I found this fascinating study that suggests chimerism is much more prevelent

[Maraya1969]

than we thought and also can explain why some people are homosexual or transgendered.

First I do not know how well this is accepted; if it even accepted and it is from about 10 years ago. But I have read about people who have two different genomes in their bodies and we really have no idea how many people that happens to. There was one story of a woman whose children came out with different DNA than they "should have" as her children.

And please, this is just information. I am not trying to be insulting to anyone and I sincerely hope this information is not insulting. I identify as a bisexual woman and I have no idea how I came to be bisexual. It would be interesting to find out though.

Here is a definition of microchimerism - "Microchimerism is defined as the presence of two genetically distinct cell populations in the same individual. It can arise from several causes including the bidirectional transfer of cells between mother and fetus during pregnancy, twin-to-twin transfer in utero, from organ transplantation, and blood transfusion."

Chimera - "A genetic chimerism or chimera (/kaɪˈmɪərə/ ky-MEER-ə or /kɪˈmɪərə/ kə-MEER-ə, also spelled chimaera or chimæra) is a single organism composed of cells with more than one distinct genotype. In animals, this means an individual derived from two or more zygotes, which can include possessing blood cells of different blood types, subtle variations in form (phenotype) and, if the zygotes were of differing sexes, then even the possession of both female and male sex organs[1] (this is just one of many different phenomena that may result in intersexuality). Animal chimeras are produced by the merger of multiple fertilized eggs."

DUAL-GENDER MACRO-CHIMERIC TISSUE DISCORDANCE IS PREDICTED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CAUSE OF HUMAN HOMOSEXUALITY AND TRANSGENDERISM
Brian P Hanley

ABSTRACT

I present literature evidence that suggests that human chimerism may be quite common, occurring in between 5% and 15% of people. Chimerism has been believed to be rare because it usually presents without visible phenotype. In addition to the documented occurrence of dual gender macrochimeras with true hermaphrodite phenotype, there are reports of the occurrence of other natural human macrochimeras. The literature reviewed in this paper suggests that such macrochimerism is much more common than usually appreciated. Chimerism occurs in a patchy manner, with male cells outgrowing female in macrochimerism causing the majority to be phenotypically male. The literature also suggests that the sex of nervous system tissue is the primary determinant in higher animals of sexual attraction. From this, the existence of human macrochimeras in which large proportions of cells are male and female is predicted to have a correlation with homosexuality and transgender self-identification because in many such cases, the central nervous system, or crucial parts of it, will be of one sex and the gonads and body form will be of the opposite sex. I describe experiments to further clarify this hypothesis, which can also have potential benefit beyond this specific question.

http://www.hy-ls.org/index.php/hyls/article/view/57/0

[Claire Oh Nette]

1. Absorbed Twins?

If twins fail to develop, one may absorb the other in the womb. It's not uncommon. When coupled with the number of pregnancies that don't develop to term, or the "late periods" before a woman realizes she's pregnant, it's entirely possible there are more chimeras than we knew, and that this might account for the increased prevalence for homosexuality among adopted adults. High stress pregnancies, and possible chimeras from twins failing to thrive in the stressed out womb.

Sexuality and gender identity seem to be fluid and fall acros a spectrum. Could simply be LGBTQ folk are just god's plan for population control. Could be without social taboos and sexual repression, everyone would claim bisexuality under teh right circumstance.

Interesting article.

[TheRealNorth]

2. The first thing that came to mind...

Was Dwight Schrute from "The Office" claiming he absorbed his twin.

[Claire Oh Nette]

3. Orphan Black

The Chimera was the source of two sets of clones. Great series.

[Maraya1969]

4. I don't say this often but I believe my bisexuality, or my acceptance of my

bisexuality seems to me to be some sort of evolvement along spiritual lines. Then again it just might be the fact that I was able to come to terms with it in my conservative family of origin. My brother's wife has a sister who has never had a boyfriend, looks and dresses very masculine and has had a "friend" who dresses and looks like her for her entire life, (they don't live together though) but she tells people she is straight and that God made marriage for one man and one woman.

My parents became quite open about these things but my brother's family are still stuck up with poles in their asses. And I feel sorry for this woman because her family is sooooo evangelical Christian and soooooo homophobic that she has been hidden her entire life. When I just mentioned something to my SIL about her sister being gay, (after we met several years ago and after my mom and I just said, "Oh I didn't know so and so was gay" she had a freaking fit! I was just making conversation! She was mad that I would say such a thing about her sister! (oh she knew about me the whole time she was saying how offended she was that I suggested her sister was gay)

That being said it is interesting to think I may have eaten a twin in the womb!

[Claire Oh Nette]

6. At my age...

If my husband were suddenly gone, and I had to date (the horror), I'm not altogether certain I'd limit myself. I've always thought it would be ind of nice to have a girlfriend.

Never says never.

Plus, who's gonna phuck with someone who absorbed a twin in the womb? Now that's a badass!!!

[mopinko]

10. i had such a pregnancy.

it was my understanding that this is a phenomena of identical twins, possible because they shared a placenta.

he was my 1 big baby out of 5.

[abqtommy]

5. You had me hooked with "chimerism" in the title. I'm glad I went ahead and read this

excellent op. Thanks!

[summer_in_TX]

7. My adaptive psychology prof at UT in the 1970s taught us about experiments

with crowding. When species became more crowded together, the number of individuals born expressing homosexuality increased.

I found that fascinating – and related it to honeybees. If the queen dies, the worker bees choose an egg she laid and begin feeding it royal jelly. Depending how many days old the egg was when they started feeding it royal jelly, the next queen hatches out from the egg that would have been a drone or a worker – and the level of mixed traits it has comes from how long it was laid before the new feeding pattern started.

Humans, and creatures of all kinds, seem remarkably gender fluid, at least at times.

[Maraya1969]

8. Mother nature is amazing!

[stopdiggin]

9. well that blew my socks off! great article (and OP)

Fascinating!! And -- is there really good evidence that this is relatively common in humans? You can bet I'm going to be out looking for more sources.

[mopinko]

11. interesting. my youngest is both gender queer and a chimera.

also has multiple bizarre health issues.

fae has 1 thumb that is 1/2" longer than the other, and also faer eyes do not match. not only slightly different colors, but fae is a tetrachrome in one eye but almost color blind in the other.