At a very early age I learned to take responsibility for all of my actions: the good, the bad, and the rare but inevitable times when I am wrong. Following my first version of 'Women loving Women', many local females approached me, expressing some variation of "I bet there are biological traits that distinguish lesbians from heterosexual women but the studies just haven't been done."

In response, I became motivated to do more research on the biological basis for homosexuality among women. Conclusion: Ladies, you are right and I was wrong.  Was being the operative word here.

Very recently, scientists identified biological differences in the brain circuitry of homosexual and heterosexual females, indicating sexual orientation may be a predetermined genetic trait rather than a socialized preference. Since this landmark study published just a few weeks after my column in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org), is the first of its kind and was fully funded by the Swedish Medical Research Council, Karolinska Institute and the Wallenberg Foundation, it's obvious that many throughout the world are eager to discover why more women loving other women.

According to a team of neuroscientists in Sweden led by Ivanka Savic of the Stockholm Brain Institute and Hans Berglund of the Karolinska University Hospital, lesbians' brains react differently to sex hormones than those of heterosexual women.  The researchers compared response patterns triggered by chemicals within male and female sex hormones, also known as pheromones, among twelve homosexual women, twelve heterosexual women and twelve heterosexual men.

Lesbians and heterosexual males preferred the female hormone. Heterosexual women were equally pleased by male and female hormones, but processed each gender's hormones in different parts of the brain. Whereas ordinary and non-sexual smells are processed in the 'scent' area of the brain, pheromones and sexually arousing smells are processed in the hypothalamus, known to stimulate sexual attraction and responses.

In heterosexual females, male hormones were processed via the hypothalamus while the female hormones were processed through the scent area.

The opposite was true for heterosexual men, who processed the male hormone through the scent area and the female hormone in the hypothalamus. In homosexual women, both the male and female hormones were processed through the scent area, but the female hormone was preferred while the male hormone was more irritating.

Although many aspects of sex hormone processing in the brain remain unclear, this research group determined that lesbians dealt with hormone smells very differently than heterosexual women. 

Last year, the same team studied the effect of hormone scents on homosexual males and found their brain response similar to that of heterosexual females. In the current study on lesbians, the associations are weaker, as the brains of homosexual women did not respond like heterosexual men or women.  Nonetheless, this study does support the concept of sexual orientation as a physical, not learned, behavior.  

This is especially important for those striving to achieve, appreciate, and foster optimum health in terms of sexuality.   It is no secret that homosexual relationships are forbidden in many cultures, societies, and families, causing emotional and psychological pain upon those attracted to the same gender.

This internal trauma is not unlike that which occurs when one's family objects to a potential mate based on racial or religious differences. It is human nature to seek approval from those whom we love and the fear of disapproval is known to result in secretive behaviors risky to one's health.

Think back to your childhood.  How often did you 'sneak' to experiment a cigarette, hanging out late with friends, drinking alcohol, kissing, R-rated movies, and everything else your parents would not condone?

The same element of secretive risk remains true for many adult relationships.  How many husbands omit information they know would displease their spouse?  How many wives do the same to their husbands?  How many adults still lie to their parents about the exact nature of their intimate relationships, smoking behaviors, professional endeavors, and long-term goals? The startling increase in HIV among monogamous, heterosexual females proves how many couples are keeping secrets from each other. 

In the best-selling book, On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of  "Straight Black Men Who Sleep With Men," author J.L. King claims that fear of rejection from family and friends is what motivated him and many other men with wives and girlfriends to secretly have unprotected intercourse with other men.

This secretive trend linked to HIV prevalence has become so common in the United States, Oprah Winfrey recently featured the author on her show entitled "A Secret Sex World: Living on the Down Low." (Oprah.com)

Whether or not homosexuality has a genetic basis, social and cultural judgments of one's sexual orientation and/or romantic partners increases the risk of psychological, and often physical health problems.   The torture of lying to family and friends while feeling guilty for pursuing intimate satisfaction has also caused many heterosexuals and homosexual
relationships to fail. 

When a person fears their loved ones will not accept their mate based on race, religion, or gender, people become more reluctant to connect their intimate partners to other close relationships, causing lies, aloof answers, and paranoia motivated by the fear of being 'caught'. This is extremely unhealthy in terms of sexual health, as a person is less likely to be thoughtful or cautious while engaging in a 'forbidden' relationship. 

 In psychological conflicting relationships, passion and desire combined with the mounting pressure of time limitations and risk often overwhelm the sense of 'right' and 'wrong', leading to instinctive yet reckless sexual encounters.

To reduce emotional, psychological, and physical health problems linked to risky sexual behavior, diversity within sexual orientation must be acknowledged, along with the reality of homosexuality, whether or not scientists find an all-inclusive genetic explanation for sexual orientation.

If you are part of a family, neighborhood, or church that rejects homosexuality, those who admit their orientation risk becoming ostracized from the community.  To stay welcomed, desires remain secret.  Those who know they are homosexuals lie to others to stay within their community or lie to themselves about their sexuality, or lie to others and themselves while having a secret personal life that nobody knows about.  Whatever the case, it's stressful, psychologically unhealthy and very, very risky.

In our rapidly changing world, adapting to and accepting diversity is a requirement for survival. A true sign of the times came on June 1st, when CNN.com published, "New BatWoman is a Lesbian". DC Comics will unveil a resurrected version of the classic comic book character in July and publicly announced, "This is not just about having a gay character.

We're trying for overall diversity (and) have strong African-American, Hispanic and Asian characters...to get a better cross-section of our readership and the world."

This is yet another indication that homosexuality is an undeniable reality, just as ethnic and religious differences are, all of which require acknowledgement.  It's time to begin figuring out how to embrace every person within society, fostering positive relationships and minimizing health risks. Our children will learn about homosexual relationships through television, movies, and even comic books.

If we don't begin discussing this reality through intelligent, open minds, we risk our children experimenting with their health and misunderstanding their own sexuality.

The amount of diversity within our tiny island is unsurpassable and it's unrealistic to expect that sexual variation among residents doesn't exist. To save our own health, we must wake up and step up to the plate as an educated, progressive, and socially responsible society.

Don't let BatWoman teach your children, parents, or loved ones about homosexuality.

sonjiakenya@aol.com