Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture?

Over the course of many years, homosexuality has created a great controversy among our society. According to Merriam-Webster, homosexuality is defined as “sexual attraction or the tendency to direct sexual desire toward another of the same sex.” The term may be misunderstood through flawed research. Historically, homosexuality has been a taboo subject, condemned in many societies at large. In more recent times, there has been a push to normalize and accept homosexuality in many societies but some still remain very opposed to the idea. Conflicts among family members have become more prevalent as one’s views are different from the standards of the home. While homosexuality is clearly real and present in the world today and in past societies, there has not been a clear consensus on the root causes of homosexuality. There are many studies and arguments that state it is a natural, biological trait that is developed in people but others have stated that homosexual tendencies have far more to do with environment and upbringing than any other factor. The nature/nurture argument of homosexuality will continue on for years as researchers further investigate this controversy. While it is still strongly contested, both sides have presentable research that must be compared and analyzed.

In an article published by Scientific American, a group of native Mexicans including heterosexual males and females and homosexual males answered questions about their levels of separation anxiety as children. These answers were then compared to other answers given by homosexuals across the globe, including Canada and Samoa. The homosexual men studied in Mexico “showed elevated rates of childhood separation anxiety when compared with heterosexual men, similar to what has been seen in gay men in Canada and fa’afafine in Samoa.” This study also illustrated that there are similar results in other regions of the world that support the research on homosexuality being a biological, natural trait. The study also showed that “Xq28, a region located at the tip of the X chromosome, is involved in both the expression of anxiety and male androphilia.” Because this deals with the genetic orientation of the human body, these results help prove that homosexuality is a biological matter. Male androphilia, male sexual attraction to other adult males, derives from this region of the X chromosome giving conclusive evidence on this point of view. Based off the research on this study, one can see how homosexuality may be linked to nature, as opposed to nurture.

In a study conducted by D. F. Swaab in 1920, a physiological difference was noted in the anatomical structure of a homosexual male’s brain. Swaab found that a portion of the hypothalamus, related to sexual drive and function, in the brain of a homosexual male was structurally different than that of a heterosexual male’s brain. “In the homosexual brains examined, a small portion of the hypothalamus, termed the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), was found to be twice the size of its heterosexual counterpart.” Another scientist, Laura S. Allen “found that the anterior commissure (AC) of the hypothalamus was also significantly larger in the homosexual subject than that of the heterosexuals.” No one can do anything to affect the size of their suprachiasmatic nucleus or anterior commissure of the hypothalamus. Seeing that these structures are bigger in the brains of homosexuals indicates that these individuals may have a different sexual drive than a heterosexual being. This difference in size of the SCN and AC of the hypothalamus can support the argument of homosexuality being a condition that one is born with.

Marlo Thomas, an American actress, once said, “I don’t think homosexuality is a choice. Society forces you to think it’s a choice, but in fact, it’s in one’s nature. The choice is whether one expresses one’s nature truthfully or spends the rest of one’s life lying about it.” This bold statement raises another question about the origins of homosexuality. If one is born “gay”, then why have they not “come out” or expressed their feelings of attraction to the same-sex? Wouldn’t someone want to feel relieved of all their confusion and doubt by defining their natural, homosexual tendencies? I believe that society plays an instrumental role in making it hard for individuals to come out as “gay”. People feel as if they will be letting their families down by not following their standards/beliefs. My neighborhood friend recently came out as “gay” after having lived the majority of his life not knowing what to do. He had always kept his attraction for males a secret as he did not want to be judged by the people around him. Hearing this broke my heart as no one should be scared of what others think. God loves all of His children and He has created us to be unique human beings. Our differences make us who we are and one should not feel judged by their life choices.

