Asexuality and genetics?

[MooseAntlers]

I'm asexual, and recently, my brother told me that he might be an aromantic asexual. I was wondering if there's much to do with asexuality and genetics? Or maybe about asexuality and the way someone was raised? Maybe it's just a coincidence or one of us will change, but it just brought up the question in my head.

[Ashmedai]

I have an aunt and a cousin who've never partnered up. My cousin is in his late 40's-early 50's and my aunt is around the 60-70 mark. I don't know any of the details or reasons why, but I found this quite interesting.

[caprizico]

I definitely don't think it's how we are raised. I have a sister who has three children and was rather promiscuous in her youth. Yet I want nothing to do with it. We also have different fathers so I have to vouch for the genetic side of it.

[KanaraKazen]

I can't really say one way or the other. I'm asexual and so far am the only one in my family. All of my cousins, uncles, aunts, even my parents and brothers are rather sexual (whether they are open about it or not). It could be that I was raised very strictly in a traditional Asian household that I do not think about intercourse. It could be that I see relationships fail left and right in my family that I do not want to be involved in something that could hurt me after giving so much. Or it could be that I just feel this way because for some reason I just do.

One of my friends says that I am asexual because I have seen that in my family, it never works out. I argue that it's the relationship that doesn't work out, not the intercourse part of it. Thus there is no relation in how I am asexual. But it nags in the back of my mind that that is not entirely true.

It is very thought provoking. You brought up a good question in this matter.

[Lenika]

Genetic, my mom is such an ace. She talks about sex as if its a chore. She once told me "You have to do it when you're married to keep your man happy, even if you don't really like it." Sounds ace to me

[The Wreyck]

I don't really see any correlation with genetics or upbringing. Well, possibly upbringing as I believe that has a lot to do with anyone's sexual orientation, but not necessarily. I mean, four siblings brought up in the same environment and household, and I'm the only ace. No extended family members are ace, either. In fact, they are FAR from it. I think it usually really is just upbringing combined with some innate desire and how each personality type is more likely to react and respond to those things. But it's never a guarantee. Personality gives the various options of how one will act, but not guarantees.

[Dethsdream]

My mother is most likely a demisexual, so there may be some truth to it being genetic for me anyway. She says that she was never interested in sex until she met my dad (which ironically is the "evidence" she has that I'll eventually become interested in relationships... sigh), so she doesn't find my asexuality very surprising and thinks it's weird that I need an identity for it. Oh well.

[RoswellValentine]

I'm asexual, I have some suspicion my brother and my mom's sister are ace, though I don't really see how genetics or upbringing factor into this. My brother and I grew up in the same place for most of our lives, while our parents moved around often because both their fathers were in the military. I don't think my parents are ace, but I'm pretty sure sex isn't important to them.

[defaultuser]

I can be wrong, but I think it's most likely that you were both affected by some kind information, that might have triggered asexuality. Well, at least for me it was information induced.

[RoswellValentine]

I can be wrong, but I think it's most likely that you were both affected by some kind information, that might have triggered asexuality. Well, at least for me it was information induced.

My brother and I never cared much for dating or having sex, period. Neither of us really knew about asexuality until last year or so. My aunt has had relationships before, but isn't married. Part of me thinks she may be asexual or aromantic, but part of me doubts it.

[MadRat]

I think it can be connected. My brother is asexual, my mother is obviously asexual too and I had one distant aunt who was single for all her life and totally uninterested in relationships.

[StoneMoon]

Interesting how many here seem to have ace relatives. :o My parents are definitely nowhere in the spectrum and my brothers are bi and seemingly straight. I don't think any of my other relatives are anywere near ace either...

[Rising Sun]

Everybody I my family seems to be very sexual. I don't know if genetics is responsible for asexuality. But I don't think that the origin is psychological. After all, there are also epigenetics and environmental causes with biological effects. At least in my own case, I know that hormones played a role.

[Cereal Tendencies]

I have a few cousins who seem pretty aromantic. My mom could also be aro or demiromantic from how she is around my dad. I didn't come out as asexual but I did explain my aromanticism to her and she pointed out the various cousins from her side that fit the description.

Unfortunately she added "but I don't care, I still want grandchildren"

[Hooded_Crow]

Don't know about asexuality, but as far as sexual orientation goes, I know someone who's gay and has an identical twin brother who's gay as well. So, yeah, maybe some genetics were at play here. Dunno.

[Marshmallow Tree]

No one in my family is asexual.

[Breathing....]

