Is being trans heritable? Article in Psychology Today suggests it is

[IwantToRetire]

... It is also important to note that throughout history, and in nearly all cultures, some people have adopted gender-atypical states, such as men (XY) behaving like the cultural stereotypes of women, and women (XX) behaving like the cultural stereotypes of men. It is important to emphasize here that gender-atypical states (or gender nonconformity) are not synonymous with gender dysphoria, as not all gender-atypical states result in distress or dysphoria.

... The scientific fact that gender preference is genetically heritable has either been ignored, disregarded, or politically misconstrued. Certainly, gender preference, to some extent, can be influenced by one’s culture and even popular social media, as attested by the increasing numbers of people over the past decade who identify as transgender.

However, the latter influence does not negate the scientific evidence for the heritability of gender preference. There is a firm consensus that intelligence is a highly heritable trait, and approximately 40 percent to 50 percent of its variability is attributed to genetic influences.

Note that this does not mean that there is a single gene or single gene location for intelligence, as multiple genes (a condition known as polygenic) contribute to one’s intelligence. It is interesting to note that gender preference has been shown to be more genetically heritable than intelligence and polygenic, as one twin study found gender preference up to 62 percent heritable.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/how-to-think-like-a-neandertal/202308/an-introduction-to-gender-sex-and-sexual-preference

I have no idea how influentila Psychology Today is, but came across this by accident, and wonder what they are trying to say. Or why.

Also note that the article says it is the 2nd of 3 and cant find 1 or 2.

Psychology today is completely captured.

Anyway, so what if "being trans" is genetic or not.
Humans still can't change sex. A penis still can't be a woman's organ. Children should still be left alone. Trans and gender non confirming people should still be respected and not discriminated against as they pretty much are in this country anyway.

It's a pointless article written for a pointless reason.

Well it's a poor start to the article imo. He kicks off with this as his overview:

"Many recent editorialists, particularly in regard to trans women (MTW) and trans men (WTM), have noted that a trans woman still possesses XY chromosomes, and a trans man still possesses XX chromosomes. These same editorialists subsequently castigate trans people for presenting or identifying themselves as women or men."

He does not reference or quote any recent editorialists at all. He doesn't give a single example of where any of these supposed editorialists have "castigated" trans people for presenting outside of the gendered norms. He just expects us to take his word for it! Well, no. I'd like to see exactly what he's objecting to before taking that at face value.

After that, it's just a bad rehash of the same old regressive ideas dressed up as progressive. Cementing the idea that there are behaviours and preferences that "match" one sex or the other, and that people who don't conform to these are therefore trans or non-binary and no longer "cisgender".

Part 1 is here:

I suppose I was thinking this will become an article that people quote.

That somehow trans is genetic.

Also how can you evidence heredity. Isn't it just a likely to be that many families despite differences in generations, do often share their own "culture" ie a family that is more open minded probably helps children grow up to be open minded.

As opposed to the many instances we have heard where family homophobia has led children to decide they are trans rather than same sex attracted.

ie they seem to be saying that gender is an actual thing you inherit whilst at the same time saying gender is an imposition of cultural norms.

Thanks for the link to article 1.

At every point it seems that it is stating facts, they add in some rider that denies the facts.

Claims that all XX or XY people should act like women or men because of this chromosomal basis is an affront to the science of sex and gender and misses the scientific evidence that there is a difference between sex and gender and their biological heritabilities.

If it were, it would be even stupider for TRAs to demand sterilizing kids before they can procreate.

Also the sub-headline seems particularly stupid (both on the article and on the link) as it talks about "the heritable nature of sex". Surely that, at least, is not in doubt, since it's pretty much determined by particular genes on specific chromosomes, whatever else they might have to say about gender.

It's just another stupid article written to justify and normalise male to female transgender and transsexuals and their desire to do and go wherever they want.

such as men (XY) behaving like the cultural stereotypes of women, and women (XX) behaving like the cultural stereotypes of men.
I would say teh sterotype of woman is someone who does the cooking and cleaning and of men watches footie and drinks beer.
Generalising of course but not many trans are indoors cleaning or propping up the bar. More like being women with beard and man in dresses.

