Is there a gay gene?
Admittedly, I am not a geneticist or scientist, so what I have to offer regarding this question will simply be in layman�s terms, although I can point the reader to further resources. What I understand is this: Since the 1990�s, the search for the so-called gay gene has caught national headlines, but the search has largely been unsuccessful. To date, no single determining genetic factor has been found to cause homosexuality. In fact, there is far more evidence supporting environmental factors as a cause of homosexuality than there is for genetic causes. For further information, I would direct the reader to the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. Their website, http://www.narth.com, has resources available concerning studies about genetic, enviromental, and psychological causes of homosexuality.
I would like to take a moment to consider the implications of the search for a gay gene. Would the discovery of a gay gene legitimize the homosexual lifestyle? This question seems to be driving the research, but in my opinion, even if a gay gene were discovered, it shouldn�t really matter. There are genetic factors that contribute to alcoholism, violent temperment, and an array of mental illnesses, all of which can lead to socially unacceptable and illegal behavior. The fact that people are born with such conditions does not give them the right to do whatever they want. Rather, they are expected, and in many cases helped, to control and overcome their genetic predispositions. If such a discovery ever came regarding a gay gene, I believe that homosexuality should be considered in the same light.
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