Homosexuality – Nature or Nurture?
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Homosexuality – nature or nurture? That is the question. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, today we will discuss whether homosexuality is cause of nature – that is, as a biologically inherited trait, or nurture – as a choice that is developed through environmental surroundings. Homosexuality is accordingly the physical or sexual attraction for the same sex. Our team, the affirmatives, will be arguing that homosexuality is a biologically inherited trait – nature, that is. The negatives will be opposing this argument, arguing that homosexuality is a choice shaped by the environment – nurture. I, as first speaker, would firstly share with you the history in relation to homosexuality and the knowledge of hormones produced biologically in homosexuals. Ashleigh as our second speaker will be extending on the argument and will be addressing the certain genes in which causes homosexuality. She will also be looking on how the brain structure, such as the hypothalamus, differs in homosexuals. Our third speaker, Haylee, will be providing you with some convincing statistics on homosexual identical twins, and will be discussing how homosexuality traits are found throughout the animal kingdom and are not against nature. Sarum will lastly summarize our arguments and reinforce that homosexuality is biologically predetermined.
It is evident that homosexuality is a trait in which emerged from a very early stage of history. According to Robert J. Bunchanan, author of “Homosexuality in History”, the earliest accounts of homosexuality was during the ancient Pagan practices, where various worship of gods were considered to show interest towards the same gender. Paganism was found to have appeared from around 75 000 BC. At around 12000 BC, artworks and artifacts have displayed and suggested people interested in the same sex. Great historic figures have also implied this interest, such as Socrates and Aristotle, whose statements were proposing the idea that true friendship would only exist among men. These figures dated back to the date of 384 BC. However, not only was homosexual behaviour evident throughout history, it was also evident in many cultures and continents; to name a few, Africa, North and South America, East Asia, and Europe. For example, a considerably discerning remark over the behaviour of homosexuality was found in 600 BC in ancient China. It can be therefore put to question, with the history and spread of this certain trait, could homosexuality have always been part of human’s nature? Could homosexuality be passed down genetically, to be evident even today? Arguably, homosexuality is biologically predetermined.
Convincingly, many researches have also provided evidence of how hormones influence the orientation of sex. This is mainly apparent during the fetal period of an individual, and has been described as a primary determiner for later sexual identity. Professor A. Dean Byrd, the clinical professor of the University of Utah, supports this theory. He states that “those abnormal levels of various hormones in the womb cause a person to become attracted to his or her same sex”, and that “human sexual development in the womb depends on various levels of hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and androgen.” He also adds that though these hormones were produced during the fetal development, often “something would go wrong either with the amount of hormone produced or the time in which it is produced,” which possibly determines the sexual orientation of the individual. Thus, it was during the birth stages of an individual which possibly influenced the sexual orientation and for later, sexual identity of the individual. It could be said therefore, that by genetically and naturally, homosexuality is determined.
More recently, researches have discovered how pheromones, number of mating partners, MRI scans and androgen levels are affected by the prenatal hormones. The measuring of pheromones – that is, the “scent-related chemicals key to sexual arousal in animals” – were also crucial to the defining of heterosexuals and homosexuals. A study had showed that brain activity in homosexuals had different results to heterosexuals when certain pheromones were presented. This study reinforces our argument, that homosexuality is a biologically predetermined trait.
The long history, the great historical figures, the diversity of cultures have all illustrated that homosexuality has been ‘fit’ enough to survive and be genetically passed down to today’s time. Hormones evidently affecting the sexual orientation and identity of an individual are also known to be passed down by birth, naturally and biologically. Hormones will possibly affect the brain activity, pheromones, number of mating partners and androgen levels. Our next speaker will be furthering our debate by discussing the genes and the hypothalamus – brain structure – of homosexuals. All in all, with that said, homosexuality is a naturally predetermined trait.
