That’s what critics of experiments to “change the sexuality of gay sheep” happening at Oregon State University (which had plans to make their admissions forms trans-friendly, btw — anyone know if they ever did update the forms?) and Oregon Health and Science University fear the future could hold should a technique involving adjusting the hormonal balance of the brain be successful on homosexual rams.

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.

News of this research first hit the media big back in November when PETA distributed a letter from Martina Navratilova opposing these experiments.

Here’s a reason to keep moving forward:

Michael Bailey, a neurology professor at Northwestern University near Chicago, said: “Allowing parents to select their children’s sexual orientation would further a parent’s freedom to raise the sort of children they want to raise.”

Maybe people who just can’t “settle” for raising a human should re-think the whole parenting thing.

(Heel click: Gender 3.0, Women of Color Blog)