Chapters
Environment and society
The Hidden Cause of Homosexuality · Dr. Alaa Alsalem
3. Environmental and Social Causes of Homosexuality
By "cause," I mean a factor that gives a higher chance (any percentage above zero) of causing the effect.
To illustrate: if we denote the existence of homosexuality by (A) and any specific environmental or social factor with (R), (R) will lay the groundwork and increase the probability of (A) becoming a reality. However, there is no direct or inevitable causality. If we assume several factors, which we will show is the case, they are not an excuse for a person to turn to homosexuality, even if all of them apply, let alone just one. They are merely contributing factors to the existence of homosexuality, not a direct cause of it. The inclination towards homosexuality is under their control, so they take full responsibility.
Currently, the official scientific consensus is mostly on environmental and social influences and factors as the reason for being queer, including by zealots trying to establish a genetic cause.
When we examine the scientific studies conducted by geneticists and others, we clearly see they never planned on denying the environmental and social influences (in fact, some of their studies have given these a major role). Still, they expended much effort on the search for a biological cause, which, if discovered, would be given a high priority.
We cannot ignore the influence of the environment even if a genetic cause of homosexuality is found as Dawkins explains: “...when we talk about a gene for anything, whether it's homosexuality or anything else, we don't necessarily mean that the gene inevitably has that effect. A gene only has the effect that it does in the right environment. So it could be that a gene that has the effect of causing a male to be homosexual in the present environment, in our present technological environment-civilized environment-would not have had that effect in a different environment...but depends upon the environment in which the individual is brought up.”
Indeed, anyone researching this topic may notice that some radical studies and articles focus on a genetic cause and reject the opinion that social or environmental factors influence homosexuality. In fact, they consider this opinion as merely religious with no scientific basis.
Those who uphold this emotional viewpoint do not realize they are trying to attain something impossible from homosexuality. It is not justifiable since, in addition to denying any social influences, they also deny it is an illness or sexual deviation which requires treatment. Therefore, they reject an inner cause. We have already seen that the genetic cause was never scientifically established. Hence, in their opinion, the homosexual will be a homosexual without any genetic, inner, or social cause giving rise to their homosexual tendencies!
Science, scientists, and religion all agree that the environment and social factors influence homosexual tendencies; therefore, presenting studies as proof is unnecessary. These studies may differ in the extent they claim environmental factors influence homosexuality and whether they are causes or just influences. We only need to consider research that demonstrates the causes and factors pushing an individual toward homosexuality.
Perhaps we should consider some of these factors, so we are aware of the risks attached to them:
1- Sexual assault during childhood 2- Separation of families and the absence of either the father or the mother 3- Incorrect methods of bringing up children 4- Childhood friendships 5- Being sexually repressed 6- Modern technology: here, I specifically mean sexually arousing things, like gay movies and general sexual freedom, not other positive aspects of modern technology.
The above and perhaps other social and environmental factors have been highlighted by scientific studies and publications (available online and in well-known international scientific articles), and they have an impact on the inclination of the "gay" person towards homosexuality. These factors can impact
a person's homosexual tendencies, but they are also present in heterosexual individuals who don't even consider homosexuality a life choice. Hence, homosexuals cannot blame their inclination toward being gay on these factors, no matter how strongly they feel they contribute to their decision and influence their life.