@Nimis I thought Levay’s work showed a physiological difference, but didn’t necessarily show a genetic difference? That what he discovered in the brain could have been from environmental causes? I don’t know the specifics of his study though.
@augustlan Everything I have read seems to indicate there is a genetic predisposition, but environment plays a part. But, environment counts. We lay pathways in our brains as we experience the environment, and even though the brain can be changed to some extent, I believe in that for some things, for the most part I think we get rather hard wired by adulthood. If a person is wired that way for whatever reason, it is awful to me that we try to make a person deny this part of themselves. I guess there would have to be studies of babies brains and hormone levels, and followed through adulthood, which I have never seen, to see if they can predict homosexuality. I also think the research for in utero fetal experience and exposure to hormones in various levels is a valid area of study for homosexuality, it makes sense to me. That would be environmental, not genetic maybe, but how can you really separate it from a biological standpoint if the baby is born with that sexual identity?
I also know many of my homosexual friends had what I would call inappropriate “gay” sexual experiences at a young age. I put gay in quotes because it really was pedophilia in my opinion, as the other person was much older, minimum older teenager to adult, while my friends were young children or very young teens. I have no idea the actual statistical incidence of this. Does that mean the older person clued into something about the young boy? Or, that the young boy became influenced sexually by this event?
Maybe the idea of sexual fluidity further suggests environmental factors. That as society is more accepting of bisexuality and homosexuality we see more of it. But, of course that is a tricky number to verify, since in years past homosexuality was hidden, and the numbers would not be accurate.