# Does fem/tomboy as a kid equal gay/lesbian as an adult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fem-tomboy-as-a-kid-equal-gay-lesbian-as-an-adult/381657 "2006-11-24T17:16:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fem-tomboy-as-a-kid-equal-gay-lesbian-as-an-adult/381657/21 "2006-11-27T06:23:20Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut] The way you’ve worded your question (“become hetero”, “become gay”) presupposes that sexual orientation isn’t determined until puberty. However, I believe the general consensus is that sexual orientation is already determined by the time you’re born, and no amount of social conditioning afterwards is going to change it. [/QUOTE] Is there a genetic marker/test for “gayness” now? That’s what I take your comment to mean, apologies if it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2006, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fem-tomboy-as-a-kid-equal-gay-lesbian-as-an-adult/381657/22 "2006-11-27T07:09:57Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] Is there a genetic marker/test for “gayness” now? That’s what I take your comment to mean, apologies if it doesn’t. [/QUOTE] There is as yet no consensus – indeed, not much beyond the level of a plausible guess, as far as I can tell - regarding exactly what the etiology of sexual orientation is. However, regardless of that, the broad scientific consensus is that one’s sexual orientation is established from birth or a very early age and cannot be consciously changed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fem-tomboy-as-a-kid-equal-gay-lesbian-as-an-adult/381657.md?page=1)