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From: nazgul@apollo.uucp (Kee Hinckley)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Genetics vs. environment in being gay
Message-ID: <308fda8b.46@apollo.uucp>
Date: Tue, 7-Oct-86 19:08:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: apollo.308fda8b.46
Posted: Tue Oct  7 19:08:11 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Oct-86 01:09:06 EDT
References: <519@gladys.UUCP> <3885@ut-ngp.UUCP> <277@unc.unc.UUCP> <319@mit-amt.MIT.EDU> <109@sbstaff2.UUCP> <999@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Reply-To: nazgul@apollo.UUCP (Kee Hinckley)
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, MA
Lines: 25

In article <999@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> francis@cit-vax.UUCP (Joseph Francis) writes:
> I can't remember the study (I have copies somewhere) but if you are gay,
> they you are k times more likely to have a gay brother than if you are 
> straight, etc. and same (somewhat smaller k) for lesbians.  The study 
> implied heritability of homosexuality on the same order as something like
> alcoholism or schizophrenia (no pejorative association though).  

The thing to remember with such studies is not to jump to the conclusion
that a correlation implies that the attribute is inherited.  Unless the
study involved siblings who were separated at birth (and ideally, with
a control group of unrelated children who were also separated from
their parents at birth) (can you find your copy?) you still have no proof 
as to whether the trait is inherited or socially acquired.  It doesn't 
suprise me at all to hear that there is a correlation - what I'd really 
like to see is a definitive study of *why* there is a correlation.
--
                                                      -kee

        ...{mit-erl,mit-eddie,yale,uw-beaver,decvax!wanginst}!apollo!nazgul
               Apollo Computer, Chelmsford MA.  (617) 256-6600 x7587
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I'm not sure which upsets me more; that people are so unwilling to accept
responsibility for their own actions, or that they are so eager to regulate
everyone else's.