... (0 comments)This video (highlighted by Sully) is a fascinating piece by National Geographic that explores the possible explanations for why one identical twin can turn out straight while the other turns out gay:
One thing that irks me about the start of the piece is how it refers to the “controversial question” of “Are people born gay?“.
I suppose that it’s accurate to describe it as a “controversial” question, but only in the category of controversial questions like “Did humans evolve from monkeys” or “Is the Earth more than 6,000 years old?”.
The only reason the “controversy” exists is because nuts peddle religion-inspired nonsense that seeks to refute all scientific evidence to the contrary.
The only true “controversy” in scientific circles on this question is what specific combination of biological factors (e.g., genetics, hormonal levels in the womb, epigenetics, etc.) come together to produce The Gay.
There is no serious debate as to whether being gay is a product of a volitional choice after birth.
Anyway, that’s it for my rant. Very good video otherwise :).
Leave a Reply
Fast Food
Unhinged vagina-shackler on Komen’s volte face:Cancer is Cancer! Aboration is Aboration!
(0 comments)Since it’s Mitt Romney week everywhere, I figured I’d post this op-ed by an ex-Mormon, which is a pretty interesting take at the institutional culture of the LDS church. Not much to say about it, but it’s definitely worth 5 or so minutes of your time. (0 comments)Why Bipartisanship Is Impossible, In One Sentence
When one party climbs back to power by promising action on the economy, does nothing on it, and instead spends literally all its time trying to hurt the other party. (0 comments)New From The Gingrich-Cain Front
Newt rants about cable movies he doesn’t like, and flips out when Herman tries to seize control. Catch all the fun here. And the main site is here, as always. (0 comments)Headline of the Week: Making Rapeanade
Leave it to TBogg:
(0 comments)Rick Santorum Suggests That When Life Gives You Rape, You Should Make Rapeanade Back when I was in junior high and the Clinton Impeachment was going on, I could hardly have imagined that Clinton would be used as an excuse for wrongdoing by Republican leaders. But that’s where we are. Interesting, isn’t it? (0 comments)Catch up with the official Gingrich-Cain “Great Statesmen” series over at @GingrichCain12. (0 comments)Only 65% of White Americans Have a Favorable Opinion of MLK Jr
…with a whimper. Drum is worth reading on this. I think he’s just got to be the most overhyped and overcovered guy who never managed better than third place since…Joe Lieberman? (0 comments)Mitt Romney's Overwhelming Inauthenticity
It’s amazing to me that Mitt Romney brings up France as a scary comparison point to himself so often when he spent years there and speaks the language. It’s such a minor point, but telling. Of all the people running for president, Mitt Romney has to be the most aware that the rightwing caricature of ... (0 comments)Mother Teresa Doesn't Deserve Sainthood
Case in point. It’s amazing how all the famous/respected Catholic figures from the 1990s have turned out to be incredibly corrupt, isn’t it? I’m sure they’re somehow connected. Of course, as I’m a Protestant I know little about such things. (1 comments)I Fixed It! Ban Sitting Politicians From Running For Another Office
Wonkette reminded me of one of the provisions that I want to write into my fantasy Constitution:No person who holds any elected office shall be permitted to seek election to any other office until he shall have permanently vacated his current post.
(2 comments)The Kardashians want their own magazine?
Unintentionally hilarious: “Bachmann, 55, told a small group of supporters Tuesday night that she was staying in the presidential race…”What other kind of group of Bachmann supporters could there be?(0 comments)Santorum Finishes #2, Sliding Down In The Final Minutes To Lose To Romney
I was really hoping that Santorum would win the Iowa caucuses. The disgustingly puerile humor would have lasted for WEEKS! (0 comments)Good stuff: The National Labor Relations Board announced on Wednesday that it had adopted new rules that would speed up unionization elections, its last major policy decision before it drops to two members and can no longer make new decisions. It approved the rules in a 2-to-1 vote. The labor board said the new rules, which have ... (0 comments)A Dinosaur Infringed On A Patent For Rocks...
Reading this lead-in to an article today made me think of cavemen and dinosaurs:“The long-running antitrust suit Novell filed regarding Microsoft’s alleged tactics to prevent WordPerfect from running properly in Windows 95 seemed to be on the verge of conclusion…”
... (0 comments)
(DOWN THE VINE
Syndication
Though I've always known that sexual preference is something we're born with, I've also wondered what causes one identical twin to be born gay while the other is born straight. I know a pair of twins like this and I'm really pleased that science is beginning to find the answers. Thanks for the post.
you're welcome! most of the science seems to point to a complex combination of factors that influence testosterone production and its subtle influence on the fetal brain. it appears to be a complex interrelationship between hormones, brain development, genetics and epigenetics, and isn't easily reducible to some easy flip-switch explanation (e.g. "Gene X is either active or inactive")
It should not matter in the United States whether sexual preferences are genetic or choice, the constitution does not outlaw, ban or even mention a restriction on the rights of gay individuals. What we are fighting here is custom and religious bigotry.