The first studies on the link among the regions of the human genome and sexual orientation of the male date back to 1993 and were continued by Dean Hamer[1] and collaborators of the National Institutes of health of Bethesda, in Maryland.
The interested region is on the chromosome X and is called Xq28.
After a first enthusiasm, the year 1995 marked the end of the optimism for the chromosome Xq28 as an indicator of male homosexuality[3]. In that year the review Scientific American published an article dealing with the doubts of the scientific community about the genetics of homosexuality. Besides, a study contradicted Hamer’s results and Scientific American reported he had been charged with research irregularities and was inquired by the Federal Office of Research Integrity”; Hamer was basically charged with having excluded some couples of brothers with genes contradicting his discovery.
Studies concerning links between genetics and homosexulity start again in 2005 when a new region linked to sexual orientation and called 8q12 was discovered on chromosome 8.
But it is only in 2014 that the greatest study about gay brothers[4] which should give the definitive evidence of the genetic origin of male homosexuality was published,edited by Alan Sanders of North Shore Research Research Institute of Evanston- Illinois.
In order to understand how important this study was we have to think that, while for Hamer’s 40 couples of brothers were collected, Sanders, in five years, took samples of saliva and blood from 409 couples of homosexual brothers, heterozygotic twins among them,from about 384 families.
According to the thesis supported in the book”The Intelligent Virus”we have no difficulty to accept the genetic origin of homosexuality.
Certainly it’s more difficult to prove also homosexuality is a part of genetic feedback or negative retroaction mechanisms as a consequence of, or remedy for overpopulation.
When we were finishing the first draft of the book we were uncertain whether to insert also homosexuality among genetic feedback or negative retroaction mechanisms. If we put it off it wasn’t because we were afraid of ideological reactions from gay community, but rather because we thought the time wasn’t yet ripe and our theses should be difficult to be understood. Till few years ago homosexuality genetic origin would mean to consider a gay a sick fellow, that is with a genetic taint; at present gays themselves, particularly if doctors or scientists, recognize the link between genes and homosexuality[5].
Besides it’s Alan Sanders himself, who was the author of the recent study on the link between genes and homosexuality, to assert genes decide on the choice of homosexual orientation on which yet environmental factors affect,too.
Therefore if we consider homosexuality among genetic feedback or negative retroaction mechanisms, supporting such genetic predisposition should be, in a certain sense, an ethical choice because without causing damage to themselves[6] or other people[7] it would have the effect of limiting overpopulation, that is to check the exponential and abnormal growth of human population.
But, since the latter thesis is particularly difficult to be explained and above all supported, we are going on step by step.
[1] Hamer DH(1), Hu S, Magnuson VL, Pattatucci AM. A linkage between DNA markers on the X chromosome and male sexual orientation. Science. 1993 Jul 16;261(5119):321-7.
[2] Hu S(1), Pattatucci AM, Patterson C, Li L, Fulker DW, Chermy SS, Kruglyak L, Hamer DH. Linkage between sexual orientation and chromosome Xq28 in males but not in females. Nat Genet.
[3] Marshall E.NH’s”gay gene”study questioned Science. 1995 Jun 30;268(5219):1841
[4] A.R.Sanders,E.R. Martin,G.W.Beecham, S.Guo,K.Dawood,G.Rieger,J.A. Badner,E.S. Gershon,R.S.Krishnappa,A.B.Kolundzija,J.Duan,P.V.Gejman and J.M.Bailey.Genome-wide scan demonstrates significant linkage for male sexual orientation.Psychological Medicine,20140Nov 17:1-10.
[5] Let’s listen to the simple but somehow touching words of a gay doctor who took part in the study about genetics and homosexuality:“as a doctor I know how important is to promote science through lawful research.As a gay I have Known my sexuality has never been a choice of mine,but I haven’t been able to explain to myself or anybody else how I became like that:genetics and environmental influences, it seemed logical.This study tries to reply to the genetic part of the question.The results can give confirmations to the homosexuals who asked the same questions I did.They can improve self-confidence in so many men who asked “why just to me”…….they felt banished…..been prejudiced…..excluded….demonized…..or worse. Perhaps these results might change the minds of those who think homosexuality is a choice rather than something predetermined”.
[6] Like in the case of genetic feedback retroaction or negative retroaction mechanism represented by suicide.
[7] Like in the case of genetic feedback negative retroaction mechanism represented by intraspecific human aggressiveness.
Translated from “Il Virus Intelligente” by Enrica Narducci
To be continued in:
Ferdinando Gargiulo offers you a new perspective on why new viral epidemics, assaults, infanticides, suicide epidemics and even environmental catastrophes. Always engaged in his research decides to create a blog to offer his readers content of high value.