# Making babies - no sperm required **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 10, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955 "2001-07-10T14:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2001, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955/21 "2001-07-16T09:42:04Z")
I can’t remember if homosexuality was determined to be genetically based or not, but…if it is, would the biological daughter of two lesbians automatically be lesbian also? **The Ryan** : Yeah, I assumed **AHunter3** was making a joke…like **Tenar** said, it’s a bit like linking to a Jack Chick tract in a discussion about religion. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955/22 "2001-07-17T23:59:25Z")
> [@](#): > > The fact that one acknowledges their existence does not imply that one is in agreement with their contents. But giving every indication that one has written them does. This probably was a joke, but as far as I can see not one of good taste. AHunter very well may have meant something different from what I took it as, which is why I asked him what it meant. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955/23 "2001-07-18T12:07:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dylan\_73 \* > **I can’t remember if homosexuality was determined to be genetically based or not, but…if it is, would the biological daughter of two lesbians automatically be lesbian also?** Why on earth would it be? All of the gay people I personally know came from two straight parents. Just because something is genetic or inherent does not mean it is heritable. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Thing\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955/24 "2001-07-18T18:58:23Z")
Quote: > [@](#): > > Just because something is genetic or > inherent does not mean it is heritable. Actually, if something is genetic then it is definitely heritable. However, it is not always a simple inheritance pattern, meaning just because a parent has a genetic trait does not guarantee that their offspring will have that trait. As far as the article goes, it is a bit premature to speculate about applications for this technique since the researchers do not even have live mice born yet. It is quite possible that the embryos are not viable and will not develop to term. John ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955/25 "2001-07-19T09:13:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > \*\* > Why on earth would it be? All of the gay people I personally know came from two straight parents. Just because something is genetic or inherent does not mean it is heritable. \*\* I dunno, that’s why I was asking. And genetic means it is hereditary; you’re only going to get genes from your parents. Anyway, if there’s a tendancy for certain numbers of people to be homosexual, surely there would be an increased tendancy in the child of two lesbians? I know it’s all speculation at the moment, but I suspect that sooner or later these are things we’ll be discussing as real life cases, so why not think about them now? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-babies-no-sperm-required/71955.md?page=1)