Researchers said their study shows that mothers of homosexual men have slightly
higher fertility rates than do mothers of heterosexuals, which may be attributed
to as yet undiscovered genetic factors linked to male homosexuality.
Dr. Schoenewolf read the Italian study and made the following observations:
"After reading over the article one thing stuck out: Throughout the whole
article, there was not one attempt to explore whether the greater fecundity of
mothers of homosexuals or the fact that homosexuals tend to have more older
brothers could have environmental implications. This is typical of studies of
this kind, and is a clue that the article is biased and that the authors are
simply not interested in finding environmental explanations.
"The slightly higher fertility by mothers of homosexuals, leading to larger
families, may not point to genetics at all, but to the fact that larger families
are more likely to promote the family dynamics that condition a homosexual
orientation. For example, mothers who give birth to more sons are more likely
to pick out one son to be their special favorite. Sometimes a mother will want
a daughter, and after two or three sons she will treat the next son like the
daughter she always wanted. And sometimes the father takes a special interest
in the first son but loses interest in the others, which likewise might
contribute to the formation of homosexuality. None of this is explored at all
in this article.
"Likewise, the finding that homosexuals tend to have more older brothers could
be explored in terms of the environmental impact. Psychodynamic studies have
shown that, for example, the youngest brother is often the one that is most
likely to be babied by the mother the longest, and this factor might contribute
to the formation of homosexuality. Also older brothers tend to pick on and
dominate younger brothers, a factor which might also influence the boy's
feelings about himself and his ability to compete in the world of men. One of
my patients had an older brother who was quite cruel and used to constantly call
him a sissy and a little fag. His mother, meanwhile, overprotected him.
"The article is couched in very empirical terms, using a lot of statistical
language and scientific jargon, in order to hide the fact that it is biased,.
But what the article boils down to is a survey, and all the author can conclude
from a survey is that mothers of homosexuals are more fertile and homosexual
have more older brothers. It cannot conclude that this is evidence of genetics.
Yes, there is a link between fertile mothers and homosexuality, but we don't
know what it means. And yes, there is a link between homosexuals and more older
brothers but again we don't know what it means.
"To interpret, as the authors seem to do, that genetic factors may increase the
fertility of mothers of homosexuals in order for them to give birth to gay males
is a leap in reasoning, to say the least."
