Hatcher 1 Jermonte Hatcher Malcolm Campbell English 1102 11 February 2014 Fast Draft: Homosexuality: Nature vs.

Nurture Introduction Over the past decade, empowerment for the LGBTQ community has increased rapidly. Since the enactment of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996 under the Clinton Administration, 17 states have declared gay marriage as legal, approximately 150,000 gay couples have been married legally, and more recently in our federal government laws are being proposed stating that already-married gay couples can receive federal and legal benefits and services. With the empowerment of the LGBTQ community, many people question how these individuals define their sexual orientation. There are two distinct justifications on how an individual determines themselves as being homosexual; nature and nurture. Nature in science means that you were born a specific way, while nurture means that the environment in some way had something to do with changing ones mindset. Research about this topic is still being done and attempts are still being made to create an understanding across the world. Most scientists today agree that there is supporting evidence including biological, environmental, and cognitive factors that influence a persons sexual orientation, but the more significant evidence suggests that there are indeed biological implications such as genes, that definitely play a role in this determination. As people continue to do research on such a controversial topic, the main question to begin with is what effects are included in deciding whether homosexuality is brought on by nature or nurture.

Hatcher 2 Determining Homosexuality We have discussed everything from the possible causes of homosexuality to the civil rights that homosexuals deserve, but what is the idea or definition of homosexuality and why should we, as a society, be more accepting to those in the LGBTQ community? For starters, according to The American Psychological Association, Homosexuality is defined as one of the many sexual orientations in which a person is intimately, emotionally, and physically attracted to another person or people of the same sex. Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes. Sexual orientation also refers to a persons sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions (Missing in text citation). Among many scientists, there are multiple reasons that an individual develops a type of orientation, this including heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientations. Although much research has been done on the possible genetic, developmental, and social influences on sexual orientation, there have been no particular answers that have lead researchers and scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular facto(s). Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles.(Missing in text citation). Homosexuality used to be thought of as a mental disorder prior to and also in the late 20th Century. It wasnt until 1973, that the American Psychiatric Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. The American Psychological Association followed as well and declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1975. This was a result of the accumulated research done throughout the 19th and 20th centuries to see if how homosexuality was linked to the human mind and how can humans be thought of as having an attraction for any other human other than the opposite sex, which is the normal way of living.

Hatcher 3 Nurture Homosexuality for some people who do believe homosexuality should be frowned upon usually take on a role of stating or thinking that it is a choice. This can be described in a notion as homosexuality being caused in a nurturing way, nurture referring to all the environmental factors that may occur and come in connect with the body or mind after conception from the parents. This notion makes people believe that homosexuality is more for the nurture side because they do not believe you can be born gay. In my opinion and others for which I am sure, if you are not born gay, then you must have had a choice right? A lot of people lean more towards nurture due to the fact hat people can get cancer or other genes that come already in the human body before they are born. There may be certain environmental factors such as bacteria or an illness or some kind to actually begin the process in which causes a trigger to deploy the actual cancer genes or disorder. According to Dr. Kevin Davies of University of London, and who has a doctorate in Genetics as well, Scientists have already linked some of these specific DNA variations with increased risk of common diseases and conditions, including cancer, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer's. Other snips affect the way people react toward certain drugs. Everyone carries between five and 50 genetic glitches that might predispose that person to a serious physical or mental illness (Davies). If all of this is indeed true, humans are not indeed born into the world hardwired but they do have different genes already programmed to do specific things whether they are good or bad things. If you have the trait or gene for something, it does not necessarily mean you are going to catch that disease. It is truly uncertain, it is just that you have the higher chance than another human being that has not traces or genes that are designated to give you a specific disease or disorder. The society we live in today suggest that there are not any reasons that a gay human

Hatcher 4 being should be gay because there hasnt been a gay gene found yet, and if there has been, some people agree that the eradication of this gene is the best thing for society. Some people, but not all, deem homosexuality still to be a disorder or mental illness of some kind. With continued research and funding through major organizations, homosexuality can become less of a problem and society can live up to more of its potential. Nature Nature of course, is the process or belief that a certain genetic trait, type of personality, or way of life happens before the conception of the human body. To be clear, no one knows the effects that are included in determining which one is the correct term for how homosexuality is determined. The statements and research that I have come across seem to be more opinionated than factual. A great study and finding by Dr. Simon Lavay, can be identified as research for determining the sexual orientation though. According to Dr. Lavay, whom is a research scientist at Salk Institute, he knew he was already gay by the age of 12. During his research, Lavay studied over 40 brains. Lavay and his team of researchers concluded that the hypothalamus, which is a section of the brain, was in most cases, half the size in the homosexual men than the heterosexual men that he studied. This means that there are possible genetic reasons, biological really, that could play a part in the determination of homosexuality. He concluded overall that quite possibly, homosexual men have a physical, and biological trait that made them gay and therefore, being gay was in fact, not a choice and is a result of nature. This could not have been a psychological reaction to ones environment, otherwise known as the nurture. Many other doctors have completed studies and has gained worldwide attention but no one, including the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association has deemed the

Hatcher 5 cause of homosexuality to be directly linked to nature, which are in the likes of heterosexuals because that is normal of course for society. Among the psychological tests that were completed, there had been one notable test and based upon its findings, again, it had caused great controversy in the scientific world. Pillard and J. Michael Bailey, professors of psychology at Northwestern University, conducted in the early 1990s that found that homosexuality is largely biologically determined, not environmentally influenced (Cornuelle). These two University professors studied a select group, handpicked identical and fraternal twins to be exact. They also decided to use two brothers who were nonrelated and were adopted as well in their study. In an effort to prove if there was any genetic explanation for homosexuality, the professors found that if one identical twin was gay, 52 percent of the time the other was also. For the fraternal twin, it was only 22 percent and also for the nonrelated adopted brothers, the figure was only five percent. These findings have been debated and talked about for the coming decades and also were published in the Archives of General Psychiatry (Cornuelle). Conclusion The main question I had was to find out what effects are included in deciding whether homosexuality is brought on by nature or nurture. As research continues, there will be an answer closer to finding out whether or not there is absolute proof of nature being the more prominent than nurture. As we get more advanced into the future, scientists and researchers will continue to make more advanced studies and surely, there will be a more accurate answer as to which of the two ideas, nature or nurture, is the correct answer. That in turn, will finally grant more serenity for the LGBTQ community and finally, give us more civil liberties that we deserve as human beings.

Hatcher 6 Work Cited "Answers to Your Questions For a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality." Http://www.apa.org. The American Psychological Association, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. http://apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx

Cornuelle, Kimberly. "BU Today." BU Today RSS. Boston University, 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. http://www.bu.edu/today/2010/nature-vs-nurture-the-biology-of-sexuality/

Davies, Kevin. "Nature vs. Nurture Revisited." PBS. PBS, 17 Apr. 2001. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/nature-versus-nurture-revisited.html

Gallup, George, and Hal Marcovitz. "Chapter 2: Nature or Nurture." Teen's & Gay Issues (2005): n.pag. Points of View Reference Center. Database. 11 Feb 2014. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/pov/detail?vid=7&sid=86606875-489d-45dca0ad 7b5655470f05@sessionmgr4003& hid=4204&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU=