Identity and Orientation, Again.

by on

As the Washington Blade reports, a new study by an associate of controversial researcher Michael Bailey claims, in Bailey-like fashion, that same-sex sexual orientation is an outgrowth of gender confusion at an early age. Other researchers dispute this as a causal factor, while still others find there may be an association in some instances but not enough to form a general rule. Confusion reigns; though many believe homosexuality is hard wired in the brain (pick your cause-genetics or hormones in the womb).

Interestingly, many simply ignore effeminate but clearly heterosexual men, and masculine but clearly heterosexual women. Such factors tend to mess up perfectly clear theorizing.
-- Stephen H. Miller

7 Comments for “Identity and Orientation, Again.”

  1. posted by DSH on

    Many of these themes are already under discussion at: http://gayspecies.blogspot.com/2006/04/homosexual-origins-who-cares.html

  2. posted by CPT_Doom on

    Actually, from what I understand of the research presented by the news program is that the researchers have discovered a not-very-surprising phenomenon – those children who are most gender non-conforming are also most likely to be gay. Given that the biological processes behind homosexuality appear to “feminize” men and “masculinize” women, it should be no shock at all. Of course, it still does not tell us that a person who is gender non-conforming is, in fact, gay, but let’s just say if you’re betting on the fact, it’s a good bet.

  3. posted by raj on

    Calling Bailey a researcher is a bit too kind. A propagandist is more like it.

    Queer Science: A data-bending psychologist confirms what he already knew about gays and transsexuals.

    And the “research” methodology engaged in by Baily’s student, as described in the Washington Blade article, was ridiculous in the extreme. Quite frankly, they give a bad name to psychology as a science. A pseudo-science, perhaps, but not a science.

  4. posted by Randy R. on

    You know, for all our science and know-how, it’s simply amazing how little we know about human sexuality.

  5. posted by Northeast Libertarian on

    Such research is always methodologically flawed, in that it asks “what causes homosexuality” as though heterosexuality is a default condition. Heterosexuality is a MAJORITY condition, but there’s research to suggest that sexuality is not necessarily a default condition at all — just look at the large numbers of asexual individuals out there.

  6. posted by Ferrante on

    The believe that gender non-conforming childs are most likely to be gay is yet another myth now again made public by Michael Bailey, whose methods aren’t scientific in any respect. I think this myth dates back to the “experiements” done by Peter Green in the 1980s, which were as misguided as Bailey’s work.

    Anyone interested in a critical view of the research done on the origins of homosexuality should read “Reinventing the Male Homosexual” (2002) by R. A. Brookey, an excellent book.

  7. posted by Ferrante on

    @CPT_Doom : Sorry, but your comment contains just the wrong idea about homosexuality that misguided “scientists” also like to spread, confirming nothing but their stereotypes.

Comments are closed.