The Science of Sexual Orientation 

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Just to confirm to those unaware, when he has the pie chart and it says 40% bisexual, it means bisexual as in the umbrella term (It refers bi, pan, poly, and other various sexualities)

Even if being gay was a choice, why would it matter? People chose to be mean all the time but you don't see people attacking them! Edit: I know that being gay isn't a choice, what I'm saying is that if it was it shouldn't matter

My parents saying I have a genetic disorder: "How dare you use my own spells against me"

Me, a bisexual, thinking about everyone in my family to figure out who else is bi:

My biology teacher who thinks there's only Straight and cisgenders people on this earth be like : 😨

when straight homophobes say "you know being gay is a choice right? You can still go back to god if you change your ways." I say "You know being straight, homophobic, and judgemental is a choice right? You can still go back to god if you change your ways."

Never thought there was a science to this, glad to be wrong! Edit: for the record I am bi, not het

"if ur queer theres probably someone in your family that also is" my homophobic aunts: 👁👄👁

I’ve learned more in a 13 minute video than I’ve learned in an entire year of biology. There was nothing nearly as useful or interesting in that class Great job Matt

honestly i thought jesus was asexual, but the more you know, the better eh?

Even if being gay was a choice, why would we? We get attacked and straight up murdered, like, yes, this is my decision, kill me. Nobody wants to be bullied or hurt or murdered so why choose the option that gets you exactly that? Just let us love people damnit.

My bi aunt sent this to me XD

Only one minute in and my asexual heart feels so validated. Edit: I can’t believe I got so many likes, but thank you.

Me a bisexual in a homophobic family: ok who’s hiding

Jeez our schools lgbtq unit was awful. This is what we needed to learn, not that “they’re just like you and me!”

My mom, with extreme biphobia, is going to love this video. Not only is her son bisexual, but she’s probably the one who gave it to him.

"8-25% of lgbtq people have at least one person in the immediate past generation of their family who identify as the same sexual orientation or gender identity as they do" Time to have a serious conversation with my uncles !

My Family: my aunt is bi my dad is trans and bi my grandma told me she also thought about girls (so my guess is she is also bi) And then there is myself nonbinary (afab) and gay. - So it is definetly a family tradition 🤣👌

I was arguing with a homophobic person saying that being bisexual is a choice then I asked them I had a crush on a girl in the 3rd grade while not knowing wtf lgbtq+ was back then and they just said that there’s something wrong with me…like it doesn’t make any sense how being lgbtq+ would be a choice, no one can choose what they’re attracted to

the thought that there might have been gay dinosaurs makes me very happy

Finally, an *UNBIASED* well-researched and well-executed scientific video on the explanation of homosexuality. Thank you for taking the time to make this wonderful video. Time to add to my arsenal of arguements whenever someone questions me. Cheers to rainbows 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

There is even more. NPR talked to a scientist studying DNA and behavior connections. In the mice study they noticed 'plaques' that form on DNA as the mouse developed. They studied mice that received motherly attention and those who did not. This effected where plaques developed on the DNA and how social, empathetic a mouse was later in life. So environment can effect DNA and who we are. But still most of this is out of our control. Love the research you put into this episode. 🌈🌈❤️❤️🌈🌈

People have the audacity to say it's not natural?

It makes a lot of sense to me that rather than the 'default' sexuality being straight, the default sexuality of humans (and possibly all sexual creatures) is actually being bisexual/pan sexual. I mean, part of a creatures quote-on-quote purpose is to reproduce, hence sexual desire. Which may lead one to believe being straight is the default, since it can lead to procreation. But considering homosexuality and bi/pansexuality is seen across many creatures, maybe the default is just being horny and our genetic quirks and upbringings influence whether we prefer one gender over others? Also, I found it interesting that there were much fewer lesbians than gay men in the pie chart (can't consider that an accurate representation of the world's population but still). I wonder if this is because females are more likely to consider themselves bisexual than males? In a way, many straight men (and possibly gay men) are more pressured by society to stick to being attracted to one gender. Obviously there are many bi/pan males and many lesbian and straight females, but it's just a thought. I wonder if many people have the potential to be bi/pan but societal standards and their own determinations have caused them to choose one gender over the other, and perhaps men are more susceptible to this (not that this is a bad thing, just a curiosity). Or maybe this is completely wrong and people are truly just born attracted to one gender over the other in many cases, I'm not sure. Sexuality sure is complicated huh.

this is the best biology class ever! I personally love to study genetics in biology and it's talking about sexual orientation just makes me so happy! this is the best biology class ever, that's it.

