Gay brains are different?

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  Apr 03, 2012 5:44 PM GMT

  According to this research, gay brains are structured more like hetero-female brains. In this example a heterosexual rugby player had a stroke and turned gay, presumably because his brain had changed.
  
  http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/04/03/457287/neurosurgeon-a-stroke-can-change-a-persons-sexual-orientation/
  
  Does anyone know the details of this brain scan research? How many subjects have had these brain scans? Is the sample large enough to be representative? If the scans accounted for age, straight-bi-gay degree of orientation, and the degree of masculine and effeminate behavior?
  
  

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  Apr 03, 2012 7:46 PM GMT

  Can't answer any of your questions BUT I firmly believe in this theory. It makes a lot of sense in my case.
  
  Very interesting stuff.

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  Apr 03, 2012 7:48 PM GMT

  Aren't everyone's brains different?

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  Apr 03, 2012 8:10 PM GMT

  way back in my intro to Psych course, they talked about gay male brains being more similar to female straight brains, which indicated it was something genetic. I hadn't heard much about it since though.

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  Apr 03, 2012 8:27 PM GMT

  What research? And what is the quantity described by "more"? 90%? .05%?
  
  "Is the sample large enough to be representative? If the scans accounted for age, straight-bi-gay degree of orientation, and the degree of masculine and effeminate behavior?"
  
  I doubt any of these conditions have been satisfied and that the few who have been scanned are "out" and "act" like it, in that they behave as a women and probably have been for some time.

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• Timbales
  
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  Apr 03, 2012 9:45 PM GMT

  Unless they take babies and scan their brains, then follow those children and keep scanning them as the mature., I don't see how science can prove anything.

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• bischero
  
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  Apr 03, 2012 10:34 PM GMT

  A stroke can change many, many things about a person depending upon the severity. The brain is a very susceptible organ and everything you are resides there. What you like to eat, what colors appeal to you, your personality, and your sexual orientation - all of these are elements that are derived from your brain.
  
  Whether or not brains of people who are homosexual are more structured like the opposite sex's brain is still only a theory in the myriad of the possible ideas about human sexuality. Sexuality is an incredibly complex field to study because we simply do not know how it works; for example, why is one person attracted to red heads while another is not?
  
  
  We do not know if sexual orientation is genetic, but we do know that is biological, that is plain enough to see.
  
  

  TimbalesUnless they take babies and scan their brains, then follow those children and keep scanning them as the mature., I don't see how science can prove anything.

  
  
  
  What exactly are you proposing that they do with this? The only thing that this study would show is brain development and at some point their brains will be developed brains just like every other adults'. In fact, I believe there has already been a study that has followed kids in this manner.
  
  NOTE: Oh, and if you all would like a much more reliable source for science news...
  
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/
  
  

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• conservativej...
  
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  Apr 03, 2012 11:17 PM GMT

  Beliewve me, there is a big difference between the gay brain and the straight brain that LOVES PUSSY.
  
  

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  Apr 05, 2012 12:09 AM GMT

  as i observed to all my gay fiends, mostly we are humane, artistic, ambitious perfectionist queers.

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  Apr 05, 2012 12:31 AM GMT

  Animus saidWhat research? And what is the quantity described by "more"? 90%? .05%?
  
  "Is the sample large enough to be representative? If the scans accounted for age, straight-bi-gay degree of orientation, and the degree of masculine and effeminate behavior?"
  
  I doubt any of these conditions have been satisfied and that the few who have been scanned are "out" and "act" like it, in that they behave as a women and probably have been for some time.

  
  
  Yes. I have not come across a biological explanation of homosexuality that is strongly supported.
  
  The current paradigm (even used by gay researchers) is that gay men are more like straight women, and gay women are more like straight men. I think this is part of the reason they are yielding such poor results. It implies that being gay is just some developmental problem (or worse, disease) where the brain thinks it should be female.
  
  I think many differences in gay behavior can be explained culturally. It is not that a female typed brain compels gay men to be emotional and sensitive (we have all met gay men who are absolutely not this). I think its just more likely gay men are shunned by straight men and so don't adopt a lot of the more masculine traits they would as part of a group of straight guys.
  
  At last I checked, my build was not like a female, I don't have ovaries or a vagina. So, I fail to see how researchers would be willing to maintain a mind-body separation almost every neuroscience will tell you it does not exist.
  
  I DO think the answer is biological. However, I don't think any research is going about the research in the correct way and the answer will likely be immensely complicated, as fits with a natural explanation. We aren't there yet and this is the best we have right now.

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• neosyllogy
  
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  Apr 05, 2012 12:36 AM GMT

  SkinnyBitch saidway back in my intro to Psych course, they talked about gay male brains being more similar to female straight brains, which indicated it was something genetic. I hadn't heard much about it since though.

  
  
  Not much has happened since. Most of the data on the subject is at best unclear or controversial (for scientific, not political reasons).
  This whole thing seems pretty silly. Also, re: article's author: "amiglia" is not a a thing.
  
  Even the data that suggests that in a few sexually dimorphic areas gays may be more like a heterosexual member of the opposite sex we are not talking about large changes. At best it's a modest statistical effect with gays and straights overlapping substantially.
  
  The piece that they linked to in the article was bollocks and had clear political motivations (re: "born different and therefore okay" line of reasoning).
  
  
  
  [One more thing: even if there are differences between gay/straight brains that does not mean that anyone is born that way. The brain is almost uniquely plastic (changeable) among the body's organs. It's as reasonable to say that being gay made their brains that way as the opposite.]

