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Biology and Homosexuality
William S. Bradshaw, Ph.D
Dr. Bradshaw and his wife Marjorie are the parents of five children. He is Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Biology at Brigham Young University. He served as the President of the Hong Kong Mission, 1971-1974.
Over the past three decades I have had periodic opportunities to respond to questions and engage in conversations with Latter-day Saints about the subject of homosexuality. These have come to me in several contexts: one through my students enrolled in biology and religion courses at BYU, and a second through my ecclesiastic service as a mission president, and as a bishop and in a stake presidency at BYU. It is clear that this subject elicits strong emotions, that it is not openly discussed in the church, and that there is a need for both accurate information (when that is available) and for sensitivity to the significant number of LDS families that are directly or indirectly affected. The personal views about homosexuality which follow are the result of both my investigation of the research evidence, my experience, and my commitment to the teachings of the Savior, and are offered in the spirit of helpfulness and concern.
Three questions, not independent, but related to one another as a nested set, lie at the heart of this issue:
- Is there an explanation for why some of our brothers and sisters are homosexual? What is its cause?
- Can a person's sexual orientation be changed? Is it a permanent state, or can a homosexual Latter-day Saint become heterosexual through force of will or some therapeutic process?
- How should we regard same-sex relationships? It is important to recognize that each of these is complex and not resolved by a simplistic answer, and further that they are inextricably connected.
I. Is the cause of homosexuality known?
The answer is that there is clear evidence that biological factors are involved, but the data are somewhat scant and it is not possible to outline an unequivocal biochemical or physiological mechanism that explains why some individuals are attracted to persons of their same sex. The evidence can be summarized as follows (a small sample of the information available):
A. Homosexuality runs in families, suggesting that it has a genetic basis [1; I cite only one reference for these observations, each of which contains citations of earlier important work.].
- In a random sample, gay men have from 2-5 times more gay brothers than do heterosexual men. Lesbians have a high incidence of lesbian sisters.
- Comparisons (for both gay men and lesbians) of the incidence of homosexuality among identical twins, fraternal twins, and non-twin siblings suggest that it has a hereditary basis, but that other non-genetic factors are involved.
- In research studies (especially with rats), sexual behavior can be altered by treatments that change the hormonal state of the animals during early development. Structures in the brain known to be connected to sexual differentiation are also affected [2].
- Anatomy of the human brain. A structure in the hypothalamus (the third interstitial nucleus, INAH-3) is sexually dimorphic (of significantly larger volume in men than women). For homosexual males this measure is intermediate between heterosexual men and women (due to a greater density, but not number of neurons) [3].
- Anatomy of the hand. The ratio of the length of the index finger to the 4th finger is greater in women than in men. This digit length measure is smaller in lesbians than in heterosexual women, and hypermasculinized in homosexual men with two or more older male siblings [4].
- Handedness. Homosexual women, in contrast to heterosexual women, are more often left handed or ambidextrous [5].
- Aspects of the physiology of hearing. In homosexual and bisexual women the strength of otoacoustic emissions, OAEs (tiny "echos" produced by the inner ear), is intermediate to that of heterosexual females and heterosexual males. Certain measures of auditory evoked potentials, AEPs, in homosexual males are hypermasculinzed [6].
- Fraternal birth order. In men, there is a correlation between sexual orientation and the number of older brothers [7].
- Cognitive abilities. In certain verbal, quantitative, and visual-spatial tests, heterosexual men and women perform differently. Homosexual males perform in the male direction, but more extreme than their heterosexual male counterparts [8].
I have examined the arguments suggesting psychological causes for homosexuality, including parental failures by domineering mothers or inadequate fathers [10]. These propositions are contradicted by the bulk of the evidence from controlled studies [11], and rely on highly suspect methods, such as picking and choosing excerpts from the autobiographies of gay people in an attempt to find support. Most importantly, I believe we should lift from the souls of the parents of gay children the unjust torment they bear by incorrectly assuming that they are responsible for the sexual orientation of their sons or daughters.
I believe that the whole body of this empirical evidence justifies the following conclusion. There are causal genetic and biochemical factors operating (in a highly complex fashion) during development that contribute to make some persons romantically oriented to others of the same sex. These biological factors are innate. Homosexual orientation does not appear to be the result of a conscious choice. At the same time, one should not exempt homosexuality from considerations of morality just because it might be explained in biological terms. Behavior like anger, dishonesty, or theft, for example, should not be excused because they are connected to a certain state or function of the brain, and are therefore biological [12].
