Time magazine has a new article about "the gay brain," illustrated by this sculpture of this gay head fragment. Here's an excerpt:Scientists at the Karolinska Institute studied brain scans of 90 gay and straight men and women, and found that the size of the two symmetrical halves of the brains of gay men more closely resembled those of straight women than they did straight men. In heterosexual women, the two halves of the brain are more or less the same size. In heterosexual men, the right hemisphere is slightly larger. Scans of the brains of gay men in the study, however, showed that their hemispheres were relatively symmetrical, like those of straight women, while the brains of homosexual women were asymmetrical like those of straight men.
There are more observations in the piece about how the brains of gay and straight men and women compare to each other, and all of it seems to confirm that there is, in fact, an inborn, biological component to our sexuality.
We would hope this would put to rest the debate over whether or not homosexuality is innate, but as long as Focus on the Family and other such groups are around vehemently insisting that all such scientific evidence is bunk, we wouldn't bet on anything being settled just yet.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Unfortunately this still will not prove to all the closed minded people out there that gay people "choose" to be hated and abnormal from regular society. I hope it will change some minds though....
Kirsten at 4:16PM on Jun 18th 2008
2. Interesting research. As technology increases in amazing ways, we may possibly discover a 'gay gene.' It will never change the minds of some folks though - they will always find a reason to hate others, despite any scientific proof. Remember, fundamentalists have little to no faith in science anyway, so why would it matter to them?
David S. at 4:57PM on Jun 18th 2008
3. As far as I can see, the study proves nothing. According to the article, the two halves of a woman's brain are "more or less" symmetrical. What does that mean? Unless the two halves are of identical size, they are not symmetrical. And the right half of of a straight male's brain is "slightly" larger than the left. How does "slightly" differ from "more or less"? And the two halves of the "gay" brain are "relatively" symmetrical. Relative to what? Either they are symmetrical or not.
All I am seeing here is vagueness and obfuscation. I, too, believe that gayness is rooted in biology, but scientists are going to have to do better than this to prove it. All I am find in this study, or at least in Time's report of this study, is doubletalk.
Logician at 5:18PM on Jun 18th 2008
4. We all know the proof is coming that being gay is just as much part of nature as being straight.
The problem is too many religions have demonized gays, and how are they going to back out of it? Are the Muslims going to say the Quoran is wrong? Are the Christians going to discovery the Bible made a big "oops"? Well the Christians have done that before on the race issue, so maybe they will come around.
cdnbirch at 5:20PM on Jun 18th 2008
5. Well Ada, It's hard to argue with Karolinska Institute, they are a respected institution.
But here's the thing about homosexuality and the Bible. You have to go back to the Old Testament to the Book of Leviticus, which was written about 1,500 years BC. Leviticus is one of the Five Books of Moses (which are known as God's Law)and in Leviticus God condems homsexuality.
The New Testament condems homosexuality also. But the way that it's written is that all men and women are presented with challenges their entire life. Keeping within this train of thought, it can be said that the act of homosexuality is condemed, but not the individual.
So I can say with certainty, that the "act" of homosexuality will never be accepted within the Jewish or Christian faith. And it all goes back to God's Law and the ancient Hebrew.
Well, that's our Bible class for today. And yes, there are Jewish and Christians out there that need to heed the Law better than they do. We know this all to well.
Willet at 6:41PM on Jun 18th 2008
6. "So I can say with certainty, that the "act" of homosexuality will never be accepted within the Jewish or Christian faith. "
Glad to hear you've ascended to being a spokesman for both religions for all eternity, Willet ol' chap.
Arrogant much?
brandon at 11:07PM on Jun 18th 2008
7. I don't believe there is a "gay" gene. Aside from that; if a "gay" gene was discovered would “pro-choice” advocates support the right of parents to test for the gene and abort the baby if it was positive? I am pro-life, so I would oppose this reason. I am curious about the “pro-choice” response.
janesophie1 at 10:09AM on Jun 19th 2008
8. I don't believe there is a "gay" gene. Aside from that; if a "gay" gene was discovered would “pro-choice” advocates support the right of parents to test for the gene and abort the baby if it was positive? I am pro-life, so I would oppose this reason. I am curious about the “pro-choice” response.
janesophie1 at 10:12AM on Jun 19th 2008
9.
jane, you ignorant slut.
