Controversial Study Suggests Boys With Older Brothers Are More Likely To Be…Gay

Before we jump into this article, please know me writing about it doesn’t equal a stamp of approval. It doesn’t.

There. Glad we got that out of the way.

Toronto University led this controversial study, which found that boys with older brothers are more likely to be gay, possibly due to some sort of “physical reaction” in the mother.

Now scientists claim having a male child triggers an immune reaction in the mother that can alter the brain of the growing baby.

The authors are careful to stress that several factors are involved in explaining sexuality – but say that the immune response helps to explain something that has long puzzled scientists.

Eh.

The authors of the report, led by Toronto University, published their study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

‘Our study is a major advance in understanding the origins of sexual orientation in men by providing support for a theorized but previously unexamined biological mechanism—a maternal immune response to a protein important in male foetal brain development,’ they say.

They add the research begins ‘to explain one of the most reliable correlates of male homosexuality: older brothers.’

According to the article, the chance of a male son becoming gay hangs somewhere around 3 percent. That doubles to 6 percent with boys who have older brothers.

And it is the ‘Y’ chromosome which creates the biological differences that make a child male that triggers an immune reaction in a mother.

In response to having a baby boy, her body reacts against the Y chromosome, and creates an antibody called anti-NLGN4Y.

Antibodies are a reaction to ‘foreign’ bodies invading the body – in this case a male embryo.

After having a son, a woman builds up a large supply of the antibody, and this can affect the brain development in later male children.

Here’s the most important part of this entire thing: THIS IS NOT PROOF.

The authors are careful to point out the link between the antibody and the brain structure is an association, but not proof.

I just don’t buy it. If this were true– that having a ton of older brothers increased the likelihood of being gay– my grandfather’s entire generation would be comprised of flaming homosexuals. They had YYYYUUUUUGE families with TONS of older brothers– way more than today. Just an observation.

I know everyone is desperate to find some sort of “gay gene.” I’m really not interested in having a debate on if people are “born gay.” Even if they were, that would still be considered an abnormality. It doesn’t suddenly make it a mainstream thing. That’s not homophobic. That’s reality. If you want to go down that road, I will. My sister’s disabled due to a birth-related injury. I’m not trying to normalize it. It’s not. That doesn’t make me hateful. I love her with all my heart. See what I’m trying to say here?

I’ve met a bunch of lovely gay people. I don’t think less of them, and I’m certainly not afraid of them, so don’t even try me.

All of that aside, I think the LGBT stuff today is influenced more by culture than anything else. It’s cool and hip and trendy.

I know this is a controversial topic. What are your thoughts?

h/t Daily Mail