Study Shuns The Idea Of A 'Gay Gene'

Study Shuns The Idea Of A ‘Gay Gene’

by Vanya Sharma published on - August 30, 2019

A breakthrough study into the understanding of homosexuality sheds light on the impossibility of a single ‘gay gene’. The research done by a team of scientists from Harvard and Cambridge and published in the journal Science ^[1]suggests that same-sex sexual behavior is not determined by a single gene, but a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors.

This genome-wide analyses performed on half a million individuals from the UK and US reveals that only five loci (individual bits of genetic code) were linked to same-sex sexuality, thereby serving as a meaningless predictor in the identification of sexual behavior.

Although the study does not tell us a lot about the exact biological factors playing a role in same-sex sexual behavior, it is a step ahead for the advancement of research in this area of study.

A sociologist from the University of Oxford, Mills, in an interview, said that this study serves as further evidence in the misinformation of the previous claims of the presence of a ‘gay gene’ on the X-chromosome.

Last updated - October 18, 2019.

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About the Author

Vanya Sharma is a writer at heart with interests in the health and nutrition domain and has experience in content creation, collaboration, and content strategy. Vanya has completed the “Introduction to Food and Health” certificate program from Stanford University, US. She aims to bring unbiased and helpful information to all those seeking to make their health and lifestyle a priority.

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