I'm not sure whether I believe genetics or upbringing going have anything to do with it... Though I suppose I did think for a long time, and sometimes still do, that my lack of romantic attraction to anyone (so far) could have been related to the fact that I saw and continue to see family relationship struggle and fall apart. But as I've gotten older I have seen several relationships outside of my own family that work well and are loving so I thought with learning that I would, I dunno, learn these romantic feelings...but I haven't.

Genetically speaking I am one of 8 children (3 a bit young to understand or know orientations) but of the other 5, 3 are very sexual and straight on is sexual and bi/gay and then there's me. My parents are very sexual and all my aunts, grandparents and grandaunts and uncles had sexual relationships (though I'd never ask how they felt about that).

[I'm not insane]

My siblings are all very sexual. I'm the only one within the ace spectrum.

When asexuality becomes more well-known, I hope there's more research on the topic.

[imgone]

Okay genetics being one of my major interests I'd be lying if I said I've never been curious about this. But here's the thing, guys: genetics are complicated, we cannot just look to heredity, there could be a dozen genes responsible in some way for inducing some sort of asexuality, and even then it might be the interplay between those genes rather than any one independently. It makes sense to me that there would be a genetic component, though. DNA --> RNA --> Protein, and maybe our brain cells produce a certain protein differently and can't receive certain neurotransmitters/hormones; who knows. I could actually see asexuality being an evolutionarily beneficial trait, not for us of course but for our family members. Look up cooperative breeding. I'm pretty sure at least one of the limited studies having to do with asexuality in animals has to do with this.

The problem: we do not yet fully understand the genetics of sexuality, guys. We don't even know what genes "make you gay," though there are some genes that have be proposed, and we don't even know how much environmental and social factors play a part. It is difficult because you cannot narrow down one factor. Most likely we'll find genes that "increase your likeliness of being (gay/bi/straight/ace/etc.)" but nothing that's a surefire thing.

At the same time, does anyone know if there have been any twin studies done on asexuality? I'd be curious to know if any identical twins are both asexual.

Finally, I might as well mention: My sister is on the autistic spectrum and has expressed that she doesn't ever want sex or marriage, it seems to freak her out. I always got kinda ace vibes from my mom, cause we're a lot like each other... When I came out to her she gave me the whole, "It can be really nice if it's with the right person" spiel. That little caveat at the end makes me wonder, but I don't know.

EDIT: Found a thread on asexual twins but it's not pasting here. :(

[Marshmallow Tree]

I agree that we know very little about the causes behind sexuality (or lack of) and so can't conclude anything. I doubt the idea that asexuality is purposefully present due to evolution however (though of course presently I can't conclude anything). People like bringing up the whole 'asexuality is nature's answer to overpopulation' and similiar ideas. There's been many debates over this that I'm sure everyone's read. It's good to remember that nature has many by-products that do not have purpose but may have inadvertent merit to humans.

[imgone]

Oh I agree that it may totally be by accident. Evolution is not goal-oriented, some things just happen, sometimes those things are beneficial. The idea that asexuality is "nature's response to overpopulation" is buuuuullshit. I had never heard that. That is so... aaaaah.

But no what I was talking about is the idea that "asexual" people may not contribute their genes to the next generation, but they may help their family members raise young, or help their family group in some other way, and so genes that contribute to asexuality continue to be passed on because having an asexual child aids the survival of the sexual parent and its sexual offspring, allowing them to reproduce more, etc.. This is also a proposed theory for the presence of homosexuality. In theory a trait that makes one less likely to reproduce should just disappear, shouldn't it? But obviously that's not the case. So who keeps passing it on? If the "gay/ace genes" aren't helping the gay/ace organism, then it may be helping the non-gay/non-ace carriers of these genes. Oooor sexuality is complicated. Or both.

Like I said, look up "cooperative breeding." Also look up the "gay uncle theory." Very interesting stuff!

[Marshmallow Tree]

But no what I was talking about is the idea that "asexual" people may not contribute their genes to the next generation, but they may help their family members raise young, or help their family group in some other way, and so genes that contribute to asexuality continue to be passed on because having an asexual child aids the survival of the sexual parent and its sexual offspring, allowing them to reproduce more, etc.. This is also a proposed theory for the presence of homosexuality. In theory a trait that makes one less likely to reproduce should just disappear, shouldn't it? But obviously that's not the case. So who keeps passing it on? If the "gay/ace genes" aren't helping the gay/ace organism, then it may be helping the non-gay/non-ace carriers of these genes. Oooor sexuality is complicated. Or both.

Like I said, look up "cooperative breeding." Also look up the "gay uncle theory." Very interesting stuff!