In the 2003 Gallup Youth Survey, teens were asked whether homosexuality was due to outside factors (nurture) or if it is something that a person is born with (nature). 61% of the teens in the survey said that homosexuality was related to the upbringing and environment of that individual. On the other hand, 36% felt that “sexual orientation is an innate characteristic, much like being right-handed or left-handed.” The study showed that teens who attended church regularly were more disposed to the “nurture” theory than those who did not go to church. The Gallup Youth Survey also illustrated how political affiliations can have an impact on one’s belief of where homosexuality comes from. 72% of teens identifying as a Republican believed that homosexuality results from the environmental influences. This is a big difference from the 56% of future Democrats that believe it is due to the nurture of the individual. Based off these results, one can see how a religious and political standpoint can have a huge impact on the debate of the origins of homosexuality.

The nurture side of the controversy has been supported by real-life examples. In an article written by Dr. Robert A. Pyne, he mentions, “Psychologists often trace one’s sexual orientation to early child-hood experiences, noting that homosexual persons frequently come from families in which one parent is conspicuously absent, uncaring, or abusive.” The unhealthy environment of a child seems to have an impact on their sexual orientation in the future. In a study of 37 sets of identical male twins, scientists tested which genes were associated with homosexuality. One of the twins was gay in each pair. Through the study of epigenetics, scientists “found that it was possible to tell whether a man was gay or straight by monitoring tiny changes in how his DNA functions after birth.” Environmental factors such as childhood abuse, diet, exercise, and stress trigger epigenetic changes in an individual. According to the article by Sarah Knapton, a science editor, “Researchers identified nine areas in the genome where genes functioned differently when a twin was homosexual. And the scientists say that they can predict with 70 percent accuracy whether a man is gay or straight simply by looking at those parts of the genome.” Only 20% of twins that are born with the same genetic blueprint are both gay. University of Utah geneticist Christopher Gregg comments on the study: “The distinctive epigenomic marks could result from some other biological or lifestyle factor common to homosexual men but unrelated to their sexuality.” In other words, the marks could correlate with homosexuality but have nothing to do with it. This study goes to show that there may be other factors, not biological, influencing one’s homosexuality.

The Family Research Council published an article that argues: “The ‘classical’ homosexual triangular patter is one where the moth is CBI [close-binding-intimate] with the son and is dominant and minimizing toward a husband who is a detached father, particularly a hostile-detached one.” This particular view of homosexuality suggests that family relationships ultimately affect the homosexual tendencies of an individual. A classmate of mine, who is gay, was raised from a broken family. His parents never gave him the full attention and love that all kids deserve. When asked why he is attracted to other males, he blames his sexuality on the type of family that he grew up in. This example supports the claim provided by the Family Research Council.

Examining how the environmental factors of one’s early life can impact one’s sexuality can be extremely difficult. When asked: “Is there evidence that life experiences play a role in sexual orientation?”, Richard Pillard, a medicine professor of psychiatry, states, “It’s a hard question to answer, because by “experience”, we’re talking about when kids are in the very first years of their life. If you’re going to do research about it, you’re doing research on people 20 or 30 years later, so it’s really hard to look back with certainty on what happened to them in those early years.” Dr. Pillard makes a valid point as it can be challenging to obtain real-life evidence as it occurred many years before. You often have to depend on what the subject in your study can remember from his/her early childhood. The results may be flawed and prove to show no real evidence in determining that homosexuality is strictly due to the environmental influences on a person.

The Bible contains several blocks of scripture relating to the subject of homosexuality. In Hebrews 13:1–5, it reads: “Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angles unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” In Romans 13:8–10, it teaches: “Owe no many any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” It is important to show love, not hate, to everyone in this world. Every human being on this earth has been given the gift of agency to choose for themselves how they want to live their life. Respect others’ decisions and love them for who they truly are. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints treats same-sex attraction as a trial or struggle that some will experience in their life. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, knows every challenge we face here on earth and anyone can turn to Him to find peace, joy, hope, and direction in their lives.

In closing, the American Psychological Association stated: “There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation.” There are many different cases of how people come to know of their sexual orientation. Some know through their relationships with other people while others find out through their experiences in sexual activity. Research continues to be conducted to better answer the debate over homosexuality being something that a person is born with or it being something that results from experiences in one’s environment/family. Don’t primarily focus on the origins of homosexuality, but instead, find ways to help those struggling with homosexuality. Help others learn to express themselves and be confident in who they truly are.