Fruit fly homosexuality can be turned off by fredgiblet

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Fruit fly homosexuality can be turned off

POSTED BY: FREDGIBLET
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 06:07
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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:48 PM

FREDGIBLET

http://www.livescience.com/animals/071209-fly-genes.html

discuss

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:12 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

I know two people (one woman, one man) who are homosexual by upbringing. It's not so much that they're attracted to same sex as aversively conditioned (by an abusive parent) to the oppostie sex.

But IMHO most homosexuality is biologically-based. For example, on average lesbians have ring-finger/ pinky length ratios more similar to men than women, something that is set by in-utero hormone exposure.

I wonder, if this could work for humans would it promote greater tolerance towards homosexuality (meh, it's biological) or would people use the technology to simply reinforce their prejudices? (I suspect the latter.)

---------------------------------
Always look upstream.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:27 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

AHHH ! :rubs hands: A way to FIX what's wrong !

Please note this is sarcasm.

For external use only.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:59 PM

FREDGIBLET

Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
I wonder, if this could work for humans would it promote greater tolerance towards homosexuality (meh, it's biological) or would people use the technology to simply reinforce their prejudices? (I suspect the latter.)

Among most people it'd be the former, among the rabid homophobes it'd be the latter.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 3:35 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

You are SO much more optimistic than me!

---------------------------------
Always look upstream.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:21 PM

FREDGIBLET

I...I don't think I've ever been called that before.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:24 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Never quite "got" why this bothers folk at all....

I mean, if I ain't bangin em, or trying to, what do I even care what their orientation is ?

I just... never saw where it mattered, you know ?

-F

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 4:27 PM

KIRKULES

I worked with a Gay guy years ago that was so obviously gay there had to be a genetic component. I've known someone who thought they were gay when young but found out different later in life. I also have met men who are what I call uni-sexual. They simply do not care who or what they have sex with. I don't call them bisexual because I assume that bisexuals are attracted to both men and women. These uni-sexual men are driven by hormones to attempt to have sex with anyone without regard for attraction. I have also met asexual same sex couples brought together by loneliness or convenience.

The reason I mention these different situations is because at one time or another I'm sure that all have been assumed by someone to be homosexual. I believe many of the scientists that do these studies see homosexuality were it really doesn't exist. For example I was watching a "documentary" about homosexuality in nature and they pointed out a pair of Lionesses that had bonded for life so they must be homosexual. More likely they were simply a couple of asexual "old maids" looking for companionship. Another example of seeing homosexuality were it doesn't exist is when a dog humps on a dog of the same sex. Before he's even done with the male dog he'll move on to your leg and then the arm of the nearest chair. This "uni-sexual" and asexual behavior is often pointed to by those that want to see homosexuality in nature. I'm sure there are examples of homosexuality in nature but I doubt they as abundant as some might hope.

I also never knew that's why they were called "fruit" flies.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:54 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Never quite "got" why this bothers folk at all....

I mean, if I ain't bangin em, or trying to, what do I even care what their orientation is ?

I just... never saw where it mattered, you know ?

Well in all honesty, it’s just not natural, and the dynamics of it are mind-boggling. Also I'm almost certain it would kill the fruit fly.

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 6:02 PM

SUCCATASH

This article seems to imply that by turning homosexuality 'off and on', heterosexuality is automatically turned on and off.

But it's not clear if that's what actually happened. Or did I miss something?

"Gott kann dich nicht vor mir beschuetzen, weil ich nicht boese bin."

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 6:39 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK

There is no homo gene. Anyone who believes so or claims so is foolish... even the science types.

I won't go so far as to say that genetics itself doesn't play a part though.

Think about any of the extremely important decisions you've ever made in your life.... how many of them would you ever attribute to one experience you've had prior... one mistake or one triumph....?

On that same note, why would somebody blame (or even praise) one single gene which was the basis for any decision? What is the point of being if all of our decisions are genetically encoded?

