• Question: what happens genetically that determines wether you are homosexual, heterosexual or asexual?

    Asked by anon-267370 on 5 Nov 2020.
    • Photo: Bradley Young

      Bradley Young answered on 5 Nov 2020:

      Scientists don’t think that there is a single gene that decides a persons sexuality. However, some link has been found between certain genes and the probability of being homosexual, such as smell.

      So it is thought that genetics plays a part in who we are attracted to but it is also thought that there are other influences besides genetics.

    • Photo: Adrien Chauvet

      Adrien Chauvet answered on 5 Nov 2020:

      This has more to do with epigenetics and social factors than genetics per se.

    • Photo: Daisy Shearer

      Daisy Shearer answered on 5 Nov 2020:

      To my knowledge, scientists think that sexual orientation is probably a combination of lots of different things like genetics, environment and hormones. The consensus is that it seems to be determined by a mixture of biological factors. Last year, there was a study published which looked at the DNA of homosexual people which seemed to show that it might be linked to about 5 different areas on the genome, but no one gene in particular. We also see same-sex couples in animals which may indicate that it’s a natural part of biological diversity within a species. (Also, thank you for including asexuality in your question!)

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