Will parents soon be able to screen the unborn for sexual orientation?

William Saletan has a must-read article in Slate examining the moral, religious and political implications of the latest scientific studies of the potential causes of homsexuality. Many studies have ruled out genetic differences between homosexual and heterosexual people. Scientists are now focusing more on hormonal influences on fetal development. Parents could soon be faced with a decision to prevent a homosexual orientation of their unborn children:

Would hormonal intervention work in humans? Should we try it? Some thinkers are intrigued. Last year, Rev. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote: "If a biological basis is found, and if a prenatal test is then developed, and if a successful treatment to reverse the sexual orientation to heterosexual is ever developed, we would support its use." Mohler told the Associated Press that morally, this would be no different from curing fetal blindness or any other "medical problem." Rev. Joseph Fessio, editor of the press that publishes the Pope's work, agreed: "Same-sex activity is considered disordered. If there are ways of detecting diseases or disorders of children in the womb … that respected the dignity of the child and mother, it would be a wonderful advancement of science."

If the idea of chemically suppressing homosexuality in the womb horrifies you, I have bad news: You won't be in the room when it happens. Parents control medical decisions, and surveys indicate that the vast majority of them would be upset to learn that their child was gay. Already, millions are screening embryos and fetuses to eliminate those of the "wrong" sex. Do you think they won't screen for the "wrong" sexual orientation, too?

Very scary.