Do you EVER post a comment on any non-abortion blog topic that you don't twist to bring abortion into the conversation?
Make a sign and go march in front of an abortion clinic. You're useless here.
Bored with Jane at 1:07PM on Jun 19th 2008
10. Interesting.Sort of confirms a suspicion I had that a gay person's brain is wired differently from a straight person's brain.However,more research is needed
That said,as a Christian,I still do not think this means that being gay is right.It is still a sin.However,Jesus still loves the gay guy,or girl in spite of his or her sin.We may sin for a lifetime,but God does not give up on us.
To all Christians.Love gay people.Their being wrong is only why we should love them
I don't hate gay people at 3:22PM on Jun 19th 2008
11. So if a gay persons brain is wired to be gay, and they live a gay lifestyle, they are still wrong? Even though that would mean that god intended them to be gay? And them say to love them because they are wrong?
Wow, what a way to insult someone, by telling them how great it is that they are going to burn in hell.
I honestly dont see why christians are so upset that people can be gay. They dont force you to be gay, and if you see a gay person, you have the right to look away.
God never condemned homosexuality, that was interpreted by those who wrote and revised the bible from language to language, with a bias towards their own ideas or morality.
Who cares if someone is gay? I dont. Two people want to be together because they care for each other sounds to me exactly like something your god would want.
CaptainCack at 4:31PM on Jun 19th 2008
12. Tendancies towards certain behaviours caused by malfunctions in the brain still do not justify immoral behavior. There are certain individuals genetically prone to become alcoholics. Does that mean they should give into their impulses, drive drunk and kill people? I have what may be loosely termed ADHD and my scan showed moderate abnormalities in areas of the brain that control cognitive and behavioral functions... present since birth. Does that mean that I should give into impulses and lose control of my temper and hit people? Or that I not try to overcome my disability and live a productive life?
Homosexuality is a destructive lifestyle, please tell me what does it accomplish? What does homosexuality contribute to society? Not homosexuals, who do make contributions to society, but homosexuality... does it support the backbone of civilization, the tradional male and female marriage with children?
phdtogo at 4:44PM on Jun 19th 2008
13. Tendancies towards certain behaviours caused by malfunctions in the brain still do not justify immoral behavior. There are certain individuals genetically prone to become alcoholics. Does that mean they should give into their impulses, drive drunk and kill people? I have what may be loosely termed ADHD and my scan showed moderate abnormalities in areas of the brain that control cognitive and behavioral functions... present since birth. Does that mean that I should give into impulses and lose control of my temper and hit people? Or that I not try to overcome my disability and live a productive life?
Homosexuality is a destructive lifestyle, please tell me what does it accomplish? What does homosexuality contribute to society? Not homosexuals, who do make contributions to society, but homosexuality... does it support the backbone of civilization, the tradional male and female marriage with children?
Greg at 4:45PM on Jun 19th 2008
14. I don't think that homosexualtiy is a choice, although a gay person does decide to act on his "wiring", just as a straight person decides to pursue relationships with members of the opposite sex.
But here is a question that I've discussed with friends. Is homosexuality hereditary? If it is, then it ought to show up in a family the way that hair color does.
Yet, a gay person usually doesn't point to other family members or ancestors who are gay the way that a redhead can point to one side of the family or the other as the source of his or her genes.
Kent at 10:12AM on Jun 20th 2008
15. I think there may be a lot of biological proof that people are born the way they are - but does that make it a sin to be that way? People are born with violent tendencies (whole families can have bad tempers), but it isn't a sin to have a bad temper. However, it is a sin to harm someone else because you have a bad temper. I don't think it is a sin to be born homosexual, but I do think it is a sin to live a promiscuous lifestyle, whether gay or straight. I know from personal experience - I have a gay cousin, and I could have told you he was gay from the time he was a toddler. He was always effeminate and "different." As a matter of fact, there are several gay cousins on that side of the family, male and female, including a female cousin of my dad's who died recently at age 80, she had lived with another woman as a couple her whole adult life. Is there a gay gene? I have heard people say "God doesn't create sinners." That is not true - people are born with with problems, some of them inherited (alcoholism, violent tempers, greed). It is up to us to learn to overcome our sins and live righteously. That is the challenge GOd has given us.
Sarah at 5:26PM on Jun 20th 2008