60 Minutes: Gay or Straight?
This particular segment was initially broadcast on March twelfth, 2006.
The inquiry into what determines an individual's sexual orientation is, arguably, one of the least comprehended and most fiercely debated subjects. This question extends beyond the political, social, and religious realms, encompassing a scientific dimension that, in time, might yield a verifiable, concrete response.
Those few researchers operating within this inadequately financed and rather contentious domain frequently assert that such a definitive conclusion remains quite distant. Nonetheless, as indicated by Lesley Stahl, their ongoing endeavors are, even now, uncovering some remarkably intriguing insights. A principal area of their investigation centers upon identical and fraternal twins.
The sleeping quarters belonging to nine-year-old twins, Adam and Jared, exhibited remarkably stark contrasts. Jared's space was adorned with military patterns, model aircraft, and an array of martial playthings, whereas Adam's room featured a softly colored canopy, numerous plush toys, and figures of white horses.
Upon Stahl's arrival for a visit, Jared seemed keen to display his G.I. Joe collection. 'I possess figures, for instance, those marked 'Marine' and 'SWAT,'' he elucidated, adding, 'and it is here that I store all their armaments.'
Adam, too, took evident pride in presenting his playthings. 'Here is one of my dolls,' he articulated, specifying, 'a Bratz baby.'
Adam frequently sports a rose-violet hue of lacquer on his fingernails, which is further embellished with small stars and glittering diamonds.
When questioned about attending school in that manner, Adam affirmed, 'Uh-huh.' He elaborated, stating, 'I merely presented my nails for their inspection, and their reaction was, ‘Why did you choose to do that?''
Adam's conduct is formally termed childhood gender nonconformity, a designation signifying a child whose preferences and actions align more closely with those characteristic of the opposite sex. Investigations have revealed that children exhibiting pronounced gender atypicality often mature to identify as gay.
Readers are encouraged to examine Public Eye's reporting on the responses to this piece, which incorporates producer Shari Finkelstein's rejoinder to its critics, accessible here and here.
Danielle, the mother of Adam and Jared, indicated that she first observed this divergence in Adam when he was approximately eighteen months of age, at which point he started requesting a Barbie doll. Concurrently, Jared was making requests for fire trucks.
Scarcely anything, it seems, has fundamentally altered since then. Presently, Jared's preferred digital pastime comprises Battlefield 2: Special Forces. Regarding Adam, he remarks that his own game is titled 'Neopets: The Darkest Faerie.'
Inquired about how he would characterize himself to an unfamiliar person, Jared declared, 'I'm a youngster who enjoys G.I. Joes, various games, and television.'
'I would identify myself as resembling a girl,' Adam responded when posed the identical inquiry. Upon being queried regarding his reasoning for this, Adam merely offered a shrug.
'In my view, such instances vehemently proclaim, ‘Look, this isn't about external factors; it's intrinsically internal.' There is absolutely nothing to suggest this mother is inclined to rear highly effeminate male children, given that his fraternal twin does not exhibit similar traits,' asserts Michael Bailey, a distinguished professor of psychology at Northwestern University and a preeminent scholar in the realm of sexual orientation.
Bailey expresses skepticism that environmental upbringing serves as a credible rationale.
Previously, psychologists held the view that homosexuality was primarily a product of environmental influences — specifically identified as domineering maternal figures and emotionally remote paternal figures — yet this particular theory has since been thoroughly invalidated. In the present day, researchers are intently examining genetic factors, broader environmental elements, neurological architecture, and hormonal influences. Nevertheless, a single point of agreement exists: the understanding that homosexuality transcends mere carnal conduct, being instead fundamentally physiological.
Within his laboratory facility at Northwestern University, Bailey and his associates established a sequence of empirical tests. For instance, in a particular investigation, researcher Gerulf Rieger filmed both gay and straight individuals engaged in conversation while seated in a chair. Subsequently, he graphically rendered these individuals as silent, monochromatic silhouettes and requested participants to discern whether they could differentiate between gay and straight subjects. The underlying objective was to ascertain whether particular common perceptions were, in fact, authentic and discernible.
Utilizing the bodily locomotion and mannerisms of the rendered figures, participants in the study were, in most instances, able to perceive a clear distinction.
'Therefore, is the inference that gay individuals do, in fact, exhibit distinct movement patterns?' Stahl inquired of Rieger.
'Indeed, unequivocally,' he responded.
While not universally applicable, this observation is statistically valid. Furthermore, the researchers additionally investigated the manner in which gay and straight individuals converse, observing average discrepancies in communication patterns there as well.
This particular line of inquiry proves quite contentious. Indeed, some critics argue that it merely perpetuates existing stereotypes. However, in Bailey's view, these very stereotypes imply a feminization process occurring within the brains of gay men, alongside a masculinization process in lesbians. Intriguingly, despite this paradox, he posits that concerning their intimate behaviors, gay and straight men actually share considerable similarities.