II. Can someone change his or her sexual orientation?
The answer is that whereas homosexual persons have control over the expression of their sexuality, the behavior that they engage in, they cannot change their same-sex orientation. This issue is highly controversial. Nevertheless, neither empirical scholarship nor the experience of many, many LDS people supports the claims made by proponents of "reparative therapy" that gay people can become heterosexual.
How shall we go about answering this question? Shall we follow our own intuitive sense about the ability of people to change? Shall we appeal to religious principles? Is there relevant scholarship? I have decided that this issue is only satisfactorily resolved by listening attentively and spiritually to the experience of our gay family members and friends, and making a decision about whether or not they are telling us the truth.
To suggest that a person cannot change a particular aspect of his or her personality probably flies in the face of one of our most cherished concepts, the notion that we possess free will and are able to make of ourselves whatever we choose. Repentance and accountability for one's actions are at the heart of the doctrine of the atonement. Still, we have to consider very seriously the possibility that the object of one's sexual attraction is a unique human condition that is unalterable for most people. The need for us to be open on the issue of homosexual choice is especially strong since, in contrast to fear, or anger, or greed, or any one of a number of negative character traits to be resisted and overcome, love for another human being is a fundamentally positive and noble attribute.
Any woman or man who is dubious that sexual orientation in gay people is unalterable should seriously ask, "Could I reverse my own heterosexual romantic attraction to men or women?" "Can I remember deciding that I was going to be a someone who would fall in love with a person of the opposite sex?" "Can I envision any argument or program of persuasion that would cause me to change the object of my romantic feelings?" I have yet to find a straight person who said "yes" to any of these questions.
There are counseling programs offering "conversion" or "reparative" therapy that hold out the promise of changing homosexual orientation. There are at least two concerns that should be raised about these efforts. The first is that while claiming success at effecting change these programs usually fail to quantitatively report their results or substantiate that the alleged change is long-term. When results are reported, the evidence for change is not compelling. For example, following participation in such programs 84% of persons self-report that they continue to maintain some degree of same-sex attraction [13]. The second consideration in evaluating change therapy is that a significant number of gay people are bisexual, capable, in varying degrees, of romantic feelings for persons of either gender. There is a very strong possibility that those who report success in changing their homosexuality are bisexuals who have achieved an accommodation to focus on one only (the heterosexual attraction) of the two they are capable of. There is a very strong professional sentiment that change therapy is ineffective and inappropriate [14].
Finally, honesty compels us to consider the experience of a very large number of LDS gay people, who in spite of exhaustive, lengthy, and totally sincere efforts have not been able to change the fact of who they are sexually. A testimony of the truthfulness of the restoration of the gospel, faithful church activity, fasting, prayer, missionary service, temple service - all of these are important, gratifying motivating and allow us to increase in power and goodness, but none, in any combination, has been able to alter sexual orientation [15]. I am convinced that this assertion is true because I have heard it expressed in any number of variations from my gay brothers and sisters and the witness of the spirit to me is that they are telling the truth. Whatever other religious or social or personal standards we choose to use in attempting to understand homosexuality and respond appropriately to it, we cannot ignore this fact from the life experience of those most closely affected.
III. How should we regard homosexual relationships?
A reasonable, conservative estimate is that there are over 500,000 gay Latter-day Saints, 5% of church membership. Based on the preceding I conclude that these important human beings, my brothers and sisters, have a romantic attraction to persons of the same sex that is rooted in inherent biological factors over which they have had no control, and that this is a condition that they will not be able to change, even with Herculean effort. What should they do? My primary response is one of compassion at the realization that these people are unable to make, in full honesty, a complete commitment to a wife or husband that characterizes the temple marriage covenant. What then? It seems proper to apply a standard of conduct in which an individual gay Latter-day Saint finds a path in life that most fully permits the acquisition of goodness and the practice of service, traits and behavior that find their highest expression in the life of the Savior. It seems to me that there may be several different paths appropriate to that end.
