Colburn Wolffis

UWRT 1103
800903946
Final Conversion

Coming from a Christian home and being slightly sheltered I was never exposed to
homosexuality until I was really in high school. For this reason, I never really understood why
some one would identify as gay or homosexual and how they could feel so comfortable going
against tradition societal values. If someone had told me that my best friend and the person that I
have connected with the most since being at college would be gay, I wouldnt have believed a
word. Because of this reason I chose to research why some would identify as gay and what may
have caused them to do so and how they really discovered that they felt the most comfortable in
that sexual identity. I knew that it would be a very touchy subject and one that I would be
questioning the morals and rules that I had grown up with trying to make sense of how I really
feel about the situation. Approaching this project, I wanted to look at a nature vs. nurture side of
things allowing me to examine a side of the identity that is more subjective that allows for and
answer that may not be as clear and concise as the nature side of things.
When starting the research, looking for an exact reason as to why other males in society
would identify as gay, I turned more to a scientific approach to thing in order to find information
that would give some information that the trait is cause by an altered chemical balance compared
to a male who is strait. In 1993 there was speculation that the gene Xq28 was an actual gene that
controlled the sexuality of people and those that possessed this gene were gay. This later was
forgotten because the replication of the study was never achieved. I think that this theory would

not account for the wide spread amount of people that identify as gay because of the fact that
there are so many test subjects that are readily available. Almost twenty years later the theory
that epigenetics plays a key role in the sexual identity of the child. To explain how it works a
basic knowledge of methylation needs to be explained. Methylation patterns and epigenetics is a
newer field of study that is making lots of head way in to discoveries as to what allows traits to
be passed down from parent to offspring. These methyl groups influence which genes get turned
on and which ones do not at certain times. It is speculated that certain personality traits and
abilities that are possessed by parents are passed down through these methylation patterns that
can be unique to each person. These patterns are usually wiped clean when the gametes are
created for the purpose of reproduction (Bird). The actual theory is that some of these epigenetic
marks dont get erased and that there are five specific regions in the chromosomes that have a
direct relation to sexual behavior. After cross referencing identical twins who one being gay and
one being strait, researchers found close to 70% accuracy that could be replicated (Balter). The
harder part about analyzing the methylation patterns is that they are develop over a life time. I
would guess that this is the reason that the tests couldnt develop a more positive response. The
real question, I think looking at the epigenetics, is what determines if one son has the slate wiped
clean and the other doesnt. I think that the problem with taking a scientific approach to this is
that in science there has to be an answer. I think that looking back on how I have changed since
starting this first year college, this one part of my values is the one that has changed and shifted
and frightened me the most throughout the journey of finding myself. I can say that now I am
perfectly OK with people that choose to identify as gay because if that wasnt the case I wouldnt
have a best friend who is so comfortable with himself and that I can honestly say would take a
bullet for me and I for him. I would be worried that with some of the new findings that science

can produce, that people could pinpoint the factor that really causes people to be attracted to the
same sex and try to make a cure or be able to do genetic test to see if expecting parents child
may be gay. I think that morally it would be wrong to try to control the orientation because I
view it as an factor of free speech and encroaching on that human right is one of the rules that I
follow religiously given because I love my freedoms. Looking back, I think it is important to
learn to think for yourself and formulate your own morals whether these ideas come from past
experiences, things that you have read, or people that have impacted you. The impact of nature
on how gay men identify sexually, whether it is there and there is a definite answer, should
impact how they are treated or viewed. They are not broken or wrong, but more right in trusting
themselves and whole than I think some of us who have to question why they cant conform to
society.
In regards to looking at things from a nurture approach, I knew that this side of the
analysis would be one that a fine line would be found and that no clear answer would be reached.
This for me was a little hard to work through because growing up I havent always been the
freest thinking individual, always looking for an answer was how I went about things. Until
recently widespread support of gay rights and freedoms it has been a hard road till now. One
question that stemmed from the nurture side of things is that because of the new support found in
media and literature has that fostered a healthier environment for those males that identify as gay
to come out and be more open? It is no surprise that in recent years the support if the LGBT
community that gay men fall into has been on the rise (McGovern). Looking at the literacies
such as TV, movies, and authors you see a rise in stars and material that have shown support such
as; Ellen, Modern Family, and many more (Jones). I would think that growing up with this
support around you makes a nurturing environment that has a huge if not bigger impact on a