'Heterosexual males frequently exhibit superficiality concerning an emphasis on physical appearance,' and homosexual males are similarly superficial. 'Furthermore, heterosexual men demonstrate greater interest compared to heterosexual women in pursuing unattached, non-committal sexual encounters. Homosexual men,' Bailey affirms, 'share that characteristic as well.'
'It is commonly perceived that gay men are far more disposed to engaging in uncommitted sexual relations than heterosexual men,' Stahl remarked.
'They simply achieve greater success in that regard,' Bailey elucidated, 'primarily because the individuals with whom they are seeking intimate relations also reciprocate that interest.'
'But isn't it noteworthy that the single significant domain where gay men exhibit greater similarity to heterosexual men lies in sexual matters?' Stahl commented. 'That is to say, it strikes me as both droll and quite peculiar.'
'It indicates that the underlying determinant of a man's homosexuality does not necessarily render him effeminate in every single aspect. Evidently, distinct regions of the brain must exist that are capable of undergoing feminization autonomously from one another,' Bailey replied.
Yet, by what mechanism and at what juncture does this feminization process transpire? Should these distinctions be discernible early on during infancy, it would strongly suggest a nascent, perhaps even genetic, basis — an hypothesis which Bailey and Rieger are currently investigating in a novel research endeavor utilizing childhood home movies.
As part of this investigation, participants were requested to assess each child's feminine or masculine traits. Stahl herself undertook the assessment and judged two particular girls as predominantly feminine.
Upon being presented with footage of a young female child maneuvering a toy truck from a tabletop, Stahl remarked, 'She's truly not behaving in a 'girly' fashion. Isn't that fascinating? She's simply not 'girly'.'
Furthermore, she noted distinctions between two boys, with one destined to become heterosexual, while the other currently identifies as homosexual.
Should one be able to discern a child's eventual sexual preference before the child is even aware of possessing such a predisposition, does that not definitively establish a genetic determination? Indeed, research indicates that homosexuality frequently exhibits familial patterns. Thus, genetic factors must surely represent the definitive solution. However, subsequently, the very researchers inform one that monozygotic siblings, despite sharing identical genetic makeup, may possess divergent sexual preferences.
The team from 60 Minutes located monozygotic twin brothers, Steve and Greg Lofts, residing in New York. They shared an identical childhood environment and possess the same genetic blueprint; nevertheless, Greg identifies as homosexual while Steve identifies as heterosexual.
Upon encountering the twin brothers and learning that one of them is homosexual, Greg reports that others have frequently inquired whether he is certain, and how such a situation is even possible. 'Everyone expresses intrigue concerning that particular phenomenon,' he notes.
Indications were present, indeed, even from their very young age. Their mother informed Stahl that Steve, for his part, enjoyed athletic activities and outdoor pursuits, whereas Greg had an affinity for culinary assistance in the kitchen. However, it was not until their high school years that Steve grew certain Greg identified as homosexual.
When questioned about any discussion he had with his brother, Steve acknowledged, 'I did, in fact.' He continued, 'And I believe the way I phrased it was akin to, ‘You know, Greg, should you be gay, it is perfectly acceptable to me. My affection for you will, without doubt, remain unchanged.' To this, he offered a rather contemplative response. He uttered words to the effect of, ‘Well, I cherish an individual's essence, rather than their corporeal form.' And inwardly, I thought, ‘Indeed, he is homosexual.''
'I was not prepared to acknowledge it at that moment,' Greg further stated.
Does this observation conclusively demonstrate that it is not solely attributable to genetics?
'What it definitively proves is that it is not entirely determined by genetics,' Bailey states. 'After all, they possess the identical genetic makeup.'
When questioned if this leads back to the influence of the mother and the father, Bailey unequivocally rejects that notion.
'But surely that constitutes environmental influence,' Stahl interjected.
'Indeed, that represents one form of environment. However, it is merely one aspect of environmental influence. There is, additionally, the prenatal environment experienced while one is still within the womb. And researchers are increasingly acknowledging that this particular environment proves significantly more consequential than we ever previously believed,' Bailey elucidated.
A recently born rodent offspring, housed within the laboratory of Dr. Marc Breedlove at Michigan State University, may, rather surprisingly, offer significant insights into prenatal occurrences within the womb.
Dr. Breedlove posits his ability to render a male rat capable of exhibiting feminine behavior throughout its entire lifespan, and inversely for a female counterpart, simply through modification of its initial hormonal exposure at birth. Since rats emerge in an immature state at birth, this process is approximately equivalent to modifying a human fetus during its final trimester of gestation within the womb. However, he remarked that prior to this, Stahl would require a rapid introductory lesson in rodent reproductive behaviors.
