Agriculture, particularly as it concerns livestock, often acts as a social mirror in which we contemplate the implications of science for humanity. Dolly the cloned sheep was a logical effort to more efficiently reproduce desirably livestock traits. Its all about maximizing productivity whether its more corn per acre, more milk per day per cow, or meatier cattle.

In the vein, gay sheep are a problem.

Approximately one ram in 10 prefers to mount other rams rather than mate with ewes, reducing its value to a farmer. Initially, the publicly funded project aimed to improve the productivity of herds.

The scientists have been able to pinpoint the mechanisms influencing the desires of “male-oriented” rams by studying their brains. The animals’ skulls are cut open and electronic sensors are attached to their brains.

By varying the hormone levels, mainly by injecting hormones into the brain, they have had “considerable success” in altering the rams’ sexuality, with some previously gay animals becoming attracted to ewes.

Agriculture simply can't use gay rams.

The not-so-amusing aspect of this research is its implications for gay humans, and gays and lesbians have reacted with alarm.

It raises the prospect that pregnant women could one day be offered a treatment to reduce or eliminate the chance that their offspring will be homosexual. Experts say that, in theory, the “straightening” procedure on humans could be as simple as a hormone supplement for mothers-to-be, worn on the skin like an anti-smoking nicotine patch.

The research, at Oregon State University in the city of Corvallis and at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, has caused an outcry. Martina Navratilova, the lesbian tennis player who won Wimbledon nine times, and scientists and gay rights campaigners in Britain have called for the project to be abandoned.

Navratilova defended the “right” of sheep to be gay. She said: “How can it be that in the year 2006 a major university would host such homophobic and cruel experiments?” She said gay men and lesbians would be “deeply offended” by the social implications of the tests.

I can see Navratilova's point--if your identity is totally wound up in your sexuality, then the prospect of changing or eliminating it is mortifying. Of course identity is an artificial construct. One's gayness may be biologically determined in the womb, but gay culture is definitely a choice (I say this because just last night I learned that a good friend of mine, whom I have known for 15 years, is now living in a gay relationship--I never saw it coming, and usually when my friends have come out, I've not been surprised).

Now the question of whether one is "born that way" is totally turned on its head. You may in fact be born that way, but you didn't have to be. If gayness isn't destiny, then what are the implications for the gay and lesbian communities?

Pretty grim I would say.

The vast majority of gay men and women have heterosexual parents, who I would venture to say, with the exception of Moby, want their children to be heterosexual. If a mother can choose whether the life within her should be brought to term or terminated, then surely she has the right to determine the sexual destiny of her children.

Or not.

If gays thought marriage was an uphill battle, then this is nuclear war.

I personally consider sexuality to be a silly thing to base your identity on and so I simply ignore it as a consideration in my relationships. Other aspects of character are far more important to me in considering an association than which gender you prefer to interact with on a sexual basis.

Yet, I must admit that I would prefer that my children no be gay (and they are not...). I would prefer for my grandchildren not to be gay. I suppose I have a selfish reason for that--I want progeny. Generations of new little Stockingers passing on my families unique traits and value system.

I expect though that Martina Navratilova wants very much the same thing. The difference is that I earn the right through procreation and nuture. The gay and lesbian community inducts new members much like the Assemblies of God does.

I don't have a fully-realized point-of-view on this yet, but I think its something we're all going to thinking, talking and writing about for the foreseeable future.