Nature vs. Nurture

http://youtu.be/_Osw05HGe5I

This YouTube video was featured on CBS's 60 minutes and discusses the case of fraternal twins Jared and Adam. Jared displays characteristics typical of little boys his age, such as a love for GI Joe toys, guns, and camouflage; while Adam prefers toy horses, baby dolls, pink canopies, and nail polish. Adam displays childhood gender nonconformity, which is the exhibition of behavior favored by the opposite sex. According to research, Adam's behavior puts him at a greater chance of growing up to be gay. The case of Adam and Jared would indicate that homosexuality is not influenced by nurture because the two boys were raised the same way.

Since Jared and Adam are fraternal twins and therefore do not share the same DNA, it would be reasonable to claim the it's genetics that cause Adam to display gay-like tendencies if it weren't for the case of Steve and Gregg- identical twins with different sexualies. Steve is straight while Gregg is gay.

So if its not nurture and its not genetics then perhaps its hormones. Studies done on rats show that male rats injected with female hormones will behave as females, and female rats injected with male hormones will behave as males.

There is also a pattern called "The Older Brother Effect" used to try to explain the appearance of homosexuality in men. According to this theory, the first born son as a 2% chance of growing up to be gay and the next son's chance increases one-third and so on. Strangely, this only applies to right-handed men and does not effect females.

Of coarse none of these findings can be applied to all cases and there are no fool-proof theories, but perhaps these studies will one day lead to solving the mystery behind one's sexuality.

Please see the video link for more information.

-Amanda Ranusch