There are, of course, many married, gay members of the church. Often they entered marriage with the false hope that a heterosexual relationship would allow them to change their orientation. That doesn't happen. Some, with the help of understanding and highly courageous spouses, have opted to remain in those families, finding it the best, if difficult, individual solution to their situation. Others have not, driven, I believe, by a sense that they can not continue to live a lie and must find some other way to be true to themselves - a principle they have been taught in the church. Single gay people have the same dilemma.
I propose, as have others before me, that when the two or three Biblical writers denounced homosexual behavior they were addressing the issue of heterosexual persons engaging in homosexual acts. We can join them in viewing such behavior sinful. I can believe, however, that for most of human history it has been generally inconceivable that there were persons whose natural state was to be romantically oriented to those of their same gender. Such a possibility just did not occur. I note the absence of a reference to homosexuality in the Book of Mormon, or Pearl of Great Price, or, especially, in the The Doctrine and Covenants. I submit that our current perspective should take into account recent knowledge and experience. Human understanding of what is true changes over time. Truth may be eternal, but our comprehension of it is neither automatic nor complete. It takes time, usually a long time, for us to learn. What seems apparent is that God doesn't jump in and correct our knowledge deficiencies; He waits patiently while we figure things out for ourselves. I offer these last sentiments in the spirit that we are woefully ignorant of many of the aspects of homosexuality, and ought to be open to the further light to be shed on the subject, from whatever source.
I know that at the present time there is a great deal of animosity, ill will, intemperate language, and ignorance with regard to gay people among the Latter-day Saints. Our gay brothers and sisters are labeled as perverts and deviants unworthy of our association. They find activity with us too painful. We lose the blessings of their gifts. I cannot believe that the Savior is pleased, but do believe that He will do all He can to help us find a better way.
IV. References
- Pillard, R.C. The Search for a Genetic Influence on Sexual Orientation. In Science and Homosexualities, Rosario, V.A. Ed. Routledge, New York, 1997.
- Lephart, E.D. et al. Neuroendocrine Regulation of Sexually Dimorphic Brain Structure and Associated Sexual Behavior in Male Rats Is Genetically Controlled, Biology of Reproduction, 64, 571-578 (2001).
- Byne, W., et al. The Interstitial Nuclei of the Human Anterior Hypothalamus: An Investigation of Variation with Sex, Sexual Orientation, and HIV Status. Hormones and Behavior, 40, 86-92 (2001).
- Brown, W.M., et al. Differences in Finger Length Ratios Between Self-Identified "Butch" and "Femme" Lesbians. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31, 124-127 (2002).
- Mustanski, B.A., Bailey, J.M., and Kaspar, S. Dermatoglyphics, Handedness, Sex, and Sexual Orientation. Archives Of Sexual Behavior, 31, 113-122 (2002).
- McFadden, D. Masculinization Effects in the Auditory System, Archives Of Sexual Behavior, 31, 98-111 (2002).
- Cantor, J.M., et al. How many Gay Men Owe Their Sexual Orientation to Fraternal Birth Order. Archives Of Sexual Behavior, 31, 63-71 (2002).
- Halpern, D.F. and Crothers, M. Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Cognition. In Sexual Orientation: Toward Biological Understanding. L. Ellis and L. Ebertz, Eds. Praeger, Westport, CT. London, 1997.
- Bailey, J.M. Biological Perspectives on Sexual Orientation. In Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identities Over the Lifespan, A.R. D;Augelli and C.J. Patterson, Eds. Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.
- Nicolosi, J. and Byrd A.D. A critique of Bem's "Exotic Becomes Erotic" theory of sexual orientation development. Psychological Reports, 90, 931-946 (2002).
- Bell, A.P., Weinberg, M.S., and Hammersmith, S. K. Sexual Preference. Its Development In Men Women. Indiana University Press, 1981.
- Oaks, D.H. Same-Gender Attraction. The Ensign, October 1995, pp. 7-14.
- Nicolosi, J, Byrd, A.D., and Potts, R.W. Retrospective self-reports of changes in homosexual orientation: A consumer survey of conversion therapy clients. Psychological Reports, 86, 1071-1088 (2000).
- See joint statement on Reparative Therapy: http://www.glsen.org/binary-data/GLSEN_ARTICLES/pdf_file/424.pdf
- Decisions Of The Soul, Cook, D, Killian R., and Wannack K., Eds. The Intermountain Conference on Sexuality and Homosexuality, April 1995.