Older Brothers May Predict If Boy Will Be Gay

[Roon]

WASHINGTON -- A Canadian study found that having several older brothers increases the likelihood of a man being gay.

Researchers said the finding added weight to the idea that there is a biological basis for sexual orientation.

The study involved four groups of Canadian men, 944 in all. Researchers analyzed the number of brothers and sisters each had, whether or not they lived with those siblings and whether the siblings were related by blood or adopted.

They found that having several older brothers increased the chance of a man being gay, but only if they all had the same mother. It did not matter if they lived together.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/family/9426194/detail.html

Just thought this was interesting. My little brother and I have different natural fathers, the same mother, and we are both gay. My boyfriend is one of 7 brothers and he and one of his younger brother is gay.

[Ravenseye]

1. Yeah I read about this somewhere else

It's very interesting. It's, from what I understand, the only real statistical evidence they have about how people 'become' homosexual. With the same mother, father doesn't matter, how many boys she gives birth to, the individual rates of each successive one being gay increase and increase. Must be some sort of biochemical thing in the woman's body. So it's a natural aspect of being human.

It also explains why the youngest brother used to always become a priest.

ba dum bum.

Sorry couldn't resist.

[Nickster]

2. Geez, one more thing my brother can blame me for. LoL n/t

[KurtNYC]

3. This came out about 2 months back

there are longer summaries of the findings. The likely mechanism cited is some kind of immune response by the mother which increases with each male-bearing pregnancy. I believe the longer version said each successive male child had a 30% higher chance of being gay. By my math that means male #4 is 90% likely to be gay and #5 has a 120% chance ( a percentage usually only seen in sports hyperbole "gonna give it 110%).

[Gormy Cuss]

5. With those math skills, don't quit your day job.

:P
The question of interest to me is why would triggering homosexuality be a good thing as an immune response? I can come up with theories, but I wonder how long it will take for scientists to prove a reason for this.

There are many of these interesting observations about birth order lately. Two different studies in the past few years pointed to oldest daughters of young mothers as the most likely children to reach centarian status. Theories there are that younger eggs may be the best quality and therefore these children had an advantage.

[Ravenseye]

8. It caps at about 5%

Average chance of being gay is abotu 3% but at about 5 older brothers the numbers cap at about 5% chance of being gay.

[tigereye]

4. I have three brothers - none of them are gay

that's very interesting, though. But there are likely to be a lot of genetic factors, too though, wouldn't you say?

[Ravenseye]

10. Hell there could be plenty of factors

All this study is saying is that biological brothers from the same mother, no matter the father or where or how they are raised, have an increasing chance of being gay from around 3% to around 5% at the highest level. Step brothers living in the same households break this pattern, showing that male homosexuality most likely doesn't have an environmental cause.

That's really all teh study says. Why this happens is still hypothetical. Genetics? Mothers immune response? Nobody knows. What this does though is give strong indication that male homosexuality is probably biological and tied to the mother somehow.

[tigereye]

12. that's why these kinds of studies can be so weird

and misinterpreted - they can look like a fishing expedition - I'd be curious to see who funded it. (sorry, I guess I could actually look!);)

whoops!

[Ravenseye]

13. I agree

This one though looks valid though. I'd like to see a larger study to confirm or deny it though.

[tigereye]

14. at least it isn't being done by the "family" research council

[Bunny]

6. I have five brothers.

The first three are straight, the fourth one is gay, and the fifth one is straight.

Edited to add that we all have the same mother and father.

[Ravenseye]

9. probabilities

The probability increases of being gay from about 3% to 5% the more older biological brothers you have from the same mother, but still it's a small percentage chance, and once one is gay, it doesn't mean each successive one will be as well.

You could easily have an oldest brother be gay, and have 10 younger brothers all straight.

[maxsolomon]

11. here's how it works

the first three built up the odds of a gay one to 90%, then the odds went back down to 0%.

i think gude! :crazy:

[giant_robot]

7. lol. I read your subject line,

"Older Brothers May Predict if Boy Will Be Gay", and I thought, of course they will! That's what big brothers do. :P

[LynneSin]

15. What happens if the older brother is gay

:shrug:

Or did they find in this bizarro study that older brothers are immune from becoming gay?

[Duncan Grant]

16. I'm gay and a first born male -- without brothers.

While the research is interesting, I find that I'm more interested in the need to develop a methodology to identify or explain 'gayness'. I believe that choosing to be gay is a perfectly acceptable option. It's a radical opinion these days.

And btw, have we figured out why there are lesbians yet? ;)

[Patiod]

17. Because men are so damned difficult?

That's just my guess, though.

[Duncan Grant]

18. LOL!

Nah, couldn't be. :D

[LynneSin]

19. Perhaps you're not a gay man

Have you considered that ;p

[Duncan Grant]

20. I could always ask my Mom for a brother, just to remove any doubt.

:7

[Misunderestimator]

21. LOL @ your second question...

Interesting that these studies are almost always about gay men. I've yet to see a study that concentrates entirely or even predominantly on gay women.

[Duncan Grant]

22. It's your hypothalamus.

I'm so glad we got that sorted out. :P

[Monk06]

23. Statistics reveal nothing about family dynamics or indiviual sexuality.

[Deja Q]

25. Yet only 37% would agree with you...

:hide:

[Monk06]

26. Well that 37% are a bunch of fags. HYPNO, where yo bin we were worried!!

[Deja Q]

24. Only child here...

Nobody's perfect. :D