Homosexuality continues to stir controversy in many countries over the recent past. It refers to same-sex sexual attraction. It is real and existed in the past and the present time. This study seeks to understand the root causes of Homosexuality. The goal is to understand whether Homosexuality is a biological construct (Nature) or a product of the social environment and upbringing (Nurture).
Key Words: Homosexuality, Nature, Nurture.
Introduction
The nature vs. nurture debate explains how particular behaviors in society can be understood as either inherited, relating to biological aspects, or acquired, implying the products of socialization and learned influences. In this regard, nature involves the biological interplay that causes a particular behavior to occur. Examples of nature aspects are genetics and hereditary influences on behavior. Nurture entails several external factors in an individual's life that influence their behavior. Some examples of nurture influences include learning, either from an individual or emulating a famous person. It can also relate to life experiences or exposure to specific conditions in life. This paper provides a literature review on the nature vs. nurture debate on Homosexuality.
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Review of Literature
Today, many men are coming out to announce themselves as homosexuals. Some of the intriguing concerns relate to their expression of facing discrimination, while in other instances, some people label them as pretenders and attention seekers. This aspect reveals that background social constrictions or lack of awareness about an individual’s sexual orientation influence such individuals to declare their sexual preferences explicitly. Various studies have been conducted in Canada and Samoa regions to determine the prevalence of Male Androphilia and f a'afafine, respectively. Semenyna et al.'s (2017) study conceptualized that male Androphilia's prevalence was linked to familial traits. Although the examination of paternal and maternal patterns did not reveal dominance, it was evident that any incidence of male Androphilia traces back to the family lineage. This was also evident among the f a’afafine, a third category gender in Samoa. This research was further supported by Colledani & Ciani's (2021) research that reinstated that xq28, a region located at the X chromosome's tip, is significant in male expression Androphilia and high anxiety levels. From these research studies, it is evident that Homosexuality can be understood as a genetic orientation and hereditary elements. Thus, drawing from this evidence, one can conclude that Homosexuality is a product of nature instead of nurture.
Sexual desires are considered highly connected to the brain. Researchers have been keen to understand the brain's specific components in homosexual males that cause them to feel attracted to other men. Although the sexual brain of the males differs from that of the females, Legato (2020) built his research on Swaab's 1920 study and noted a physiological difference in the anatomy of homosexuals' brains. According to Legato (2020), a portion of the hypothalamus in the homosexual male brain had a unique sexual drive function. When he observed the male heterosexual brain was, the hypothalamus did not have the portion. On further examination, Logeto (2020) also reinstated Swaab's observation that the suprachiasmatic nucleus among males measured high among homosexuals than in heterosexuals. Such structures that are bigger among homosexuals and not found among heterosexual counterparts could explain that Homosexuality is biologically created and cannot be changed since the brain structures are challenging to alter or remove. As such, Homosexuality is understood as a product of nature.
Opponents to the biological connection of homosexuality report that nurture explains the character traits of homosexuality. They reveal real-life port scenarios showing how Homosexuality is a function of the environment, which is nurture. Homosexuality is considered a form of socialization, meaning it is observed or certain factors cause its adaptation. According to a youth survey conducted by Jebeli (2020) on the causes of Homosexuality, the responses from the youth showed that the environment played a significant aspect in informing homosexuality ideas. Popular responses pointed out that popular movies and television shows that were exposed to children at early stages contributed to a greater extent. Such children would then grow knowing that it is right to love another man or a woman. The youth also tend to look after specific celebrities, some of whom are homosexuals. Thus, they tend to draw homosexual practices from celebrities who they admire. Therefore, this information points out that the environment that individuals get exposed to could influence Homosexuality.
The growing numbers of homosexual individuals tend to have psychological complications. When asked why they chose to become homosexuals in Jebeli's (2020) online research, most of them remained undecided with no specific answers. Others stated that they wanted to be happy. Jebeli confirmed that their position could be associated with modern trends and the likelihood of belonging somewhere. Thus, this information only suggests that nurture plays a critical part in informing individual decisions on becoming homosexuals.
Parents play an important role in socializing children and ensuring adherence to the right societal norms and values. Additionally, the family remains the first social institution with the capabilities of instituting behavioral change on an individual from childhood. As such, the idea of tracing sexual orientations occurs due to stress, abuse, and uninformed styles of parenting in the family. Parenting and family relations play a significant role. For instance, Dwayne Wade, a famous basketball star, recently questioned parents who questioned why his son became a girl. He insisted that children have no problem but the parents. This information further builds on Colledani & Ciani's (2021) research online research that the rising case of homosexuals is from broken families. Further information on their research showed that some homosexuals confessed to sexual abuse from the opposite gender, making them develop hatred. Others stated that lack of parental guidance or absent parents during their childhood exposed them to strangers who introduce them to Homosexuality (Colledani & Ciani 2021). From these responses, one can gather that Homosexuality is a product of nurture.
The controversy on whether homosexuality is a product of nature or nurture is not established. Even as proponents of nature hold various biological evidence on the impact of biological formations in Homosexuality, their contributions remain shallow with limited information for reliability. Additionally, while the proponents of the nurture debate rely on the environment as the primary contributor for individuals turning out gay, some of the experiences individuals give cannot be trusted. For instance, individuals who reported abuse during childhood may not be accurate on their account of abuse. Similarly, there is little correlation between abuses like being denied food to Homosexuality.
Overall, from the literature review above, there is no consensus on the causes of Homosexuality or other forms of differed sexuality. While the extensive studies conducted explore possible connections of genetic, hereditary, hormonal, and environmental influences in sexual orientation, no findings have met the standard value of trust and permission for reference. There are also different ways in which people understand their sexual orientation. As researchers continue to enhance efforts to understand the causes of Homosexuality, families and other institutions should strengthen efforts to help those struggling with Homosexuality. Also, it is essential to provide support to those who are unable to express themselves as homosexuals.
References
Colledani, D. &. (2021). A Worldwide Internet Study Based on Implicit Association Test Revealed a Higher Prevalence of Adult Males' Androphilia than Ever Reported Before. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 18 (1), 4-16.
Jebeli, S. J. (2020). Homosexuality, nature or nurture? A theoretical overview. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 9 (3), 153-164.
Legato, M. J. (2020). Homosexuality: the biological basis of differences in sexual orientation. Academia Press , pp. 55-62).
Semenyna, S. W. (2017). Familial patterning and prevalence of male Androphilia in Samoa. he Journal of Sex Research, 54 (8), 1077-1084. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1218416
