Are People Born Gay?

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The “gay gene” debate is an important one for many.  No matter what side people take on the issue, the discovery of such a gene would likely have a huge impact on society’s understanding of homosexuality. So, is it possible that our sexuality is controlled by an inborn, genetic trait?

For starters, research suggesting a “link” between genes and sexuality does not constitute proof of a gay gene. For instance, studies within the past several decades have led some researchers to conclude that inborn traits may play a role in sexual identity development. While these traits may have a part in the making of human sexuality, no researcher has ever concretely proven the existence of a gay gene or combination of genes inexorably leading to homosexual behavior. Other inborn predispositions, such as personality, body type and voice mannerisms may also lead an individual to adopt a stereotypically “gay” self-perception from an early stage in life, but this does not mean there’s a “gay gene,” nor does it mean that homosexuality can’t be overcome. In fact, there is no complex human behavior, which is purely genetic.

One commonly used argument for the gay gene theory is identical twin studies. Here, it’s important to clarify that the term “identical” is somewhat of a misnomer. More properly, we should refer to monozygotic twin studies and note that the whole field of twin studies as they apply to behavior is very controversial. Even so, what these studies purport to show is that identical twins are more likely to be homosexual than two fraternal twins.

Specifically, the most famous of these findings came in the early 1990s, when researchers J. Michael Bailey and Richard Pillard claimed that if a gay individual had an identical twin, there was a 52-percent chance that the twin would also be gay. If the individual had a fraternal twin, there was only a 22-percent chance. Since identical twins largely share the same DNA, the researchers concluded, this indicated that genetics played a role in homosexual development.

Clearly, there are several problems with these conclusions. For starters, if anything, the results Bailey and Pillard cite point to the huge role that environment plays in influencing behavior. Beyond this, their study has never been replicated and, in fact, efforts to do so have yielded results showing even less genetic influence.

For example, newer, more reliable twin research has even put “gay twin” concordance at a much lower rate, as in the case of a 2001 study by researchers Peter S. Bearman and Hannah Bruckner. This study found a concordance rate of only 6.7 for gay identical twins, compared to 7.2 percent for fraternal twins. The researchers concluded by remarking “social scientists and geneticists alike stress the obvious point that neither genes, nor hormones, nor specific social situations determine sexual behavior by themselves.”

Is there really such a thing as a gay gene? Current research simply doesn’t support the claim, and those who say that it’s so are not dealing with all the facts.

Alan Chambers is the President of Exodus International—the largest worldwide Christian outreach to those dealing with unwanted same-sex attraction.