> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jerry Johnson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 8:06 AM
> To: CF-Community
> Subject: Re: Being Gay: Nature or Nurture?
> 
> It could be triggered by food differences (a woman with 9 boys is
> going to get MUCH less food than a woman with 1 boy), by general
> health, tiredness, number of previous pregnancies (hormonal
> differences). The mechanisms for small gene changes are unbelievably
> numerous.
> 
> On 3/13/06, Jim Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > I just don't see how that could be evolutionarily based: how could any
> > genetic marker be triggered by the number of siblings?

The food thing may (or may not) have been true in the hunter/gatherer
culture... but in modern times? Amongst the population that the statistic
comes from?

The hormonal change seems more likely... but I'm at a loss as to what
hormonal changes would be so specific in subsequent pregnancies as to
indicate the number of (presumably successful) previous pregnancies.

If it's it a biological effect it seems more likely to me that its
environmentally linked to the presence of multiple male siblings, not the
number of pregnancies.

I do agree, intuitively, with your unspoken assumption at the end: it seems
most likely that a very small gene change could cause homosexuality.  Since
very little of the libido, the sex drive or behavior isn't usually altered:
just the gender of attraction.

It also must be a fairly "easy" change since the result is so common.  I'm
not sure if I believe the "1 in 10" claim but homosexuality is far from rare
in the population.

Lastly it must be a "simple" change since the vast majority of homosexuals
are completely "normal" otherwise: homosexuality isn't associated with known
genetic anomalies, birth defects or other issues.  In other words if it took
a lot of "work" and change to make somebody homosexual it may then be more
likely to also effect other genetic changes.

In short I really wouldn't surprised if, at the genetic level, there's a
very fine (and pretty damn malleable) line between "straight" and "gay".

Jim Davis


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