"Genetic approaches to sexual orientation"

Abstract

Sexual Orientation is defined as the choice of sex of the sexual partner. 5-10% of people are classified as homosexual or better not heterosexual. The sex of an organism ♀ XX or ♂ XY is determined at birth by the presence of the Y chromosome which determines the sex of the individual and refers to its biological characteristics, dividing individuals into male or female according to the primary characteristics of sex, such as the sex chromosomes, the existence of hormones and the external and internal anatomical features of a person. Gender is defined as a person's social role, with the behaviors, activities, and traits that society deems appropriate for boys-girls or men-women, and affects how individuals within a social group interact, feel, and experience themselves in relation to the rest of the group and while the definition of the sex is the same in all societies, the definition of gender differs significantly depending on the country, society, and religion.

Hormonal factors influence sexual orientation due to the early onset of the action of testosterone, which at the same time organizes sex differences in the brain and is thus also responsible for a person's behavior, thus explaining only part of the diversity presented by sexual orientation and only part of homosexual cases both in humans but also in fish, birds, amphibians, and other mammals such as sheep where 8% of male sheep are born homosexual.

There are indications that there is a clear heredity for the same-sex sexual preference, with more than one hereditary factor being responsible and while no single gene has yet been identified, multiple markers in regions of chromosomes X (Xq28), 7 (7q36), 8 (8p12) and 10 (10q26), as well as epigenetic factors such as the asymmetric inactivation of the X chromosome have been supposed, each being able to explain only part of the diversity. The older brother effect or fraternal birth order (FBO)effect, explains at most 30% of gay men's cases.

Current data indicate that there are biological mechanisms such as hormonal, genetic, and immunological but they explain only a part of the cases and it seems clear that sexual orientation and homosexuality is a complex phenomenon where additional studies and further research will be needed to define a unified theory of its exact causes, while there are no indications that sexual orientation is affected or due to social or environmental factors.

Due to the widespread integration of gays, lesbians, etc. into society, the ever-increasing acceptance of same-sex relationships seems likely to lead to the existence of a "post-gay" culture in the future. As LGBTQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer) people gradually gain full legal and social approval and equality, the levels of acceptance of their sexual orientation will in the future not be separated as a different identity, different social status, or something different at all.

EFTAXIA Sofia