Studies of identical twins reveal homosexuality is not genetic

Identical twins circa 1890s.

According to Dr. Neil Whitehead, studies of identical twins are concluding homosexuality is not genetic. Dr. Whitehead has a PhD in statistics and biochemistry.

There are twin data-bases in a number of nations around the world containing records of thousands of twins. Since identical twins have the same DNA, geneticists are using these repositories to study the impact of genetics.

If same-sex attraction is genetic as some claim, then if one identical twin is homosexual, the other would be born that way as well.

However, one of the revelations coming out of these studies is the realization homosexuality is not genetically based. According to Whitehead, if genetics has any impact at all it is “a minor factor.”

Whitehead said “no one is born gay.” He says instead something occurred after birth in one of the identical twin’s environment that didn’t happen to the other. He referred to it to “non-shared factors” — perhaps one twin was involved in pornography and the other wasn’t. Or if they both experienced similar situations, one responded differently.

Commenting on a 2000 study of a 25,000 twin repository in Australia, Whitehead said, “If an identical twin has same-sex attraction the chances the co-twin has it are only about 11% for men and 14% for women.”

Studies of other identical twin repositories showed even less of a connection.

A 2002 study of an identical twin repository in the US — involving tens of thousands of adolescent identical twins — showed if one of the twins was homosexual there was only a 7.7% chance of the other being homosexual for males and a 5.3% chance for females.

Whitehead says there have been eight studies of twins and homosexuality over the past 20 years in twin data-bases in Scandinavia, Australia and the US and all reached similar conclusions.

Dr. Whitehead — who has worked in scientific research for the New Zealand government and UN — authored a book “My Genes Made me Do it — a scientific look at sexual orientation” which looks at the connection between homosexuality and genetics. Dr. Whitehead analyzed numerous studies and hundreds of research papers written between 2000 and 2012 and concluded there is no genetic basis for homosexuality.

Bible and its twins

So how many sets of twins does the Bible mention? There are three, possibly four, sets.

Esau and Jacob

Probably the most notorious were the fraternal twins — Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:19-34). Though Esau was born first and therefore destined to receive the double inheritance given the first-born, Jacob came out of the womb with his hand grabbing Eau’s heel (v 27). His parents called the youngest Jacob or the supplanter as they believed he was trying to supplant Esau of his privileged first-born position. In the end, Jacob would receive the double portion blessing and inheritance intended for his older brother.

Pharez and Zerah

Genesis 38:27-30 refers to a second set — Pharez (Perez) and Zerah. Jesus’ lineage passed through Pharez (Mathew 1:3). Their mother Tamara was the daughter-in-law of Judah. Tamara was childless when her husband died and when none of Judah’s sons would marry her, Tamara disguised herself as a temple prostitute and enticed Judah into having sex leading to the birth of Pharez and Zerah. At their birth, the attending midwife tied a purple string around Zerah’s wrist to show he was born first. However, his hand pulled back and Pharez was the first-born.

Ephraim and Manasseh (possible)

Another possible twin birth involves the two children of Joseph — Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48). The reason for this is because their births are always mentioned together in the singular, suggesting both were born at the same time.

Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. (Genesis 41:50 NASV)

Joseph’s father, Jacob, adopted the two boys into his family. As with the other two Old Testament twins, there was a conflict over the title of first-born. When Jacob put his right hand on Ephraim’s head giving him the first-born blessing, Joseph tried to move Jacob’s right hand to Manasseh who was the first-born. Jacob refused saying that Ephraim was God’s chosen first-born (Genesis 48:17-22).

Doubting Thomas

Many don’t realize one of Christ’s disciples — Doubting Thomas — was also a twin and probably identical as well. Thomas was the disciple who wouldn’t believe Jesus had resurrected until he saw the risen Lord himself (John 20:24-29). In his Gospel, John refers to Thomas as Didymus which means twin (literally double or twofold) — John 11:16; 2o:24 and 21:2. It implies Thomas was one of a set of identical twins. Thomas’ twin brother is not mentioned suggesting he was either dead or did not choose to follow Christ.

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