My straight parents, uncle, and aunt- I exist My brother who doesnt feel sexual or romantic attraction- ok Me just being pan- ;-;

I wish this is what I’d learned in school. It’s way more helpful and important than the useless stuff they make us learn, to be honest.

Oh please do a science video on the ace and aro spectrums

I like that this guy actually knows what he’s talking about and actually does his research instead of regurgitating info

Finally! I can send this to my mom cause she thinks lgbtq+ is a choice and taking stuff to change to another gender for trans people is illegal

The chances of me being a leftie, Bisexual, and Demigender

I had a philosophy teacher i highly respected until he "taught" us how homosexuality was a disorder, and i couldn't believe he did me like that. I never spoke to him ever since.

“ People in your past generation in your immediate family have the same sexual orientation as you” *me turned to my aunt * 👁👄👁 Me: I smell somethin bi here,

Interesting stuff. It seems unfortunate that so much has to depend on self-identification. For one thing, who can estimate how many people identify under an incorrect label? It would also be interesting to follow up with people after an interval and map out whether identity changes tie to anything. It would be fascinating to see a panel of leading YT presenters from various GRSM categories.

I identify as somewhere on the Asexual spectrum and recently was talking to my mother about how I felt about sex and she was like 'don't worry that's completely normal because I'm the exact same'.... lol

I'm DYING of laughter because the dinosaurs were gay, why didn't I know this sooner?!

Sexuality isn't a choice Being mean about other people's sexuality is a choice. Do not pick that choice. Be good people everyone.

Dolly Parton, lady gaga and other lgbtq icons came together and created gay people and we are evolving

This sounds like a really interesting topic

I’m a questioning bisexual/omnisexual so i can totally relate with being unsure of labels lol

Makes sense, I'm straight and I randomly found this in my recomended and it all makes sense now. I respect the LGBTQ community and I highly support it. My mom's friend is gay and I have many friends who are LGBTQ

Honest question: why is transgender in the same pie chart with sexual orientations?. I mean couldn't there be an overlap between transgender and gay, lesbian, bi?. For example, a transgender man that likes men is a gay transgender.

My whole family's straight meanwhile I'm making sad pansexual noises

Not a single research that was shown, said that being gay is genetic... It only says that the genes are a important factor in the equation. Most of our traits are affected by genes and the ENVIRONMENT. LGBTQ+ people do NOT choose to be like that, but it does not mean that they are defined ONLY by genes. This video, just like every single video who try to "proove" that we are defined by our genes, are biased. I understand the political importance of that way of thinking, but it doesnt mean its true.

"Ganna and his colleagues also used the analysis to estimate that up to 25% of sexual behaviour can be explained by genetics, with the rest influenced by environmental and cultural factors - a figure similar to the findings of smaller studies." - This is a quote from the study you brought up and I don't like how you changed it only to suit your point better, especially considering that it would've hardly harmed your point. the other 75% is not a random makeup of the other genes its " influenced by environmental and cultural factors ".

Can you do one on being aromantic or asexual?

7:24 This part is not quite accurate... the idea that sexual orientation is polygenic just means that there are numerous genes that play a role in determining sexual behaviour. It does not mean that the DNA is different in your arm vs your leg. It does not mean you would not need to sample from different parts of your body. DNA throughout the body is largely identical in every cell.

Saving this! ALL of this is really interesting and pretty easy to understand, which is good if i ever want to explain this to a homophobe/confused people or send to someone :)

“It’s in the genes in ever part of your body” you mean I’m gay from my head to toes?

Isn't there a difference between saying something is "socially valid" and "genetically distinct"? Like I don't think our genes would distinguish between bisexual, omnisexual, and pansexual, for example.

If my brother knew english i'd send this to him, since he likes to say that science proves being gay is a choice and can be influenced by the enviroment.

Woow, this confirms my theory about my aunt being ace even more. Thank you.

Honestly why are people more concerned about who falls in love with who versus the ACTUAL problems in this word.

This was interesting! As a straight person I just wanted to know more about this! I heard something like this, years ago. The science of homo-sexual attraction. Tbh I don't think we'll ever know definitively why someone is the orientation they are because it's so personal, and unique to everyone!

Repeat after me, homophobes: “Gay. Is. Not. A. Choice.”

All these facts! Forget sins God made me and he made me gay!! 😌😏

This is something I never considered! Thank you for doing this

When homophobes say that gay is being a choice, then why animals have this behavior too? It shows that not only people or humans can have sexual attractions to opposite or other sex. Alot of studies have proven this that animals can also have this behavior.

Is there also a video about the science of being transgender? I need something to send to my conservative Christian parents please… thank you 😊

This is very interesting, I never thought about this, but now I want to research it!

girl- all my biological siblings are pan/bi/gay LMFAO I was adopted so my adoption parents are NOT supportive but yeah.

