title: Sexuality in the brain.
abstract: Research on the biological "causes" of homosexuality focuses primarily upon the hypothesis that hormonal influences during fetal life "organize" certain parts of the brain which thus become centers for sexual orientation and behavior later in life. This paper briefly summarizes criticisms of this research that demonstrate little evidence for the operation of such centers and emphasizes alternative scenarios for the development of sexual orientation and behavior which have been slighted by the biological and medical communities. Finally, I suggest that commitment to a belief in a biological mechanism which supports the hierarchy of power by those who benefit from that power maintains the viability of the hypothesis in the face of negative evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, CA 94132, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Doell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012723:Sex; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones