Gene Eugenics

[Rowe]

So I read this article Gay Gene Eugenics and it got me thinking just what are the limits the average person would willing choose in designing their offspring.

The article references Medical treatment carries possible side effect of limiting homosexuality. Basically "A prenatal pill for congenital adrenal hyperplasia to prevent ambiguous genitalia may reduce the chance that a female with the disorder will be gay." This condition in extreme cases can cause what most of us know as hermaphroditism.

Personally I don't believe homosexuality is exclusively due to genetics, environment surely plays a role in a percentage of cases. The editorial at extragoodshit noted a researcher postulated even if Homosexuality was considered a benign trait such as left-handedness or baldness the majority of parents would opt for preventative treatment. My father is left handed and bald, I'm left handed but luckily not bald. I don't consider baldness a benign trait.

Surely quality of life has to be a determining factor in categorizing a trait as benign or not. I consider left-handedness benign, you'd have to ask a bald guy if he considers being bald benign. I know my dad wishes he had hair.

So the question is if in the not to distant future safe, effective and proven in utero treatments were developed that could effect borderline benign traits would you consider their use.

[Zilong]

I'd be more interested in the eugenics of religious gene

[Saithorx]

I'm impressed it only took 1 reply to turn the topic to religion.

[zoobernut]

Wasn't Hitler attempting Eugenics during WWII?

[Chen]

if i could de-gay my child in advance i would, not out of homo h8n, but i'd like to have grandkids some day.

and no, it's definately not due to just genetics either

[Narol]

I think being homosexual is just as benign as being left-handed. It has (or rather, should have) no impact on someone's health and well-being, unlike for example genetic predisposition to cancer and so on.

As for intersexuality (hermaphrodism to use a slightly outdated term), of all places I think Rotten makes a pretty good case for it. Everyone's so intent on pigeonholing people into "male or female" that they wind up hurting the kids they're trying to make "normal" by telling them that there's something wrong with the way they were born. So in that sense I'd say intersexuality is equally benign as homosexuality or left-handedness.

Baldness falls into cosmetics more than anything else. Sure, not every bald person wants to be bald, but that's hardly something to decide before the child's born. This is why I say genetic manipulation should be tightly regulated and only used to address health problems. Last thing we need is a real-life Gattaca.

[Qalbert]

http://www.millionaireplayboy.com/mp...9/11/khan5.jpg

[Cantih]

KKKKKKKKKAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

[Narol]

http://www.millionaireplayboy.com/mp...9/11/khan5.jpg

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...ian_bashir.jpg

[Zilong]

Even if they fill the next generation with the perfect aryan offspring, people will still find some reason to fault other or themselves.

On the off chance they don't, some sort of super virus will wipe them out due to the lack of genetic diversity.

So what's the fucking point?

if i could de-gay my child in advance i would, not out of homo h8n, but i'd like to have grandkids some day.

and no, it's definately not due to just genetics either

Adoption is always available, not like the world will ever run of unfortunate orphans and unwanted babies.

Or do you really want to pass on your homophobic gene upon the next generation that much?

God forbid if they have the technology to single out the homosexual gene, odds are they may have also figured out a way to create embryo using genetic information from same sex couple.

[Rowe]

Well, I'd like baldness cured. If were told a treatment could prevent my future child from being bald safely I'd have it done.

[Kuya]

I think lobotimizing the gay parts of the gay brain would be more effective than interference with genes. To think one of these days, those gays who hate being gay so much will have a chance at being straight, and get back what they were cheated out of from birth.

[Zilong]

Well, I'd like baldness cured. If were told a treatment could prevent my future child from being bald safely I'd have it done.

What if you were the parents of Vin Diesel though?

Think of the consequences of your actions, for it could potentially be dire.

[OWS_Tonx]

Could always shave your head, lol.

[Rowe]

Reading the two articles reminds me how some people who received cochlear implants are then ostracized by the deaf communities they were once part of.

[Rowe]

I'd be more interested in the eugenics of religious gene

Did you see the show on the History Channel "The Gate to Hell" or something like that, basically it was investigating the fact that cultures/religions all around the world believe in a Hell that is underground where you are tortured for eternity.

My take on it is people explore. Caves and volcanos are scary places. Hell is born. Same thing with the mythology of dragons and giants, people tried to make sense of fossils and skeletal remains

[Kuya]

Perhaps humans have an instinctual fear of the underground. And perhaps they are also naturally vindictive.

[Xno Kappa]

something something GATTACA something.

[Atreides]

I went to school with a guy named Gene U. Jennicks

[OWS_Tonx]

Gattaca was a great movie, don't be making it all gay