兄弟姊妹的科學：探索家庭中的性向與出生順序之間的關聯

In today's society, scientists are constantly exploring the science behind human behavior, and one fascinating area is the influence of family structure on an individual's sexual orientation. Recently, NPR launched a new series called The Science of Siblings, which delves into how our siblings affect our lives, from money and mental health to our molecular level.

這個系列的一部分聚焦於一個長期以來令人好奇的話題：為什麼同性戀者往往是家中最小的孩子？這個問題引起了我的興趣，作為一名同性戀者和家中最年幼的孩子，我發現這個觀點不僅有趣，而且似乎在某種程度上解釋了我的個人經歷。

在深入研究這個主題時，我發現這種現象，被稱為「兄弟出生順序效應」，在科學界有著堅實的證據支持。研究表明，有較多哥哥的男性成為同性戀的機率較高。這一發現在全球範圍內被多次證實，從加拿大和美國到薩摩亞、墨西哥南部、土耳其和巴西等地。

最近的一項研究對超過 900 萬荷蘭人進行了分析，不僅證實了這一效應，而且還發現女性同性戀者也更有可能擁有哥哥。這一發現提示我們，可能存在某種生物機制，至少部分地解釈了這一現象。

Scientists have proposed the "maternal immunity hypothesis" to explain this phenomenon, which suggests that a mother's immune response to proteins produced by the Y-chromosome in a male fetus may influence the sexual orientation of the subsequent male fetus. Although this theory has not been conclusively proven, it offers a possible explanation.

However, this area of research has also raised some concerns and controversy. Justin Torres, author of the semi-autobiographical novel We the Animals, is wary of research linking sexual orientation to biological factors. He worries that it could reignite prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals, and cautions us to be wary of the intentions and potential consequences behind scientific research.

That said, this area of research is undoubtedly fascinating, challenging our understanding of the relationships between sexual orientation, family structure, and biology. As the Science of Siblings series unfolds further, we look forward to more discoveries and insights that will hopefully promote understanding and acceptance of the diversity of sexual orientation.

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