Parental Selection of Children's Sexual Orientation: A Commentary

Abstract

One can agree that for many individuals sexual orientation is largely beyond conscious control and therefore morally neutral. One can also agree that homosexual activity is not in itself directly harmful to the participants or to third parties so justification on pragmatic secular grounds for criminalizing the behaviour or discriminating against homosexuals is hard to find. Although the authors support homosexuals to this extent they argue that parents should be free to choose to avoid producing a homosexual offspring. Consideration of the implications of permitting or refusing choice is at present hypothetical. The available evidence points to sexual orientation development being determined by a multiplicity of factors that include features of the uterine environment as well as social and sexual learning. Genetic predisposition is itself likely to be governed by numbers of interacting genes that promote outcomes that are not necessarily all or none. The homosexual/heterosexual dimension is not always a dichotomy; the range of sexualities includes bisexuals as well as a variety of gender dysphorics and physical intersexuals. The technology to fulfil parental wishes is a long way off and if it comes it may do no more than reduce the likelihood of exclusive homosexuality. However for the purpose of discussion one may assume as the authors do a situation in which parents can opt for heterosexual babies. (excerpt)