Culture, Darwinism and Sexuality: in Three Instalments

Beginning at the birth: Sexuality

The human brain enters the world predominantly blank, save a few basic functions. The limbic system functions allowing the brain, person to feel emotion, but how does it communicate these emotions. It must be taught. Corporeal characteristics emphasize that our minds are connected to our bodies which determine how we feel or respond when exposed to certain stimuli other than sensory, like words from someone we care about. The body is, as many postulate, the housing for the soul, simply the casing for our minds. The sex of the body and the gender that is formulated are separate entities. The body is born with the sex determined, gender is what we learn through our environment during our existence. The previously assumed gender roles were linked with the sex of the human, however, through time we have seen that gender and sex have become estranged though not entirely. Sexuality in itself can be seen as a gender distinction, one that was previously unacceptable but is potentially a product of biology and environment. Could homosexulatity, indeed any degree of our sexual nature be genetically predisposed?

“J. Michael Bailey and Richard Pillard also studied the gayness between MZ1 twins, DZ2 twins, and non-related adopted brothers. They examined how many of the sample population examined were gay and how many were straight. They found that 52% of MZ twins were both self-identified homosexuals, 22% of DZ twins were so, and only 5% of non-related adopted brothers were so.”

(Johnson, 2003), (1. Identical twins, 2. Fraternal twins).

Genetics and human studies only accomplishes so much. This is still only correlation, making it an inexact science therefore not wholly reliable. In the case of transvestites and transsexuals it is not a case of “gender confusion” as some antiquated psychologists may phrase it, because gender is something learned. These are the people who are truly free. Culture and society have not shaped their minds to the conventional mould, nor do they fear the consequences of freedom of expression. Think of everything you were ever taught growing up. All the toys that were bought for you...dolls for girls, race cars for boys, pink for girls, blue for boys...who we are reeks of predestiny. But times are changing and this is becoming less of a problem. Children are more often than not left to their own devices, to teach themselves. Therein lies the hope for a more accepting race of humans for tomorrow.