I write this morning in support of State Representative Morrison’s recent editorial noting the positive state of LGBTQ+ rights in Delaware in the face of mounting and deliberately cruel repression of such rights on the national stage under the current administration. I believe that Rep. Morrison missed an important point.
Those who oppose LGBTQ+ rights or even repress that community often do so based on their religious beliefs and the passages in the Old Testament that prohibit and condemn same-sex sexual activity. Many have eloquently pointed out the many ways that the social mores and norms of the Old Testament are outdated and inappropriate in today’s world. S0, rather than tread that well-worn path, I’d like to point out that biological science supports that sexual orientation can not be reduced to a set of behaviors, but rather is the result of a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and other factors beyond the control of the individual. Research indicates that sexual orientation and gender identity are actually conferred during the first half of pregnancy due to genetics, epigenetics and the diversity of timing and function of sex chromosomes, sex-determining protein secretion, gonadal hormone secretion, receptor levels, adrenal function, maternally ingested dietary hormones, fetal health, and many other factors. Accordingly, sexual orientation and gender identity are a part of who one IS, not a choice among a variety of options.
I am proud to be a citizen of a state that supports the rights and well-being of its LGBTQ+ community.
John P. McCarthy
Frederica
