Editing Sexual orientation (section)

=== Social hypotheses ===

{{Main|Environment and sexual orientation}}

In the field of genetics, any factor which is non-genetic is considered an ''environmental influence''. However, environmental influence does not automatically imply that the social environment influences or contributes to the development of sexual orientation. There is a vast non-social environment that is non-genetic yet still biological, such as [[prenatal development]], that likely helps shape sexual orientation.<ref name="Bailey">{{cite journal|vauthors=Bailey JM, Vasey PL, Diamond LM, Breedlove SM, Vilain E, Epprecht M|date=2016|title=Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science|journal=[[Psychological Science in the Public Interest]]|volume=17|issue=21|pages=45–101|doi=10.1177/1529100616637616|pmid=27113562|doi-access=free}}</ref>{{rp|76}}

There is no substantive evidence to support the suggestion that early childhood experiences, parenting, sexual abuse, or other adverse life events influence sexual orientation. Hypotheses for the impact of the post-natal social environment on sexual orientation are weak, especially for males.<ref name="Bailey" /> Parental attitudes may affect whether or not children openly identify with their sexual orientation.<ref name="AmPsycholAssn-whatis" /><ref name="pediatrics2004" /><ref name="rcp2007" /><ref>"Different aspects of sexual orientation may be influenced to a greater or lesser degree <nowiki>[</nowiki>p. 303:<nowiki>]</nowiki> by experiential factors such that sexual experimentation with same-gender partners may be more dependent on a conducive family environment than the development of a gay or lesbian identity." Susan E. Golombok & Fiona L. Tasker, ''Do Parents Influence the Sexual Orientation of Their Children?'', in J. Kenneth Davidson Sr. & Nelwyn B. Moore, ''Speaking of Sexuality: Interdisciplinary Readings'' (Los Angeles, Calif.: Roxbury Publishing, 2001) ({{ISBN|1-891487-33-7}}), pp. 302–03 (adapted from same authors, ''Do Parents Influence the Sexual Orientation of Their Children? Findings From a Longitudinal Study of Lesbian Families'', in ''Developmental Psychology'' (American Psychological Association), vol. 32, 1996, 3–11) (author Susan Golombok prof. psychology, City Univ., London, ''id.'', p. xx, & author Fiona Tasker sr. lecturer, Birkbeck Coll., Univ. of London, ''id.'', p. xxiii).</ref><ref>"Whereas there is no evidence from the present investigation to suggest that parents have a determining influence on the sexual orientation of their children, the findings do indicate that by creating a climate of acceptance or rejection of homosexuality within the family, parents may have some impact on their children's sexual experimentation as heterosexual, lesbian, or gay." ''Do Parents Influence the Sexual Orientation of Their Children?'', ''ibid.'', in ''Speaking of Sexuality'', ''id.'', p. 303 (adapted per ''id.'', p. 303).</ref> Though it has since been found to be based on prejudice and misinformation, it was once thought that homosexuality was the result of faulty psychological development, resulting from childhood experiences and troubled relationships, including childhood sexual abuse.<ref name=AmPsycholAssn-whatis /><ref name="AmPsychiAssn-Sexual orientation" /> Such hypotheses "have been associated with highly charged political, moral and theological grounds for wanting to believe that it can".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cook |first1=Christopher C. H. |title=The causes of human sexual orientation |journal=Theology & Sexuality |date=2021 |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1080/13558358.2020.1818541|s2cid=225189040 |doi-access=free }}</ref>