I don't believe pre-determined destiny in a religious aspect, and I'll be damned if I believe it in the scientific realm.

"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." http://www.myspace.com/6ixstringjack

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:40 PM

FREDGIBLET

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
There is no homo gene. Anyone who believes so or claims so is foolish... even the science types.

Um, how exactly would you know that? Are you saying that you understand the functions of every gene in the human genome? 'Cuase if you do you could make a lot of money by writing up a list and selling it.

Quote:
I won't go so far as to say that genetics itself doesn't play a part though.

Contradicting your previous statement.

Quote:
Think about any of the extremely important decisions you've ever made in your life.... how many of them would you ever attribute to one experience you've had prior... one mistake or one triumph....?

Implying that homosexuality is a decision, while it is true that some make a conscious effort to override their sexuality the vast majority of people are the way they with no conscious choice involved.

Quote:
On that same note, why would somebody blame (or even praise) one single gene which was the basis for any decision?

We blame the breast cancer gene for breast cancer because it causes breast cancer, if the research pans out and it turns out that there is a specific gene which causes homosexuality in humans then what would you suggest we do? Ignore it? Humans are capable of overriding instincts consciously but the instincts are still present. No one that I'm aware of is suggesting praising the gay gene, though there will doubtless be people who will blame it.

Quote:
What is the point of being if all of our decisions are genetically encoded?

They aren't, all that's encoded in our genes is tendencies, your tendency to get a hardon while looking at naked women, a desire to protect people who are close to you. Without genetically encoded instincts to motivate us we wouldn't exist, the creatures with no instinctual drives die out from lack of reproduction, the ones with strong drives are the ones that survive.

Quote:
I don't believe pre-determined destiny in a religious aspect, and I'll be damned if I believe it in the scientific realm.

No one is suggesting that our genes dictate our entire lives, they encode tendencies into us, nothing more. Your genes don't determine whether or not you will be success in life, they don't determine whether or not you will get a great job, and they surely don't determine our choices for us. Our genes are the hand that dealt to us, what we do with it is up to us.

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8:48 PM

FREDGIBLET

Quote:
Originally posted by Succatash:
This article seems to imply that by turning homosexuality 'off and on', heterosexuality is automatically turned on and off.

But it's not clear if that's what actually happened. Or did I miss something?

It appears to me that the implication is like a pair of toggle switches, one controlling homosexuality and one controlling heterosexuality, what they are doing isn't actually turning off the heterosexuality but rather turning the homosexual switch on and off. With both the flies are bi-sexual, presumably with both off the flies would show no particular sexual response.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007 4:41 AM

HERO

Quote:
Originally posted by rue:
AHHH ! :rubs hands: A way to FIX what's wrong !

If only they could keep them away from fruits.

Well...I guess its kinda doing that...

H

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Wednesday, December 12, 2007 6:07 AM

CANTTAKESKY

Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
On that same note, why would somebody blame (or even praise) one single gene which was the basis for any decision? What is the point of being if all of our decisions are genetically encoded?

Therein lies the debate. Is sexual preference a decision?

Can a man help that seeing certain women in certain positions in certain clothing gives him an erection? Is that a decision, or a reflex? Is the erection something he chooses?

Most people would distinguish between sexual preference as an involuntary reflex and sexual acts as a conscious choice. That is, you can be homosexual in involuntary preference, but choose to be celibate and not have sex.

The second part of the debate is whether a sexual preference, even though it is an involuntary reflex, can be pathological. For example, pedophilia is an involuntary sexual attraction to children, but it is considered to be a disorder to be treated. Homosexuality used to be diagnosed by psychiatrists as a mental disorder as well.

You can very well have a gene for an involuntary sexual preference. Do you choose to interpret this as a gene for a birth defect or mental disorder, or do you choose to interpret this as a natural, biological reflex that doesn't need to be treated?

Can't Take My Gorram Sky

Aude sapere (Dare to know). -- Samuel Hahnemann, M.D.

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