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  Apr 05, 2012 12:37 AM GMT

  

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• barriehomeboy
  
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  Apr 05, 2012 12:49 AM GMT

  We absolutely are cerebrally different from women and our manly str8 counterparts. The real Canadians, the aboriginals, call us the two spirited people. Isn't that much more poetic than being called gay, or fag?

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  Apr 05, 2012 1:00 AM GMT

  That article looks like it came straight out of the Onion. I believe the stroke damaged his "personality" and he was gay or bi all along. It was the perfect excuse to come out. This article basically sums up all the negative typical stereotypes of same-sex attracted males (gay & bi): weak, feminine, flamboyant, gender-bending, hairdressers, drama queens, etc. It would have been a great story if he continued to play rugby. These stories are a big reason why I'll never come out.

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  Apr 06, 2012 10:22 AM GMT

  rmc81290 saidThat article looks like it came straight out of the Onion. I believe the stroke damaged his "personality" and he was gay or bi all along. It was the perfect excuse to come out. This article basically sums up all the negative typical stereotypes of same-sex attracted males (gay & bi): weak, feminine, flamboyant, gender-bending, hairdressers, drama queens, etc. It would have been a great story if he continued to play rugby. These stories are a big reason why I'll never come out.

  
  
  But in all fairness, there really is no way to know. It's a case study, and even if there was a scan of his brain to compare its unlikely that it would lead to identifying "gay" areas of the brain. That research is equally as poor as the rest.

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  Apr 06, 2012 4:17 PM GMT

  I got a book at the library once that showed brain scans of people with addictions. There are distinct diffences among drinkers, crack users, pot smokers, and "normal" brains. Yet pot smokers are not "born" with brain structures specific to pot smokers, or are they? The assumption is NO. So why not assume that the guy-attraction brain structure is also behaviorally induced? My point is that I do not place much stock in this brain structure theory. I think they are on to something relevant, but they don't really know what that relevance is yet. A lot more research is needed.

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  Apr 06, 2012 4:42 PM GMT

  thats why gay brains are what you call the New men!...very multitasking like girls not just one sided
  
  Edit: then we shall sing Who Runs the World? Men!,..mind that Beyonce

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  Apr 06, 2012 4:43 PM GMT

  "Neurosurgeon: A Stroke Can Change A Person’s Sexual Orientation"
  
  How long until ex-gay "clinics" try to induce strokes in their "patients"?
  

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  Apr 06, 2012 4:44 PM GMT

  I dunno if i support this for all gays, I don't have the traits of most gay guys i think this study is too general.

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  Apr 08, 2012 1:53 AM GMT

  barriehomeboy saidWe absolutely are cerebrally different from women and our manly str8 counterparts. The real Canadians, the aboriginals, call us the two spirited people. Isn't that much more poetic than being called gay, or fag?

  
  
  I am a real Canadian. Fight for what's right. Fight for your life!

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• Timbales
  
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  Apr 08, 2012 1:55 AM GMT

  bischero saidA stroke can change many, many things about a person depending upon the severity. The brain is a very susceptible organ and everything you are resides there. What you like to eat, what colors appeal to you, your personality, and your sexual orientation - all of these are elements that are derived from your brain.
  
  Whether or not brains of people who are homosexual are more structured like the opposite sex's brain is still only a theory in the myriad of the possible ideas about human sexuality. Sexuality is an incredibly complex field to study because we simply do not know how it works; for example, why is one person attracted to red heads while another is not?
  
  
  We do not know if sexual orientation is genetic, but we do know that is biological, that is plain enough to see.
  
  

  TimbalesUnless they take babies and scan their brains, then follow those children and keep scanning them as the mature., I don't see how science can prove anything.

  
  
  
  What exactly are you proposing that they do with this? The only thing that this study would show is brain development and at some point their brains will be developed brains just like every other adults'. In fact, I believe there has already been a study that has followed kids in this manner.
  
  NOTE: Oh, and if you all would like a much more reliable source for science news...
  
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/
  
  

  
  
  if a gay brain is different biologically, then it would be different from birth, and the only way to know that would be to scan from birth and on into adulthood

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  Apr 08, 2012 1:59 AM GMT

  Timbales saidI don't see how science can prove anything.

  
  
  omg i'm gonna quote this in places that make you look like a crazy religious loon. fun fun fun fun looking forward to the weekend.

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  Apr 08, 2012 2:14 AM GMT

  Nivek saidI got a book at the library once that showed brain scans of people with addictions. There are distinct diffences among drinkers, crack users, pot smokers, and "normal" brains. Yet pot smokers are not "born" with brain structures specific to pot smokers, or are they? The assumption is NO. So why not assume that the guy-attraction brain structure is also behaviorally induced? My point is that I do not place much stock in this brain structure theory. I think they are on to something relevant, but they don't really know what that relevance is yet. A lot more research is needed.

  
  
  Very true. But the problem is these case studies and small samples cause huge hype in the media. I'm tired of the stereotypes. All of these studies seem to have a black and white approach (heterosexual v. homosexual). What about bisexuality? Not a lot of research on that.

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  Apr 08, 2012 2:23 AM GMT

  I don't know what to believe about all of this. If they can prove there is a gene that is only there in gay people that they believe causes people to be gay, maybe I would believe that... I don't know what to say what exactly would make us gay, if they find out it's something in our brains that cause that it'd be pretty awful to hear people saying that being gay is a mental problem.

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  Apr 08, 2012 2:24 AM GMT

  MarkRoger said, if they find out it's something in our brains that cause that it'd be pretty awful to hear people saying that being gay is a mental problem.

  
  
  As if it's not awful to hear that now.

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