--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's important to stress what I didn't…" description: "\"It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn't show that g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg" --- # It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not… ![“It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn't show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain.” quote by Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg) > “It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn't show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain.” [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. LeVay clarifies that his study did not identify a genetic cause for homosexuality, correcting common misinterpretations. **In simple terms:** Study did not prove genetic cause for gay orientation. Key Takeaway Avoid overstating scientific findings. Themes science communication misinterpretation sexual orientation neuroscience Mood cautious informative Type educational analytical When to use this quote - media reporting - educational curricula - policy discussions Key Concepts public understanding research ethics Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do scientists have in public discourse? - How can the public better evaluate scientific claims? A Different Perspective Science is complex; conclusions can be misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-gay/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-men/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) ## Related quotes > [Part of my motivation in the search for a cause of being gay was the need to find "something that has gone wrong that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alison/part-of-my-motivation-in-the-search-for-a-cause-of-being-gay-was-the/) [James Alison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alison/) > [A little reminder to those who don't back Obama and gay marriage. It's probably cause you're gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/a-little-reminder-to-those-who-don-t-back-obama-and-gay-marriage-it-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Homosexuality is a genetic flaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/homosexuality-is-a-genetic-flaw/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) > [Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and I have no right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosexuality-is-something-that/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Superficially it's a problem if homosexuality is genetic - if the difference between people's sexual preferences is genetic - because at least a pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/superficially-it-s-a-problem-if-homosexuality-is-genetic-if-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [There is no fixed physical reality, no single perception of the world, just numerous ways of interpreting world views as dictated by one's nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/there-is-no-fixed-physical-reality-no-single-perception-of-the-world/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I don't feel I have to struggle against allegory. I let the readers do the interpreting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-struggle-against-allegory-i-let-the-readers-do/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [In recitals, you are naked before the audience - well, naked with your jacket and tails. The audience sees and hears the real person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-carreras/in-recitals-you-are-naked-before-the-audience-well-naked-with-your/) [Jose Carreras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-carreras/) > [The act of thinking and interpreting is so central to Judaism that it makes more sense that we've become people like Woody Allen -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/the-act-of-thinking-and-interpreting-is-so-central-to-judaism-that-it/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [What one wishes is to be touched by truth and to be able to interpret that truth so that one may use what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/what-one-wishes-is-to-be-touched-by-truth-and-to-be-able-to-interpret/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Working on an adaptation is not as satisfying, because it's not your original work: you're interpreting. With 'L.A. Confidential,' I loved the book. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/working-on-an-adaptation-is-not-as-satisfying-because-it-s-not-your/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) > [We should let Scripture interpret us more than we interpret Scripture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/we-should-let-scripture-interpret-us-more-than-we-interpret-scripture/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/bold-ideas-unjustified-anticipations-and-speculative-thought-are-our/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [These maxims and the art of interpreting them may be said to constitute the premisses of science but I prefer to call them our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-polanyi/these-maxims-and-the-art-of-interpreting-them-may-be-said-to/) [Michael Polanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-polanyi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) ## More by Simon LeVay > [“What's more, the kaleidoscopic blend of gender-variant and gender-typical traits that characterizes gay people is exactly what enables us to make our own unique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/what-s-more-the-kaleidoscopic-blend-of-gender-variant-and-gender/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) > [Scientists are supposed to live in ivory towers. Their darkrooms and their vibration-proof benches are supposed to isolate their activities from the disturbances of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/scientists-are-supposed-to-live-in-ivory-towers-their-darkrooms-and/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) > [Although homosexual behavior is very common in the animal world, it seems to be very uncommon that individual animals have a long-lasting predisposition to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/although-homosexual-behavior-is-very-common-in-the-animal-world-it/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) > [“There are other grounds for believing that gays and lesbians should be respected and protected from oppression: their right to privacy and freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/there-are-other-grounds-for-believing-that-gays-and-lesbians-should/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) > [I felt if I didn't find anything, I would give up a scientific career altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/i-felt-if-i-didn-t-find-anything-i-would-give-up-a-scientific-career/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) > [One reason why I recommend the abandonment of religious beliefs is because I think those beliefs are wrong. There is no evidence that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/one-reason-why-i-recommend-the-abandonment-of-religious-beliefs-is/) [Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) [Explore all 7 Simon LeVay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/) ## More Being gay quotes > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [You dont go to hell for being gay unless you confess your sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-dont-go-to-hell-for-being-gay-unless-you-confess-your-sin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't particularly like going on about being gay or making a big thing about it, but I think it's a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/i-don-t-particularly-like-going-on-about-being-gay-or-making-a-big/) [Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/) > [Being gay and being a woman has one big thing in common, which is that we both become invisible after the age of 42.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-everett/being-gay-and-being-a-woman-has-one-big-thing-in-common-which-is-that/) [Rupert Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-everett/) > [I used too cry cause I'd be accused of being gay all the time ...now people are just like noooo whyyyy?!?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-too-cry-cause-i-d-be-accused-of-being-gay-all-the-time-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being gay is like glitter, it never goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/being-gay-is-like-glitter-it-never-goes-away/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [And being gay isn't so easy, either I've always said that if anyone ever thought I was straight they must need glasses - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/and-being-gay-isn-t-so-easy-either-i-ve-always-said-that-if-anyone/) [Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/) > [There's nothing wrong with being gay. I have plenty of friends who are going to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-gay-i-have-plenty-of-friends-who-are/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a world where no one thought being gay was even something to ride someone about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-konigsberg/wouldn-t-it-be-nice-if-we-lived-in-a-world-where-no-one-thought-being/) [Bill Konigsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-konigsberg/) > [Gays being gay is wrong. Two women can't produce a baby, two men can't produce a baby, so it's not how it's supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-everett/gays-being-gay-is-wrong-two-women-can-t-produce-a-baby-two-men-can-t/) Carl Everett > [Being gay is just a small fraction of who I am, not what defines me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-gay-is-just-a-small-fraction-of-who-i-am-not-what-defines-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't get bullied any more than anybody else. I think I got bullied more for being poor than being gay. But no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/i-didn-t-get-bullied-any-more-than-anybody-else-i-think-i-got-bullied/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [Being gay is not a choice. Being homophobic is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-gay-is-not-a-choice-being-homophobic-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ I did think Justice \[Antony\] Kennedy's opinion on Lawrence was critical to that because it really, what Lawrence in one sense was, of course,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-verrilli-jr/i-did-think-justice-antony-kennedy-s-opinion-on-lawrence-was-critical/) [Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-verrilli-jr/) > [As for the people that say "God made them that way," that's not true. The bible says that mankind is born in sin. Including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-for-the-people-that-say-god-made-them-that-way-that-s-not-true-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 205 Being gay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-gay/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn't show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon LeVay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-find-i-did-not-prove-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being gay" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-find-i-did-not-prove-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/simon-levay-51749_being-gay_it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-f_1801290.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a…” — Simon LeVay", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Simon LeVay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's important to stress what I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-find-i-did-not-prove-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-find-i-did-not-prove-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```