Why I don’t like scientific studies about sexuality

It seems every few weeks there is another study about sexual difference and biology. I’ve written before about what bothers me about studies that talk about gender difference, and I similarly take issue with studies about sexuality and sexual orientation.
Why do they bug me? Because the premise behind studying the why of sexual difference is unfair. When we decide to look for the cause of queer sexual orientations to me that says “here we have a problem. let’s find the root cause!” Queer sexualities are not a problem, or an abnormality, or a disease that we need to cure.
The same goes for “why are you gay” discussions. I frankly find them offensive, because we are once again searching for the root cause of this sexual abnormality. I also think these studies (and the way the media likes to misuse them) are overly deterministic. They imply simple cause and effect relationships between biology and sexuality that are just not accurate. We are all super complex beings, with many factors that influence who we are and our behaviors.
They also tend to make conclusions that are just generalizations backed by statistics–like the recent BBC report about gay brains looking like straight brains of the opposite sex. Not all queer women are the same, nor are all queer men. Nor are all straight women, etc. These generalizations just serve to reinforce the categories that we already believe to be valid.
Some within the queer community have fought in support of the “I was born this way” logic, because they feel that it is the easiest way to fight against discrimination. Since I can’t help being the way I am, you have to respect me and my lifestyle. That doesn’t hold up too well though if scientists (or psychologists) decide they have a “cure” for homosexuality. Then we no longer can stand behind the I was born that way logic and instead it becomes a choice to fix the problem or not. Some conservatives (and those in favor of ex-gay therapies) already believe this.
Again, we are super complicated beings and it’s pretty difficult to prove where sexual preference comes from. But what if it was a choice? I think that should be respected just like anything else. I’m in support of sexual practices between consenting adults, no questions asked.
I’m not saying we should ban these studies–obviously scientists will conduct whatever studies they want, but it would be great to see them covered in a more nuanced way that doesn’t fall into these traps.

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