I’ve fought with my parents so many times trying to explain how being a part of LGBTQ+ isn’t choice, but of course they never listen (making it even harder for me to come out to them as Lesbian) I’m glad I now know this information, and I just wanted to say thank you, it makes me feel safer to be who I truly am

If being gay was a choice, I'd be gayer. I mean, have you seen how pretty girls are???

this man has tought more science then any science teacher i will ever have.

I knew from a very young age. Didn't know the term but I knew I liked both equally. I'm not planning on telling anyone since I don't feel secure enough to do so.

great vid! I really appreciate it that you went through unbiased sources!

Thank you for this. It was very informative and interesting. I'm so glad to know that this study affirms what I've always said and now backs up, scientifically.

10:34 GAY DINOSAURS? tell me more about that, I'm invested

I'm pansexual AFAB, so I'm wondering if my sister is gay 🤔

:) My mom is bi, my sister is pan, and I am bi :)

The dislikes are the homophobes.

I'm early,Majesty Matt! Here's rainbow Coffee!☕🌈

This is the most validated I have ever felt in my life.

This channel is very underrated.

As an asexual with asexual mother, aunt and maternal grandfather I can not disagree even if I wanted to. There's too much evidence!

Love is love. :) Love is determined by tiny things on a molecular level that are found throughout your whole body and no straight person or gay person has exactly the same tiny things. :D

Honestly. With gene therapy getting more research and stuff, I feel like there will be a point where you could change someone’s genes into being gay or straight, however by that point I think we (assuming we live long enough to get there) will be smart enough to understand the ethicality (or lack thereof) of doing that, and that won’t be the first thing that’ll come to our minds when we have that ability to really change someone’s genetics makeup.

This really helped me see my orientation as a gift… thank you.

This taught me more science than my science class

I thought i was bisexual for 2 years when i was 9-10, and i discovered that i am most definitely not, so was it just me being really confused?

I just love it when people say “Basic Biology” because... maybe they should be educated on more than just a ‘basic’ level because science... it doesn’t quite agree. Like, the only angle that ever makes a lick of sense is reproduction but you could make the same argument for infertile people or those who simply don’t want kids and not like everyone’s just going to start being Homosexual and other forms of Birth exist so I think we’re fine.

First of all I'm gay, but I think one of the reason why being other than straight took so long to be accepted by older generations is because of the term "sexuality" it self. A lot of them seems to think that its inappropriate to educate children about LGBTQ+ because they think its all about sexual activity, instead of love/attraction.

When I was still a student I read some articles on the subject and was positively surprised that even my biology textbook described sexuality as a spectrum and something that is not yet fully understood. I am glad to see that research is still ongoing and that the knowledge is becoming more commonplace.

Imagine living in a world where this info was just understood without any explanation needed. 🥺

I have lernt more in this video than in a school class

Thanks for the great informative videos. I recently discovered your channel. Love your voice! Best wishes!

Thank you so much for this channel! Here I can really learn something :-)

Now when I confess my mom/dad I'm gay...I can give a perfect explanation and a open heart

I absolutely love how they state their sources clearly and dont only say "a study found out that..."

This is so iconic, thank you for this video, its amazing

idk how, but i came across this amazing video after having a Twitter debate with people who claim they are super straight. this timing couldn't have been more perfect

The sad fact is that just 7 minutes in this video taught me more than my school bio classes did

This video is quite wrong. You said that up to 25% of homosexual behaviour is caused by the 5 genetics markers, and it is indeed right. But then you talked about the other 75%, and you said that they were other genes, which is just wrong. Even in the study that YOU linked in the description it says that the other 75% is caused by other factors, such as environment, and how a child develops their sexuality. I still can't figure out how you got that wrong, since in every article about that study there was written this thing, even in the one you linked in the description. Btw i am not homophobic, but i already read that study and infact i remembered it differently, then i checked and i was right.

I'm a lesbian, my big sister is a pansexual (who is now happily married to a man and pregnant) my cousin is a transwoman, and my other cousin's son is gay. I think I can confirm this reserch. lol

My biology class actually coming in handy a bit for understanding this video lmao

Whenever I argue with my dad he goes to thinks like: “You are just a genetic mistake!” And when I can disprove it he says: “Oh yeah...RU-vid knowledge is always right!” You just can’t argue with him.

Being religious is a choice while being gay is not. Religion is just a social construct. No other animals practices homophobic religion! Me trying to throw back at them their logic which makes more sense.

I have a gay uncle, I'm gay too. It is indeed hereditary.

Very interesting! Thanks for the info!!!!