Dr. Breedlove clarified that male rats, notably one named 'Romeo' whom he presented to Stahl, will typically attempt copulation with any approaching rodent. During the reproductive act, the female executes a specific posture known as lordosis, wherein she elevates her head and hindquarters.
Should Romeo pursue a male counterpart, Dr. Breedlove notes that the male will appear utterly unresponsive.
However, Breedlove asserts his capacity to alter this natural behavior entirely. He administered to a female rat a sole injection of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, at the moment of its birth. Having reached maturity, this particular female will now cease to exhibit the lordosis posture.
Conversely, a male rat did indeed exhibit this behavior. This particular male was neutered immediately following birth, thereby preventing his exposure to testosterone.
'Therefore, have you engineered what might be termed a homosexual rodent?' Stahl queried.
'I would prefer not to categorize these as explicitly homosexual rodents. However, I would state that these are, in fact, chromosomally male rodents who are exhibiting significantly more female-typical conduct,' he elucidated.
Consequently, the solution might lie in hormonal influence rather than genetic makeup.
'That is precisely the inquiry we are all collectively pondering. This phenomenon of testosterone exerting such a significant impact - does it hold any relevance for human beings?' Breedlove posed this question, implying the applicability to the human species.
While biologists investigate hormonal roles in elucidating human sexuality, other scientists are simultaneously seeking statistical regularities within demographic data. And astonishing as it may seem, they have identified a phenomenon they term 'the older brother effect.'
'The higher the number of elder male siblings a man possesses, the increased likelihood for that individual to identify as homosexual,' Bailey observes.
When queried regarding its veracity, Bailey confirms, 'That is undeniably accurate.'
Should this revelation prove startling to you, rest assured you are not alone in this reaction. However, it appears to be one of the most robust discoveries within this domain of research, consistently evinced across numerous investigations.
The statistics, moreover, are noteworthy: for each additional elder male sibling an individual possesses, his probability of identifying as homosexual grows by a factor of one-third. Conversely, elder female siblings exert no impact, and no analogous phenomenon has been observed among homosexual women. An initial male offspring exhibits approximately a two percent likelihood of identifying as gay, with these percentages escalating subsequently. The prevailing hypothesis suggests that this phenomenon originates prenatally, specifically within the womb.
'By some unknown mechanism, the maternal body seems to retain a count of how many male fetuses she has previously gestated,' Breedlove explains. 'The most favored theory posits that the mother might produce immunological responses upon encountering a male fetus for the very first time, which could then influence successive male offspring when she gestates them within the uterus.'
'Are you implying, then, that she is gestating an alien entity?' Stahl queried.
'And upon reflection,' Breedlove replied, 'a woman who is pregnant with her initial male child is, in essence, bearing an exogenous material. Certain proteins, whose codes reside on his Y chromosome, have not been previously encountered by her body, and thus her immunological defenses would naturally perceive them as ‘intruders,'' he further elaborated.
This remains an unverified hypothesis, and the situation becomes even more perplexing.
'A recent discovery is that elder male siblings influence a male child exclusively when that child is dextral (right-handed),' Breedlove stated. 'Conversely, should the boy be sinistral (left-handed), or if his cerebral structure exhibits a sinistral organization, then irrespective of the number of elder brothers he possesses, his likelihood of identifying as homosexual remains consistent with that of the general populace.'
One might easily induce considerable mental strain attempting to reconcile every hypothesis with actual individuals. Both Greg and Steve Lofts are dextral, and they do indeed possess an elder male sibling, consequently, perhaps that accounts for why Greg is homosexual. However, they furthermore possess multiple homosexual family members, which in turn implies a potential genetic component; yet, how then does that account for Steve's heterosexuality?
Adam and Jared, who are dizygotic siblings, possess elder male siblings; however, they themselves are ambidextrous.
Moreover, the inquiry arises concerning how a prenatal influence could impact one sibling while sparing the other. Currently, there remains a preponderance of unresolved inquiries over definitive solutions; nonetheless, the scientists interviewed by 60 Minutes are growingly persuaded that genetic factors, hormonal influences, or a combination thereof — in essence, some determinant — shapes sexual orientation prenatally. Intriguingly, Adam himself has devised a personal hypothesis.
'I was destined to be born as a girl while within my mother's womb. However, my mom had desired only male offspring. Consequently, I became a boy,' Adam clarified.
When queried as to whether he desired to be female, Adam gave an affirmative nod.
'Do you believe any action on your part could have fundamentally altered Adam?' Stahl posed to Danielle, the mother of Adam and Jared.
'I could have altered Adam's external presentation, compelling him to exhibit the stereotypically masculine boy I might have wished for. However, such actions would not fundamentally alter his intrinsic being. And I firmly believe that would have inflicted far greater harm upon him,' she concluded.
Stahl inquired of both youngsters whether they felt content with their innate selves, and in response, both boys offered prominent affirmative gestures.
'Affirmative,' Adam responded.
By Shari Finkelstein