Neurodiversity is highly inheritance and it's probably the biggest co-morbidity with trans identification, especially autism. So in that sense it's likely inheritable but they're not making that very obvious connection. Idiots.

OMdearG

Oh dear, they've come for the beginning of humanity itself.

Well they'll have to find a gene for it and make it detectable (yay genetic scanners in toilets, sports and prisons and the rise of the true trans? Or will we have to do a double acceptance - one of those who are genetically trans and another of those who aren't but can feel it? So many new power hierarchies... Anyway...)

They need a trans gene for the inheritance or they'll need to redefine genetic inheritance.
Quite a few communities will be interested in the latter. Redefining biology is so much easier.

This would assume that 'trans' is one homogenous group though.

The difference between middle aged male transitioners for example compared to distressed teen girls with Autism and/or trauma is obviously considerable, as are the factors driving those transitions.

Always the flailing around trying to justify a desired end point conclusion.

This would assume that 'trans' is one homogenous group though.

I was just coming back to make a similar comment and then want to stop thinking about this article as really all it does it take you round in circles.

The article says:

the term transgender denotes a person whose gender identity differs from their sex at birth.

Are they really trying to suggest you inherit this, even when earlier they said that gender is a social construct and varies in different communities. So somehow trans is not ony inheritable but also able to react to the range of cultures that create their own gender norms.

"The heritable nature of sex"

I would assume gender is nurture rather than nature

as one twin study found gender preference up to 62 percent heritable.
Is the whole thing based on one study? Knowing these things, it was probably a study of only a handful of pairs of twins which they have wildly extrapolated.

Colloration is not causation as the saying goes.

And if trans ideology is akin to a religious belief you are brought up in, can we talk about the 'heritability' of religious faith too please?

Whoever wrote this load of bollocks isn't very good at scientific practice and eliminating bias and outside factors now are they? It's all the credibility of a chocolate fireguard with a safety certificate.

What I REALLY want to know is how they've found enough participants for the study with adult children who are past the age where they might desist... Of both sexes too given demographic profiles.

Or could we have an issue with kids trying to please Daddy and getting his attention their whole lives (thinking here of the trans widow thread and the common observation of fathers who are exceptionally self centred, focus on being trans above all else to the emotional and financial detriment of the rest of their family and gaslight their family and make them walk on eggshells).

Where are all the females who are trans with adult age offspring for this study? I hope they were fully included.

I think there is evidence of a degree of heritability in religious faith - not in the specific faith, which is obviously determined by environment - but in the ability to have a faith at all. Other traits - e.g., additiction - are also quite heritable, but the specific addiction varies. Or language ability, but the language changes. Or degree of conformity/rebellion. etc. So I can certainly imagine that there are various aspects of personality that are heritable that make people more likely to develop a trans feeling. But I think that is different from saying that being trans is in itself heritable.

How do you separate nature from nurture on this?

I find it hard to believe there are thousands of trans kids separated and living away from their trans parents...

That's the point - those other traits can and have been measured in the way that heritability usually is (which is not to say that it's unproblematic!). But what I think is more likely is that there are various personality traits that are heritable and some of those might be associated with people who present as trans. This could then create a situation where someone could mistakenly conclude that being trans was heritable, when that wouldn't have been what the data actually showed. I don't know if that was the case here - I'm just speculating about how and why a possible heritable aspect might have been apparent, in the same way that propensities to other things that you would not think are specifically genetic (eg. Having a religious faith). The actual specifics of how those personality traits, abilities etc play out (which religion, language, way of rebelling, personality, addiction, way of expressing creativity or whatever) would likely depend hugely on environment

This. With bells on.

As far as I can tell, it's a (poorly written) opinion piece, not backed up by any references. It's not peer reviewed and shouldn't have been represented as anything other than an opinion piece.

Well, it's not like a transwoman is ever going to give birth to someone who will.also become a transwoman.