Genetics and Biological Factors Contribute Significantly to Sexual Identity and Object Choice
The issue of sexual identity and object choice is widely debated among the American public. While the scientific community offers strong support for genetic and biological influences, much of the American public would argue that homosexuality is a choice made by the individual, not a genetic predisposition. I would have to agree with the opinion that genetics and other biological factors contribute significantly to sexual identity and object choice. The scientific evidence, which includes many extensive studies and years of research, overwhelmingly suggests that our genetics, in combination with our environment have a major effect on our sexual preference.
Numerous scientific studies support the theory that sexual identity is decided by our genetics. Major studies have been conducted using both fraternal and identical twins that suggest sexuality is directly influenced by our genes. An Australian study used nearly 5,000 sets of fraternal and identical twins, questioning them on their sexual preferences and lifestyles. The results of this study showed that the concordance for homosexuality was 30% (Bailey). There have been many twin studies conducted to study homosexuality, and many critics claim the results are not an accurate measure of the effect of genetics on sexual preference. They argue that more gay siblings are likely to volunteer for these studies, which makes the data inherently inaccurate. Strong support exists for the results of these studies mainly due to their diversity; numerous studies have been conducted in many countries using many different parameters, which helps solidify the accuracy of the results. Twin studies have also been conducted by Oxford University and Yale University, which provided similar results, supporting the findings made in the Australian study (Bailey).
Other studies have looked directly at genes and chromosomes in an...