Quote Originally Posted by csr
While hard to prove or disprove by any other means, I believe that both these two theories, similar in that they attribute a sexual preference to environmental causes, can be discounted due to straight up statistics. I can't find a reference right now, but I'm sure I've seen study results that say that the incidence of homosexuality doesn't correlate with abuse at home and something similar with SM leanings.
Sorry if I'm pontificating, but I'd like to chirp in on that. In 90% of cases where identical twins were separated at birth and one was homosexual, the other was homosexual, also. The remaining 10% is probably even smaller than shown as any that had surpressed their sexuality would fall into that group. If homosexuality is caused by bad parenting, it's only the case a small fraction of the time.

As for the theory that abuse leads to bdsm, yes, it sadly has yet to be researched. It's very sad, in fact, because it would be a terribly easy topic of research. It does appear quite likely to me that abuse leads to bdsm in at least some cases. It makes perfect sense from a psychological point of view, as children's brains are designed to mold themselves into what would best please their parents - a necessary survival instinct before laws forced parents to take care of their offspring. A form of Stockholm Syndrome could also occur in adulthood, even with no previous abuse. Of course, I may just be biased since I resemble that theory.


As for the main topic, I think it's a fading issue. The stastitical differences between men and women's brains have reduced enormously in the past 50 years, to completely nil in some effects, as men and women have more and more similar experiences in life. People are getting closer to being allowed to be individuals, to be different from one another, rather than slotted into two types that society pressures them to conform to. I don't think your male grandchildren will be forced to conform to an inflexible stereotype as males are today.