MyOutSpirit.com Gay Spirituality Blog

Understanding Where We Come From, but not Losing Ourselves

I don’t know how many of you have been following all the to-do about a researcher in Oregon investigating the physiological aspects of sheep sexuality, but I have been. In the first reports to come out of Dr. Roselli’s research, I was among the many queers who were very frightened about prospects of research into hormonal “cures” of homosexuality. Now, as Dr. Roselli tries to distance himself and his research from these notions, I remain worried and skeptical.

 

While I have avoided posting on this subject because I feel there is not enough solid information available, I was reminded of Dr. Roselli’s work and investigations into the causes of homosexuality by an interview I read today on Salon titled God and Gorillas. This interview is just one example of scientific investigation into the origin of religion. I find both the investigation into the causes of homosexuality and the evolutionary origins of religion to be similarly worrying on a gut level, even though I support them on an intellectual level.

 

Like many queers, I feel threatened by research into the specific causes of homosexuality because I worry that if a gene, hormone, hormone balance, etc., were found that directly caused homosexuality, some might be tempted to develop a “cure” for homosexuality (or alternatively, mothers might be tempted to abort babies simply to avoid having a gay child).  While those of us who are out and proud and our allies recognize that such a “cure” is nonsense, it would likely appeal very strongly to those struggling with their sexuality, parents of those struggling, and homophobic policy makers and lobbyists.

Against nature?

In Oslo, the gay animal museum is attracting lots of attention. Thanks, AmericaBlog for the link.

The Oslo Natural History Museum opened the show last week and says it has been well attended, not least by families. Organisers reported early criticism of the project, and being told by one opponent they would "burn in hell". But there has been strong interest in an aspect of animal behaviour the museum says is quite common. It says homosexuality has been observed among 1,500 species, and that in 500 of those it is well documented.

Snark of the day: When told that homosexuality is observed among 1,500 animal species, religious commentators reporting exlucisvely to the Gay Spirituality & Culture blog explained that these animals are all "contrary to nature." When asked to point to a natural hierarchy of creatures that exhibit no homosexual behavior, they pointed to the religious hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and the organizational structures of evangelical Protestant churches such as Ted Haggard's New Life Ministry. ;-)

Gregory Herek offers blog on homophobia research

A new weblog examines the science of homophobia. Beyond Homophobia looks at sexual orientation, prejudice, science, and policy from the perspective of Gregory Herek, a Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Davis.

Cross-posted at this blog's future home: gayspirituality.zaadz.com/blog. Please add your comments at the new location.

Is homosexuality 40/60?

An article by Jim Ritter called "Is there a gay gene?" (actually about a brothers study) contains this estimate of the factors involved in homosexuality:

Scientists have rejected earlier notions that homosexuality is a mental illness. The thinking now is that sexual orientation is determined by roughly 40 percent genetic factors and 60 percent environmental factors.

It's rather startling to see such calculations reported without quotations or qualifications by a mainstream journalist! Timothy Kincaid follows up with one of the doctors quoted in the article...

The biology of sexual orientation

Simon LeVay, the best-known scientific researcher into the origin and nature of homosexuality, has an Internet home page. It includes a piece on "The Biology of Sexual Orientation" which examines a variety of non-biological theories of homosexuality including psychoanalytic theories, behaviorism/socialization, the effect of sexual experiences, and social Social constructionism. LeVay's look at biological theories includes genes, hormones, anatomy, brain studies, cognitive research, and birth order studies.

Gay, like they do it on the Discovery Channel

An article in The New York Times examines homosexuality in the animal world.