Eugenics of Trying To Find The Gay Genes

Unzipping Eugenics Gay Jeans

By Camille

There have been many times when I would read or listen to someone mention some iteration of a "gay gene" being in existence. If it is not a gay person wearing jeans then a "gay gene" is just something that I cannot fathom without combusting. But here I am, pondering this idea but relating it to Eugenics, conceptually defined as "planned breeding" and/or "racial improvement" through the eradication of the genes that people possess that are presumed to cause social upheaval and degradation. 

In finding a "gay gene" it seemingly involves, in part, some understanding that there is something wrong and that there is just no way that someone is just gay without there being some type of biological or sociological mishappenstance. When I listen to individuals tell their story of coming to understand themselves and their body, some may mention that they knew when they were a child, some may mention that their parent knew before them, or a friend knew before them, or that they just are and there maybe isnt much of a beginning to their sexual and/or gender identity. In what logic is any of that portraying a wrong?  It is an oversimplification to allude to being gay as something that happens when you wake up and drink the liberal coolaid. Stories of people learning how to define their gender and sexuality or lack thereof, are personal and there should not be an expectation of "coming out".

This implemented, generalization of the development of sexuality and gender identity is a form of Eugenics in that it applies this idea of "planning" to the development of identity. I didn't plan my identity, I didn't plan my race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. Those things developed over time or through the passing of genes and pigmentation. The idea of identifying a genetic basis for homosexuality echoes the eugenicist belief in "racial improvement" through the elimination of perceived undesirable traits. This can stem from race and ethnicity, trying to identify the genetic basis for what/how/why someone looks like as a way to refer to certain aspects as an undesirable formation is a form of eugenics as it seeks to categorize and control human variation based on arbitrary standards of acceptability. 

Just as eugenics historically sought to eliminate traits deemed inferior or undesirable, the quest to identify a "gay gene" or to attribute specific traits to genetic or biological factors perpetuates the harmful notion that certain identities are inherently superior or inferior. By framing identity development as a result of genetic "planning," this approach erases the complexities of individual experiences and reinforces harmful stereotypes and stigmas. Moreover, it can lead to the implementation of discriminatory practices and policies that target marginalized communities based on their perceived genetic makeup. Thus, by recognizing the parallels between the search for a "gay gene" and the historical context of eugenics, we can critically examine the societal implications of genetic essentialism and advocate for a more inclusive and affirming understanding of human diversity.

In this quest for a cause I.e., a gay gene, straight gene, fat gene, etc., I raise the question, how does this tie to white supremacy, colonialism, and immigration policies? Furthermore, how did religion play a role in the dissemination of eugenic ideologies, if it did at all? Something else that I was thinking about is how does this relate to art and music. Like the concepts of beauty and perfection, shaping artistic representation of the human form and what is consider physically attractive. 

Cultural narratives about heredity and genetic superiority, lineage, purity, hierarchy, and portrayal of disability as these things may be seen as a deviation from societal norms of conformity. Cultural attitudes towards art and music, often are reflections of attitudes towards diversity, identity, and power dynamics. There are many intersecting lines and ways that eugenics can show itself so I think it could be an interesting focal point.