Is sexuality biological?

[F4lconF16]

I've been doing some reading lately, and one of the books I am reading makes a really good case for sexuality being fluid, the expression of which is limited by society's openness to and understanding of different types of sexuality. It's really given my understanding of sexuality a good shaking, and honestly, I agree with it. It's helped me to understand my sexuality significantly better as well, and makes sense to my experience.

I know most people who argue that sexuality is not innate are wingnut religious homophobes, but I promise this is coming from the exact opposite direction.

I'm not sure I understand the arguments well enough to discuss them, but I'm curious as to what your thoughts are on where sexuality originates.

[jakeXT]

1. I don't know, but I was always fascinated by the hormonal theory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prenatal_hormones_and_sexual_orientation

[asharpwone]

2. The truth is that no one really knows. And reading only one theory is probably dangerous.

The probability, with all human and animal (and some living plant activity) on this planet is that there are multiple factors and matrixes, especially for something as complex and evolved as human sexuality.

The nature/nurture model works sometimes, other theories come into play as we understand and learn more about the human genome, and how certain genes may "fire-off" during gestation/pregnancy for some people and not for others. Societal acceptance or revulsion toward same-sex attractions are probably also a factor least understood since our data collection methods are so recent and so imperfect.

Be sure to keep reading and discussing this, I doubt the jury will come up with a verdict in my lifetime.

[TDale313]

3. like most things, there's probably a blend of nature and nurture.

It'd be nice if we reached a point where it was an interesting, but largely academic question. In some ways, the more interesting question at this point is does it really matter? Because often, the arguement in the past (and still to some extent now, but hopefully less so) was "I can't help being this way, it's who I am. I can't change it" Which is kinda understandable if the arguements are that it's a negative behavior or even a mental illness that can be "fixed" At some point the even more radical position, to me, becomes "nature or nurture, fluid or more fixed, it's who I am (or you are) and doesn't need to be fixed"

[safeinOhio]

4. I look at it as a very gray area.

I don't think you can define it as either, or.

In college anthropology, any trait that is across all societies and across time, has a genetic component to it.

[LostOne4Ever]

5. Could sexuality be fluid?

[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]I think so.

I think we as liberals have this narrative that sexuality is something that is constant and there from the moment of conception. But I think that is a distortion of the truth that we rely on to debate people who are unable to accept or, much less, willing to understand complexity.

My experience in biology has taught me that biological systems are often steeped in complexity. Very few traits have just one gene or one factor that can effect how it is expressed.

For example, eye color is often used as an example of a trait that is affected by one gene. You either are homogeneous for the blue eye trait or you have at least one allele for brown eyes giving you brown eyes. So everyone has either brown eyes or blue eyes right? Nope. There are a large variety of eye colors.

Liz Taylor for example had naturally purple eyes:

And these eye colors are actually controlled by multiple genes.

Probably the most common example of this are people with green eyes....like me. If you tore my DNA apart and looked at the eye color gene you would find that I am homogeneous for blue eye color. But my eyes are green? This is because I have the genes for an added yellow pigment in my eyes that makes them appear green.

Now, human sexuality is affect by a huge numbers of different factors. Some genetic, some environmental, and some mental. Pheromones, hormones, psychology, sociology, sexual attraction, romantic attraction, aesthetic attraction, and of course how your brain is wired all play a role. So it only makes sense that there are tons of different ways that things could deviate from the "average" or "mode" expression of sexuality in humans.

And when we look at reality we see that sexuality is indeed expressed in a variety of sexualities. There are heterosexuals and homosexuals, but there are also bisexuals, asexuals, pan-sexuals, demisexuals, lithsexuals, and many more. Given this it would not surprise me to find that there are people whose sexuality is fluid.

But the important thing to note is that this does not mean its controllable. Even someone whose sexuality is fluid, probably can't say im going to be heterosexual today. It just doesn't work that way.



Just my $0.02.[/font]