Mothers' genetic skew linked to gay sons

[growler_south]

10:26 09 November 04

Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition.


There has been much debate over “gay genes”. Now an intriguing study raises another possibility: in some cases, variations in the genetic program we inherit from our parents, rather than in the genes themselves, might determine sexual preference.

Our genome is “programmed” by the addition of chemical markers called methyl groups to the DNA, which shut down genes. One of the most dramatic examples of methylation is the shutdown of one of the two X chromosomes (one from each parent) in every woman’s cells, a process called X-inactivation.

Normally, this process is random; either of the X chromosomes can be inactivated.

But when Sven Bocklandt of the University of California, Los Angeles, compared blood and saliva samples from 97 mothers of gay men with samples from 103 mothers without gay children he found this process was extremely skewed in the mothers with gay sons, with one X chromosome being far more likely to be inactivated than the other.

link to New Scientist article

Comments

[beastbriskett.livejournal.com]

I guess this means that it IS my mother's fault.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Heh heh.. At one stage my mum was worried that I'd been molested at my (catholic, boys only) school, and that had made me gay. *sigh* if only I had, it would have made school much more enjoyable, plus I would have had a huge payout from the Pope by now!!

Mum Says:

[(Anonymous)]

You cheeky thing, don't think you can 'blame' me for this. But hey, you are still very special and it that means its my fault that you are 'special' then I take full responsibility. I love you regardless (as I am sure Mo and Rick do ((in their own way)).

My day is going fine now that I have had a good chuckle about this.

Love, Mum.

[smellykaka.livejournal.com]

So how does genetics explain bisexuality? I assume it would have been mentioned if this study had covered that.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

This study only appears to cover mothers of gay males, not mothers of bisexuals, asexuals, or lesbians. And only 14% of mothers of gay males showed the skewing- so theres a good 86% of mothers whose sons' inclinations need to be explained. Perhaps bisexuals etc are a result of this large 'other' category...

Of course theres alwyas Phoebe's song:
now some men like women
and some men like men
And some men are bisexuals
But some people say theyre just kidding themselves...

La la la la la la
la la la la la la... (etc)

That may be so, but...

[subwoofr.livejournal.com]

2 sexual preferences that I definitely DID NOT inherit from my mom:
-- lanky, hairless men
-- battery operated toys

[sbduk.livejournal.com]

Hmm, not so sure about this. Can't speak from G's experience but is it not more complex? E.g. I have never slept or even kissed a blonde lass, they just don't do it for me. Neither for that matter do Afro Caribbean girls but I'd cut a testicle of to sleep with an Indian or Pakistani girl. I don't have an attraction to men but neither do I have the knee jerk "bash the fcuking sick queer" reaction either. If it were as simple as being in your genes surely peoples sexuality would be black and white? Or should that be pink or brown?

BTW a question for you gay gents, do you feel a need to explain (I didn't say justify) to yourselves your sexual preference by this sort of means? Interested.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, its definitely more complex than gay/straight... a lot of it, for me, is in the values I learned from my parents- since I was taught to respect everyone and their beliefs equally, I was perhaps more inclined to explore other sexualitites without the self-loathing that many gay men experience.

Thats not to say I 'chose' to be gay- I've been attracted to men for as long as I can remember- but occasionally (very occasionally) when I find myself attracted to a girl, I dont freak out that I'm not 'gay' any more- I'm just me.

[debxena.livejournal.com]

but occasionally (very occasionally) when I find myself attracted to a girl, I dont freak out that I'm not 'gay' any more- I'm just me.

Aww, sweetie! You're such a flirt! *grin*

See you Sat am?