An interesting Law & Order episode last night in re: The Gay Gene

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

It revolved around a researcher who claimed to have discovered a "gay gene"--proving, thereby, that being gay is something that is genetic and not learned behavior. However, this researcher went on to work on developing a test that could be given to fetuses to see if they had this gene, the implication being that such fetuses would be aborted. The drama revolved around these facts, and was quite good--as a drama. But it got me thinking--have scientists isolated a "gay gene" and are there scientists who want to create genetic screening tests for the unborn?

[laconicsax]

1. If there is, it would make more sense that such a gene

would predispose an individual towards homosexuality rather than result in a direct correlation. It's my understanding that genes don't always express themselves based on a wide variety of external influences and even when genes are expressed, the effects of other genes result in whatever particular traits being expressed being expressed in different ways rather than in a one-to-one manner.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. This was brought up in the episode

Part of the drama was that a pregnant woman was in a coma, and the father had to decide if he should abort the child or not. The woman had had the screening, and the child had the gene. The father opted to abort. There was a lot of arguments about not, based on the very fact you bring up, and in the end, he opted to let the fetus live.

Since this is a popular program, I figure it has caused a bit of discussion around water coolers today. Usually the plots are "ripped from the headlines", and so I was wondering if the science in this episode was based on fact or fiction.

[Clintonista2]

3. I just went crazy trying to find an old article from my global ethics class from last semester

which dealt with EXACTLY this scenario. I really, really wish I could find it. I remember one part of the article talked about a member of the church funding studies into whether or not there is a "gay gene." The motive behind his funding, of course, is the idea of being able to wipe out this particular form of "sin." I'll keep looking for the article, hopefully I can find it online, you might be interested in it.

[Hellenic_Pagan]

12. I would love to see that.

I have been torn about the "gay gene" thing because of this.

If there is a gay gene, would countries like India suddenly have people getting abortions for fetuses having that gene? Would Islamic countries? What about China? In those countries, women already get abortions for having females. What would stop them from doing it because of a possible GLBT fetus? Laws dont stop illegal abortions.

Also, then would fundies think its biologically ok to discriminate? Would it be like racism?

What would it mean for being bi? In some communities, bi people are looked down already. Would people see bi as "purely a choice" and having less of a right to their sexuality then gays or straight ppl?

I kinda hope it is genetic, because it would support the "i was born this way" feeling most people have about thier sexuality and gender preference. But would it mean that there might be more discrimination and bashing, because people have more fear over people being "made that way"?

How would fundies or other ppl like that feel? Because this would mean that the gods - or wait, God (of the fundie bible) - made them like that. What would that mean for thier hateful interpretations of those verses in Leviticus?

This is a good discussion.

I would REALLY love to read that paper if you can find it!

[qb]

4. They've supposedly identified a "gay gene" in fruit flies...

It sounds like they've just confused the fruit flies' response to pheromones... a far cry from "sexual orientation". Human sexual development is far more complicated, involving different stages for physical and mental development, and various hormones at different stages of fetal development (I'm paraphrasing from memory - "Genome" by Matt Ridley). I doubt they'll ever identify a single "gay gene", but I think the biological roots of sexual orientation are well established.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/po/20071212/co_po/studyfindsgaygeneinfruitflies

SUMMARY: Scientists have found that a gene can turn on and off homosexual impulses in fruit flies.

Researchers in Chicago have discovered a gene that identifies homosexuality in fruit flies, which can be turned on and off with drugs. David Featherstone, a biologist at the University of Illinois, said that while humans have a similar gene, it has yet to be determined whether that gene has any effect on same-sex attractions in humans.

Researchers have found that fruit flies with a mutated "gender-blind" gene are bisexual. The flies cannot tell the difference between male and female pheromones, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The mutation strengthens synapses, causing the flies to overreact to the pheromones. This causes the fruit flies to be attracted to both males and females.

"The mutant males treated other males exactly the same way normal male flies would treat a female," Featherstone said in the article. "They even attempted copulation."

The study tested the hypothesis by giving the bisexual fruit flies drugs that weakened their synapses. Within hours the flies engaged exclusively in heterosexual activity. The group also gave heterosexual flies drugs that strengthened their synapses, causing them to be attracted to both male and female flies. (The Advocate)
If you'd like to know more, you can find stories related to Study finds gay gene in fruit flies.
According to the article messing with this gene

...edited for clarity

[NMMNG]

5. If a definitive "gay gene" were discovered

Millions of fundies would become Pro-choice overnight. That would be a stop-gap measure until they could find a way to eradicate homosexuality in the womb. Such is the intensity of their hatred and their desire for conformity.

[dsc]

6. Law and Order really stepped up this season so far

This episode was a throwback to its glory years. Mark my words this issue will rear its head in the future.

[BillSam]

8. I thought it was a "throwback" to the 80's as well but not

necessarily in a good sense.

Great premise, but I thought in some ways it missed the boat.

http://jatgab.blogspot.com/2008/01/of-fruit-flies-and-law-and-order.html

[TheWraith]

7. No, and I doubt that anyone will find a "gay gene," at least any time soon.

Genetics is a hell of a lot more complex than most people give it credit for. Think of it as a switchboard with roughly 3 billion levers, any of which may cause others to do something unexpected. I doubt that anyone will find a "gay gene," any more than they'll find a gene for being left-handed. It happens somehow, but it's not as simple as a line item. We don't even yet know how exactly someone is gay--what relationship genetics has to biochemistry, whether everyone who's gay is gay for the same reason, what causes or stimulates bisexuality and bisexual behavior, if it's related to purely homosexual drives, and if so how. There's a lot of questions, and we need to answer pretty much all of them before there's even a remote chance of being able to fashion a "gay test," if such a thing is even possible.

[insleeforprez]

9. Eugenics

Whenever this situation comes up, I don't think that it's an issue of gay rights, but rather an issue of eugenics, a subject on which I am NOT an expert. It always comes down to the fact that only the rich would be able to have this surgery, which would mean that the LGBT children of poorer people would live very lonely lives, with no one in the world to love.

And no, they haven't found a gay gene yet. Unless you're talking about him:

[terrya]

10. This sounds exactly like an excellent movie I saw..."Twilight of the Golds"

It offered a same sort of premise...that homosexuality could be discovered in the fetus and parents could have the choice of aborting a child who was discovered to be gay or lesbian.

It's a topic that should be further discussed. I'm glad "Law and Order" did an episode about it.

[davidinalameda]

11. couldn't remember the name of that movie!

thanks

I was thinking the same thing

and any movie that has Brendan Fraser playing gay, you gotta love it!

[derzauberberg]

13. I have it . . .

The gay gene is definitely dominant in my genetic makeup; nothing dormant about it.