Nature or nuture?

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03-30-2009, 10:47 PM
Camille

I watched a BBC doc last night about John Barrowman.
He's an American actor who made it big in the UK (not sure if he is known here) on TV and in the West End.
He's very good looking...and very openly gay.
Anyway, he went on this research expedition to try and find out if being gay is nature or nuture i.e. is your sexuality determined before or after birth?
They tested genetics, nothing statistically significant there.
They checked testosterone levels, again nothing signif there.
Finally, they came across some interesting data that showed that men who have 3 (or more) older brothers are 75% more likely to be gay.
It's something to do with what goes on in the womb...can't remember the exact details.
I'm not sure if I believe this is a coincidence or not.....

So let's see....How many of you men have 3 or more older brothers?? :P
03-31-2009, 12:05 AM
Sysiphus

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Camille @ Mar 30 2009, 10:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

I watched a BBC doc last night about John Barrowman.
He's an American actor who made it big in the UK (not sure if he is known here) on TV and in the West End.
He's very good looking...and very openly gay.
Anyway, he went on this research expedition to try and find out if being gay is nature or nuture i.e. is your sexuality determined before or after birth?
They tested genetics, nothing statistically significant there.
They checked testosterone levels, again nothing signif there.
Finally, they came across some interesting data that showed that men who have 3 (or more) older brothers are 75% more likely to be gay.
It's something to do with what goes on in the womb...can't remember the exact details.
I'm not sure if I believe this is a coincidence or not.....

So let's see....How many of you men have 3 or more older brothers?? :P[/b]

Youngest of 4 boys checkin' in here... another theory... PLEASE!!!! :P
03-31-2009, 05:57 AM
atlcomedy

Is this a serious study peer reviewed in a respected medical journal or some actor on camera being followed around to the doctor's office where they took some blood and made "good Telly"
03-31-2009, 07:07 AM
Guest 072509-1

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sisyphus @ Mar 31 2009, 12:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

Youngest of 4 boys checkin' in here... another theory... PLEASE!!!! :P[/b]

:lol: Now that is funny!

I have 4 older brothers, and none of them are gay. Rednecks maybe, but definitely not gay.

Most men and women who are gay are genetically engineered such that they're sexual nature is pre-determined.

By the way, did anyone see Milk with Sean Penn? It was a great movie and he played an excellent part.
03-31-2009, 08:43 AM
Camille

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (atlcomedy @ Mar 31 2009, 05:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

Is this a serious study peer reviewed in a respected medical journal or some actor on camera being followed around to the doctor's office where they took some blood and made "good Telly"[/b]

Yes it's s serious study.
He was following up on research that has been published and has proven outcomes.
UCLA were involved as was a university in Chicago....I forget which one.
He ran a battery of tests to substantiate their theories i.e. MRI, CTscan etc...it was quite interesting.
He also took a DNA test.
The one thing was that proven is that being gay is not gentic...but biological. It something that is determined whilst the foetus is growing, it's not the gentic make-up of the foetus. Nonetheless, I still found the results startling...

CoB
03-31-2009, 09:01 PM
WTF

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sisyphus @ Mar 31 2009, 12:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

Youngest of 4 boys checkin' in here... another theory... PLEASE!!!! :P[/b]

Can we call you Sis for short????? :P

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Camille @ Mar 31 2009, 08:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

The one thing was that proven is that being gay is not gentic...but biological. It something that is determined whilst the foetus is growing, it's not the gentic make-up of the foetus. Nonetheless, I still found the results startling...

CoB[/b]

I know how we hate links around here but my man Sisyphus needs some assurance. Chance's are slim my man. Just remember Suc one lil lo weenie and your a weenie sucker for life!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...ticle679681.ece

Dr Blanchard found that gay men were more likely to have lots of elder brothers than both straight men and lesbians. Each older brother increases the probability of being homosexual by a third, though as the starting probability is small - most men with lots of elder brothers are still heterosexual.

Scientists in Canada have discovered that the probability of a man being gay rises significantly according to the number of elder brothers he has, when these brothers are born of the same mother.

While the link between having older brothers and homosexuality has long been established, the new findings indicate that it is conditions within the womb before birth, and not the subsequent family environment, which are responsible for the effect.

