurrence within our species and shud b accepted as such. We would be no more defects than our eye or hair colour is a defect.

It all should be fine and dandy, but it wont....

[biwords]

[QUOTE=dans94]I believe i[homosexuality] is a natural occurance due to world overpopulation...QUOTE]

How could your genes and hormones know whether or not overpopulation exists?

[dans94]

[QUOTE=dans94]I believe i[homosexuality] is a natural occurance due to world overpopulation...QUOTE]

How could your genes and hormones know whether or not overpopulation exists?

They obviously don't 'know' but I believe life stressors cause chemical reactions in the body which can influence our hormones and the way we act/think.

By life stressors I mean population growth, environmental changes, people congestion, etc. Maybe it's Darwinian, speaking only for myself. I chose not to have children after returning from Viet Nam where someone else might have been inspired to have children to promote the species. Why the difference in philosophies? Hormonal changes? Chemical changes in the brain? I don't know but believe it is a natural occurance in some of us.

[TaylorMade]

[QUOTE=dans94]I believe i[homosexuality] is a natural occurance due to world overpopulation...QUOTE]

How could your genes and hormones know whether or not overpopulation exists?

That's why I think it's not accurate to chalk it up to biology alone. Sometimes you have one gay twin and one straight twin. . .this is where intangibles like life experiences and personality finish what genes may have started.

*Taylor*

[12voltman59]

I go back to what I have said before--I have no problem with the notion that we can make a free will choice on what the gender of people we "sleep with"---and forget biology or any other reason and as adults in a relatively free society-we should have every right to make such choices without negative consequence....

[hudson9]

[QUOTE=dans94]I believe i[homosexuality] is a natural occurance due to world overpopulation...QUOTE]

How could your genes and hormones know whether or not overpopulation exists?

It does seem counterintuitive, but there are demonstrated instances in nature where a species reacts hormonally to environmental conditions or stressors. For example, in some amphibian species, a crisis in the number of members of one gender will cause some fetuses (they're not called fetuses, but I can't think of the correct term right now) to develop into the underpopulated gender, regardless of their genetic gender -- this was the "gimick" BTW, in Jurasic Park. They thought they had only bred male dinosaurs, but because they had used frog DNA to make up for missing DNA from the fossils, some had spontaneously trans-gendered into females, and bred extra dinosaurs that they didn't know they had... (and much mayhem ensued...!)

So, without getting TOO off-topic -- there is an INCREDIBLY complex interaction between genetics, environment, and hormones (and sexuality), the surface of which science is only beginning to scratch.

[innaminka]

"60 Minutes Investigation"

Isn't that an oxymoron? - along the lines of Military Intelligence?

I rather think populist "current affairs" works to a pre-determined conclusion.
In Oz, 60 Minutes reports are sort of like toilet paper.

[dans94]

Hmmmmmm. I agree with the fact that 60 Minutes isn't complete or even totally honest reporting or investigating but, for the life of me, I can't think of one television, paper, magazine, or web site that I believe totally.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: What's your point?

[Solomon]

It is a worry Dans hun...yas right...but if it is proved that gayness or bisexuality or ne thin else is due 2 genes or hormones or woteva, it should, though it wont put the issue 2 bed, and people should, though they wont begin 2 understand that we are a natural occurrence within our species and shud b accepted as such. We would be no more defects than our eye or hair colour is a defect.

It all should be fine and dandy, but it wont....

very well said.... they'll just treat it as some sort of disease that needs to be cured, then the popups that used to be for viagra will suddenly be the next cure for same sex attractions

and there'll still be the Fred Phelps, and others of the world that'll continue to simply regurgitate programming that's been installed into their grapes thanks to the vatican and others