gay gene

[Rakesh Bhandari]

Quite often implicit (though not always by any means) in the  hypothesis of
the genetic determination of homosexuality is the assumption that gayness
has played some creative or essential role in evolution or that gayness has
simply contributed to biological fitness. And this may then lead to the
creation of an evolutionary myth in which such an account is provided. This
may of course be the incorrect response to those who have despised gays
because they have not contributed to biological fitness. As Maynard Smith
points out, it would then be appropriate to persecute mathematicians who
can solve differential equations on the basis of their dubious contribution
to biological fitness.

The fundamental problem here may be that social life is not understood in
terms of the dialectic by which the characteristics of instinct and self
preservation are excluded and replaced by basically new or historical human
characteristics which subordinate the older characteristics to them.
Colletti shows for example how Kautsky fell into this error as he tried to
make socialism continuous with the theory of evolution, grounded in self
preservation and instinct.

An other problem here is that a biological basis for homosexuality does not
mean there is a genetic basis thereof.

As Sahotra Sarkar argues in Genetics and Reductionism (Cambridge Univ
Press, 1998):

"even if it is true that there is some biological mechanism by which
different morphological properties of brains lead to different sexual
perferences or bheaviors, it is still possible that these properties, and
therefore these preferences or behaviors, are not the same extent genetic.
Non genetic factors may have influenced brain morphology, especially during
development."

yours, rakesh