Yes I did. It is interesting indeed xD I hadn't heard of the 'gay uncle' theory until now. Thanks for sharing ^_^

Actually, what I said earlier about nature's by-products were in response to this.

It's good to remember that nature has many by-products that do not have purpose but may have inadvertent merit to humans.

The inadvertent merit being that asexuals may help others' offspring. There are many times when genes go awry and cause humans to become against the 'norm'. That includes sexuality. This of course is an assumption (though it seems evident that genetics does play a large role in sexuality/lack of sexuality). Not everything has a purpose in nature or even a function they are merely by-products (e.g. male nipples). Asexuals, homosexuals etc seem to have 'faulty' genes from genetic mutations. It's also important to remember genes being passed down isn't automatically a good thing and doesn't mean that the genes are advantageous either. There are debilitating conditions which are caused by parent's genes which are passed down.

I guess arguing this is a moot since there's no way to say anything for sure. Still it's interesting to talk/read about! :)

[scarletlatitude]

I have a BS in biology so... *puts biologist hat on*

Chances are that, if it is genetic, it is polygenetic, meaning that it comes from many different genes. I have two reasons for believing this.

1) Most human traits are caused by more than one gene. There are very few that are one gene traits (probably those same ones you learned in biology class).

2) As someone said above, if there is such a thing as a "sexuality" gene, then wouldn't it die out since asexuals don't produce children? Well, not necessarily. If it is polygenetic, or something along those lines, your orientation may come from the right mixture of many, many, many different genes. This could possibly explain why some people are fully asexual, some are fully sexual, and some are in between. Also, it could explain why it happens in many family members.

Disclaimer - I am not a geneticist and I do not claim to know this stuff for sure. But, as a scientist, this is what I think.

[Contrarian Expatriate]

This is a complicated question. There may indeed be a gene that makes one predisposed to being asexual. HOWEVER, that gene can be muted by any number of factors wherein I would be sexual.

For example, if I am genetically predisposed to have bad eyesight, that I wear glasses mutes that predisposition and I go through life with perfect eyesight.

The glasses for an asexual gene might be religion, upbringing, social pressure, personal experience et cetera.

I believe asexuals are that way because of a COMBINATION of factors such as genetics, childhood experiences (not necessarily bad ones), and other things. That combination of factors just converged in us to wire our brains NOT to be sexually attracted as most others are attracted.

So what does this mean evolutionarily-speaking? I theorize that since many of us are not focused on getting laid, we are succeeding in our professions or vocations and making groundbreaking success in whatever we do. It was said that Nikola Tesla was asexual and it is theorized that Benjamin Cardozo was asexual just to name two. I would guess that there are many more luminaries among us disproportionate to our small percentage of the population.

And as I always say, Asexuality for a man is a gift. The drive to have sex is like a curse for many men and many a fortune, nation, family, spouse, profession, career, etc has been lost as a result of the uncontrollable drive to have sex. Bill Clinton, General Petreaus, are just two of many.

[ThePaperRose]

My brother and I are both asexual... my other brothers are only 8 so it's a bit soon to tell for them :)

Human sexuality is so complicated, I don't think it's safe to assume that it's only genetics or only upbringing. It's probably a combination of many many things that we would never think about.

[Mezzo Forte]

To my knowledge, I'm the only asexual in my family. Neither of my siblings are asexual, and I doubt my parents are, though I do somewhat wonder if my nephew is on the spectrum or not. (He's on the verge of too young to make any guesses about it, but it's kinda interesting to think about when I see people on AVEN who aren't too far away from him in terms of age.)

Still, I come from a big family, most of whom live far away from my immediate family, and I can't say that sexuality is really something that pops up, so I have no way of really knowing.

[Marshmallow Tree]

At this point we're just stating what we all already know. I just wish there were more studies conducted on human sexuality around me. I'd be more than happy to take part!

[Teavana]

Well my aunt never got married. My uncle has announced that he hasn't had sex with his wife for over 20 years. I don't think it is just one gene, it could be poly-genetic. The environment could play a minor role. My culture does put restrictions on sexual behavior, but growing up I never agreed with those restrictions at all. My culture's view never had an effect on my sexual orientation.

[Ficulnean]

Epigenetics makes it quite hard to distingush nature from nurture. You're more likely to seek out your situations which conform to your genetic dispositions, too, meaning that genetics out and out affects nurture. And some genetic traits don't get activated unless you're in the right situation. Imo it shouldn't be an either/or issue.

[Guest]

Aside from myself, and my paternal grandma (whom I suspect to have been ace, but can't check back with her for reasons of her being dead ), I'm pretty certain that noone else in my near family is/was ace.