That headline may seem a truism but, in today’s politically charged world of homosexual activism, it’s important that it be verified by scientific research.  An investigation based on what is being called “the world’s largest study of twins” has contradicted the claim that homosexuals are born that way.

Writing in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, researchers from Queen Mary’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm report that genetics and environmental factors (which are specific to an individual, and may include biological processes such as different hormone exposure in the womb), are important determinants of homosexual behaviour.

Dr Qazi Rahman, study co-author and a leading scientist on human sexual orientation, explains: “This study puts cold water on any concerns that we are looking for a single ‘gay gene’ or a single environmental variable which could be used to ‘select out’ homosexuality – the factors which influence sexual orientation are complex. And we are not simply talking about homosexuality here – heterosexual behaviour is also influenced by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

The sample consisted of all identical and same-gender fraternal twins in Sweden aged 20-47: 3826 twin pairs.

The researchers estimate that about 35 percent of the differences in male sexual behaviour are accounted for by genetics, and 65 percent by environmental factors.  Among women, genetics accounted for 18 percent.

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