Male or female identity is hard-wired in the brain even before the sex organs

[cin]

Here's something you all may be interested in about the brain and gender and sexuality. It's not what people always thought. It says the brain is wired for male or female even before sexual development of the genetilia.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/10/031022062408.htm

Here is an abstract

Refuting 30 years of scientific theory that solely credits hormones for brain development, UCLA scientists have identified 54 genes that may explain the different organization of male and female brains. Published in the October edition of the journal Molecular Brain Research, the UCLA discovery suggests that sexual identity is hard-wired into the brain before birth and may offer physicians a tool for gender assignment of babies born with ambiguous genitalia.

[Kimberley]

These findings were a part of a study of sexuality and genetics. Their findings indicated a link between genetics and sexual preference and genetics and gender to a lesser degree. This connection of gender was not explored further at the time of the original study because it was actually outside the parameters of the study itself, so no controls were able to confirm or deny their theories.

We have to remember that there is a difference between scientific fact and theory and to this point it is still theory. That said, the links are definitely impossible to ignore. To my knowledge, the question of whether they will pursue this avenue of a genetic connection has not yet been announced.

I am of the opinion that genetics are a part of this equation. They may be all or some of it but as I said, the connections are too close to discount.

:hugs:
Kimberley

[Dasein9]

As long as they don't try to "fix" us. :D

[kathy333]

the wayi see it is their is always someone who finds something that you want to hear about the way you live.

the truth is i live the way i do, because i want to live that way.:2c:

[CaptLex]

As long as they don't try to "fix" us. :D

Amen to that! :^5:

[Kieron Andrew]

As long as they don't try to "fix" us. :D


Amen to that! :^5:
ha! id like to see them 'try'..... im with you two on that!

[Dasein9]

ha! id like to see them 'try'..... im with you two on that!

They try with me all the time. Doesn't take, though. :devil:

[noname]

As long as they don't try to "fix" us.

Noooooo kidding. Though the fact that we don't want to be changed could be an indicator that it is hard wired.

[crazy4cheezeits]

I'm kind of wondering if this type of research is being done and there are theories like this that have not yet become fact, obviously progress is being made. And if so progress like this is being made, why isn't there more research and why don't we have more answers? Is it a lack of funding because people want to see us as outsiders or want to think we can be fixed??

It'd be great if all the things like the ex-gay movement were stopped. But also I'd like to know for myself why I turned out how I did.

[Kimberley]

Scientific research is usually funded by the private sector so unless there is a specific interest in this research, it wont be done. Within the academia, it might be done as a thesis by a Phd candidate but again, this has get the nod of the prof supervising the program so unless the prof has a particular interest, again it isnt likely to be done.

All of us would like answers but they are only going to come in snippets such as this, and over a long period of time. There is no impetus to explore gender so there is no funding for the research. It all comes down to money.

:hugs:
Kimberley

[Kieron Andrew]

They try with me all the time. Doesn't take, though. :devil:
Theyve given up with me im a lost cause lol

[Marcie Sexton]

The study is well and good, but the way I read it it is also based on conjecture...as complicated as the brain is how could they possibly know. Perhaps in the future they will finally develope a way to actually determine what makes a human brain tick...

[Siobhan Marie]

Theyve given up with me im a lost cause lol

they did the same with me too Kieron!!!

:hugs: Siobhán x