males homosexuality. Looking at the literature such as The Overhauling of Straight America, it
can be seen that one of the main objectives is to get on that air allowing a voice that forms a
protect and a sort of nurturing aspect that those who need the support can stand behind (Kirk).
Just as a pro-voice can help aid those who are openly gay, being open can also expose those to a
negative nurturing aspect such as stereotypes. One of the biggest is that being gay is a choice
(Myths). This common stereotype is the most harmful and ignorant in my opinion after working
through my own revolutions as I have worked to understand this identity. At this point in time I
think that the stereotypes that are present now have slowly faded due to the support of gay rights.
The nurture side of things is very situational allowing for lots of variation and no real reason as
to how exactly it effects gay males and their openness. It would be different for two men if one
was openly gay with parents that completely supported them vs one who had parents who had no
idea and opposed the ideas. In that situation I think that the hardships that the later would have to
go through would have a deeper impact leading to him wanting the change and maybe even hide
the truth till he is comfortable with himself enough to come out. The hardest part about analyzing
a nurture side of things is that lots of times the impressionable time periods of a childs life is not
one filled with sexual curiosity that allows for something the measured or evaluated. Looking for
positive nurturing examples that correlate to gay men is something that is harder to come across,
yet negative nurturing cases are easier to find which is quite alarming. There are strong
correlations between gay men that had been sexually abused as a child (Gartner). The alarming
fact is that it isnt always a male that is the sexual assailant. The psychological problems that are
caused are what start the long trip that lasts a life time. This negative aspect of the nurture side of
things is the core cause of this correlation. Between my freshman and sophomore year I had a
friend who identified as bisexual which I later found had been sexually abused by a close family

member. After hearing his story and comparing it to Gartners theories and ideas about the
impact such as A homosexual boy may feel rushed into considering himself gay, or may hate his
homosexuality because he believes it was caused by his abuse I really see the impact that it has
on sexual orientation. The main point made in the argument is that after the ordeal it causes a
questioning cycle that has the potential to cause someone to ask if the really do prefer the same
sex or not. After really looking at the research and getting half answers to my questions, I found
that when it comes to the nurture aspect there is not a whole lot of evidence that a positive
nurturing aspect has a profound impact on a males sexual orientation but that negative nurturing
is what really makes the difference. Connecting back to my literature, reading non fiction in early
years of my literary progression, because I love to find answers to problems and solve issues, I
found that it wasnt challenging and intriguing to dig deeper and think outside the box to reach a
conclusion that I was actually pleased with using the sources that supported information with
regards to a nurturing facet.
After evaluation both sides of an argument, I think that each side has many points to offer
that contribute to why a male would identify as gay. With a combination of biological,
methylation patterns and epigenetics, and nurturing elements, such as sexual abuse in certain
cases, a sexual identity that a male is the most pleased with is how a conclusion is reached. With
regards to literacy, I think that the list of resources that are provided for us as whole will only
help everyone connect and make a decision about sexuality that we are the most comfortable
with. In regards to understanding and identity that I had almost no knowledge of starting this
year, I think that the first key is to get the facts and approach anything with an open mind
because you dont ever truly know what it is like till you have lived someone elses life and seen
what they have to go through on a daily basis.

Work Cited:
Gartner, Richard B. Can Childhood Sexual Abuse Cause Homosexuality?. PorCon.org,
n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2015. <http://borngay.procon.org/view.answers.php?

questionID=000029>.
Balter, Michael. Science AAAS. N.p., 8 Oct. 2015. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.
<http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2015/10/homosexuality-may-be-caused-chemical-

modifications-dna>.
Jones, Mike, and David Gelb. Homosexuality in the Media. University of Toronto, 22
May 2007.
Web. 1 Nov. 2015. <http://ocw.usu.edu/English/introduction-to-writing-academicprose/homosexuality-in-the-media.html-skinless_view.html>

Kirk, Marshall, and Erastes Pill. THE OVERHAULING OF STRAIGHT AMERICA. Guild
Magazine, Nov. 1987. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.

<http://library.gayhomeland.org/0018/EN/EN_Overhauling_Straight.htm>.
McGovern, Michele. "The Medias Influence on Public Perception of
Homosexuality." Journal of Research Across the Disciplines. Ed. Ed McCourt.
Jacksonville University, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.ju.edu/jrad/documents/michele_submission.pdf>.

Myths and Realities of Gay Men and Lesbian. West Chester University, n.d. Web. 26 Oct.
2015.
<https://wcupa.edu/_services/stu.lgb/Documents/MythsandRealitiesofGayMenandLesbin
s.pdf>.

Bird, Adrian. DNA methylation patterns and epigenetic memory. Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory Press, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2015.
<http://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/16/1/6.long>.