Gay as choice
Aunt B. on Why would anyone choose to be gay?
A couple of things. Anyone who thinks that being gay is a choice probably doesn’t know any gay people. Choosing to be gay would also mean you choose to be straight. And that’s just silly. I like women. Can’t help it. I’m wired that way.
February 2nd, 2011 at 5:51 pm
“Why would anyone choose to be gay?”
I guess they just get sucked into it.
February 2nd, 2011 at 5:52 pm
You win the thread.
February 2nd, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Thank-you Unk
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:27 pm
HardCorps
As a bisexual male, I’m capable (and as the girlfriend will attest, quite willing) to perform heterosexual acts. Not as good at it as I’d like to be, but that’s more about the major importance in practice. Under no reasonable definition am I heterosexual.
The “nature” argument isn’t based solely upon a gene, for starters : prenatal exposure to certain hormones seems to matter a bit. There are some physiological level differences in brain development, although subtle enough to be in dispute.
Genes also don’t work that way. Many genes do clearly lead to evolutionarily unsuccessful results in some circumstances, yet get passed on anyway : sickle-cell anemia, for example, is very bad for both your survival rate and for your chance of having children, but it’s helpful to have “half” (Mendellian genetics is a lie-to-children) the genes for sickle-cell anemia, since that protects hugely against some rather nasty viruses. Homosexuality doesn’t help your chances of having direct biological children, but if your local extended family is more likely to raise children because they can concentrate resources and because all the heterosexuals are better at having children while carrying some of the gene responsible.
Laughingdog
I was very open and comfortable with the idea of being alone, to the point where I not only kept my virginity ’til I was 24, but to the point where I was quite content with that. But even after going into a (in my case, straight) relationship, I still found certain types of both gay- and straight-prurient-focused media interesting.
I don’t know if that’s the case for every bisexual, every bisexual male, or even a large portion of either group, though; my experiences may not generalize.
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:36 pm
the ‘gay gene’ as you put it, has survived because homosexuality leads to derision. Someone out of the closet is chided and persecuted in virtually every culture. It is probably safe to assume that it’s been that way since time unremembered. That being the case, it’s very SMART for a homosexual male to suppress those feelings and live a heterosexual life, despite their desire for other dudes… or women in the case of lesbians.
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:52 pm
Jake: “[C]omparisons to … pedophiles, for instance.”
Once again, I never made that comparison. Read my post number 21. If my comment still insults you, I apologize. But my point is completely different from how you’re reading it. I simply reject the categorical notion that homosexuality (or pedophilia, or a love of rock & roll, for that matter) is just an uncontrollable predilection that you’re born with. I think it’s way more involved than that, and as you pointed out with your Kinsey comment, it may be different for everyone.
February 2nd, 2011 at 9:12 pm
If the gay gene is real why do gay men like ricky martin have biological children when that is unnatural?? Seeing if you buy into the born that way mentality they will be sterile.. They used a surrogate… Wouldn’t that mean he committed and unnatural act??? Cannot have it both ways. Either it is natural or it is not. Neither can apply on a part time basis….
February 2nd, 2011 at 10:52 pm
I go to work and come back to all this mess!
Yes, wikipedia is actually an incredible trove of accurate and timely knowledge- you’re driving your truck in the wrong direction in the tubes if you think otherwise. The article directly cites sources such as scientific studies on the current topic, so please direct your attention to those as opposed to the subjective content.
@Jake,
There is no evidence to suggest this, nor is that even an accurate summary of the text you quoted. What you quoted is far different than the null hypothesis of humans aren’t genetically homosexual.
You have correctly identified the null hypothesis, which I will restate more narrowly as humans aren’t genetically homosexual.
Yes I did read it, compare:
“Several theories have been advanced to explain this contradiction, and new experimental evidence has demonstrated their feasibility.” <–subjective
and
“A recent study of 894 heterosexual and 694 homosexual men found no evidence of sex linkage [to Xq28, the apparently best theory of the ‘gay gene’].” <–objective
I’m glad I could help guide everyone through the article. It is a little confusing because of the subjective statements surrounding the facts.This seems like an attempt of damage control.
To conclude, there is no evidence to reject the null hypothesis which is: humans aren’t genetically homosexual.
That is a scientific fact. I am not making any political or social statements, and this is the question of the original post: Gay as choice.
February 2nd, 2011 at 11:45 pm
I sure agree that folks don’t make that choice. Certainly not consciously. Sexuality is more fluid that people like to admit though. Ask anyone in the Penitentiary. If your gay, your just that way from the start. Some people discover gay sex works for them along with hetero sex and that too is something they were born to.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:46 am
I’m with Jake and Heather, Uncle, Tam and a few others I don’t care about someone else’s sexuality it’s got no bearing at all on mine or my marriage. I’ll go further I don’t care if it’s a choice or not either, nor do I care what someone’s god thinks of it. I will note I have some gay friends and not a one of them has felt he or she had a choice, which indicates to me (anecdotally of course)that the choice if it is such happens really early and doesn’t involve conscious thought.