This suggests that in at least a proportion of gay men, sexual orientation is heavily influenced by factors experienced in the womb, and not by the way they are brought up.
03-31-2009, 09:11 PM
Camille

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WTF @ Mar 31 2009, 08:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

Can we call you Sis for short????? :P

I know how we hate links around here but my man Sisyphus needs some assurance. Chance's are slim my man. Just remember Suc one lil lo weenie and your a weenie sucker for life!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...ticle679681.ece

Dr Blanchard found that gay men were more likely to have lots of elder brothers than both straight men and lesbians. Each older brother increases the probability of being homosexual by a third, though as the starting probability is small - most men with lots of elder brothers are still heterosexual.

Scientists in Canada have discovered that the probability of a man being gay rises significantly according to the number of elder brothers he has, when these brothers are born of the same mother.

While the link between having older brothers and homosexuality has long been established, the new findings indicate that it is conditions within the womb before birth, and not the subsequent family environment, which are responsible for the effect.

This suggests that in at least a proportion of gay men, sexual orientation is heavily influenced by factors experienced in the womb, and not by the way they are brought up.[/b]

You mean you didn't believe me WTF?
I'm shocked I say...deeply shocked :lol:

xx
03-31-2009, 09:32 PM
WTF

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Camille @ Mar 31 2009, 09:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

You mean you didn't believe me WTF?
I'm shocked I say...deeply shocked :lol:

xx[/b]

I believed ya Cammy....I'd seen something on 20/20 or some other show that reported the same thing. I was only trying to ease Sis's mind. Chances are just miniscule he's gay! lol....Talk about 'Fur coat and no knickers' :)
03-31-2009, 09:39 PM
Camille

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WTF @ Mar 31 2009, 09:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

I believed ya Cammy....I'd seen something on 20/20 or some other show that reported the same thing. I was only trying to ease Sis's mind. Chances are just miniscule he's gay! lol....Talk about 'Fur coat and no knickers' :)[/b]

I'm just teasin' ya ;)
04-03-2009, 12:41 AM
Sysiphus

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kay Sommers @ Mar 31 2009, 07:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

:lol: Now that is funny!

I have 4 older brothers, and none of them are gay. Rednecks maybe, but definitely not gay.

Most men and women who are gay are genetically engineered such that they're sexual nature is pre-determined.

By the way, did anyone see Milk with Sean Penn? It was a great movie and he played an excellent part.[/b]

Glad you liked it!!!

BUT... I think the theory says you only have to worry about Brother # 4... and ME!!!!! :P

Have not seen Milk yet but have heard nothing but good things about it. Will get to it at some point.
04-03-2009, 12:43 AM
Sysiphus

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WTF @ Mar 31 2009, 09:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

Can we call you Sis for short????? :P[/b]

Sis...Sisy....Sissy... whatever works for you!!

Makes me no mind... I've been called worse by better!! :P
04-03-2009, 09:15 AM
Rudyard K

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kay Sommers @ Mar 31 2009, 07:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Quote:

By the way, did anyone see Milk with Sean Penn? It was a great movie and he played an excellent part.[/b]

No...haven't seen that. But I did see Shoot 'em up, with Clive Owen. Similar plot. :D
04-03-2009, 03:58 PM
Camille

Clive Owen...YUMMMMM! :P
04-07-2009, 01:52 PM
Willn

One thing to bear in mind is that our sexual classifications are socially determined. In plainer English, to be 'gay' means certain things today, although even there we might find gray areas around certain behaviors. But down through history, and across cultures, the labels vary. In ancient Greece older men could have intercourse with younger men, and neither would be thought of as exclusively or even primarily homosexual.

I find the whole subject of categorization bizarrely fascinating, including my personal attitudes. When and where I was raised, gays never registered on our radar screens. I consider myself very open to a variety of BCD activities, including the idea of more than one guy involved with one gal (never done it, so don't really know how I'd react in person.) But the idea of engaging with another guy is totally out of bounds--couldn't even look at it when a seen might show up in the old days of porn. I've no problem with anything consenting adults do, but my boundary sure stops short of that. And I'm not sure why.