Essay about The Homosexual Brain - 1502 Words

The Homosexual Brain? In 1992, Vice-President Dan Quayle said that homosexuality is more of a choice than a biological situation...It is a wrong choice. (1). Quayles statement counters the sentiment of many homosexuals that their sexual orientation is neither a lifestyle nor a personal choice, it is innate and unchangeable (2) . Is homosexuality a choice or does sexual preference have a biological basis? This question is at the forefront of academic, scientific, political, legal and media consciousness (3). The debate over homosexuality has influenced a myriad of research in finding a biological cause for differences in sexual behavior. The quest to find a biological substrate for homosexuality resembles an earlier movement in†¦show more content†¦Prenatal and perinatal hormones organize the components of the brain and create either a male or female brain and thereby produce male or female typical behavior (5). The most sexually dimorphic region of the brain is located in the hypothalamus. The sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) is the most differentiated portion of the brain between sexes. In humans, the SDN is twice as large in young adult men than it is in women. The SDN-POA also plays an essential role in the secretion of gonadotropin, maternal behavior, and sexual behavior in many mammals and therefore implies that it is critical in human sexual behavior. There are four cell groups located in this preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area. These four groups have been termed the Interstitial Nuclei of the Anterior Hypothalamus (INAH 1-4). Research done on these cell groups shows that the INAH-3 is about three times larger in the male brain than it is in the female brain (6). The INAH-2 is twice as large in the male brain than the female brain (6). The importance of these regions in sexual differentiation (between the sexes) led scientists to believe that sexual orientation could be on a continuum in this area of neurological research (7). From this previous work on the anterior hypothalamus, LeVay hypothesized that the INAH 2 or 3 would be larger in men who sexually prefer women thanShow MoreRelatedHow Does Homosexuality And Heterosexuality Evolve? Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pagesthat influence to a development of human sexual orientation. However, being homosexual or bisexual is not mentally ill or abnormal in certain ways, although sexual minority is part of social problems that makes output from misinformation or prejudicial attitude. Diversity in sexual orientation has been a subject that has been seen in different perspectives by the different people (LeVay, 2010). Today there are the homosexuals, heterosexuals and bisexuals orientated people are forming a part of ourRead MoreTheories of Homosexuality849 Words   |  4 Pagesperspective of deviance, sociologists have linked homosexuality to hormones, genes and the brain (Taylor, Thio Schwartz, 2013). Hormonal theory does not describe a cause of homosexuality. Genetic Theory describes the cause of homosexuality as people being born gay. The brain theory is much more in depth about the cause of homosexuality. It states that the size of a person’s hypothalamus will cause them to be homosexual or not. Gay’s hypothalamuses were less than half of the size of straights. The sociologicalRead MoreDoes Homosexuality Change the Brain or the Brain Results in Homosexuality?1039 Words   |  5 Pagesresult from differential hormone balance in the wombs of those who eventually exhibit a homosexual orientation. According to a study, the question is whether homosexual practice changes the brain or whether the brain results in homosexual practice. According to Dr. Hamer, male homosexuality might be linked to a set of five DNA sequences located on the Xq28 region of the X chromosome. Therefore, if homosexual orientAtion were completely genetic, one would expect that it would not change over the courseRead MorePsychology And Science Of A Heterosexual And Homosexual Man Through The Course Of Nature Vs. Nurture1168 Words   |  5 PagesThis is an exploration that will summarize and investigate the researched biology and science background comparing the neurological anatomy and science of a heterosexual and homosexual man through the studies; Simon LeVay, Rosell i, Hamers, Sanders, Hansen. The perception of whether homosexuality conforms to the course of nature vs. nurture can influence the amount of scrutiny judged upon affected individuals. So, the purpose of this extended essay is to answer the research question of to what extentRead MoreEssay on The Cause of Homosexual Behaviors1255 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cause of Homosexual Behaviors The cause of homosexual behaviors has long been a controversial topic debated by scientists, psychologists, and many others among the general population. The Newsweek article Born or Bred discusses many possible causes of homosexuality. According to the research done in 1991 by neuroscientist Simon LeVay, the area of the brain that controls sexual activity called the hypothalamus, was less than half the size in homosexual males compared to heterosexual malesRead MoreThe Issue of Gay Marriage864 Words   |  3 Pagesshould have doesn’t work. A critical argument against gay marriage, is that being gay is a â€Å"choice† therefore it shouldn’t be promoted and spread. This is false because one who is truly homosexual is naturally sexually attracted to the same sex. A heterosexual male cannot just make a choice to engage in homosexual intercourse. Not long ago, African Americans were unable to marry Caucasians. This form of discrimination, given being gay isn’t a race, is still blanketed a civil rights issue. A personRead MoreHomosexuality: Is It A Choice? (Pro)800 Words   |  4 Pages Homosexuality: Is It A Choice? (Pro) The term homosexual originated in 1892, to describe two people of the same gender that were attracted to each other. All though Homosexual behavior between species has been dated back to the beginning of time. Today in the United States based on Population surveys more then eight-million adults alone in the U.S are homosexual. Many people believe that Homosexuality is a scientific, and is no more of a choice then the color of your skin. CrystalRead MoreHomosexuality And Its Effect On Society Essay1307 Words   |  6 PagesSome of those reasons are tied into religion, taboo due to the norms, or from an individual’s personality. From these major reasons, it has caused homosexuals to be discriminated from verbal assault, physical assault, and to the point of even death. The victims from this issue is not only the homosexual, but also their family and friends. For some homosexuals their family and friends might be accepting of their sexuality or reject it. Fearful of their own li ves, their friends and families are put inRead MoreEssay about Causes of Homosexuality - Nature AND Nuture564 Words   |  3 Pages Many people cannot understand why anyone would want to get involved in homosexual activity. There are many arguments about homosexuality whether is by nature or nurture. Before we make judgments on homosexuality, we need to identify the causes of homosexuality. Homosexuality is caused by genetic, biological and environmental factors. The first possible cause of homosexuality is genetic factors. Homosexuality is a trait from birth (Buchanan, 2000). Studies found that identical twins share manyRead More Homosexuals are Not Born Gay Essays1369 Words   |  6 Pagesa young boy has a feminine throw he may be homosexual. Also if he has a soft or high voice this would be another detection that one would be homosexual. There have been many conclusions and statements as to what causes homosexuality. These are the traits that normally are classed with someone who is homosexual. The popular argument in today’s society is that homosexuality is something that is inborn, genetically linked to an enlarged gland in the brain or due to a particular chromosome. This would