Homosexuality - To choose or not to choose?

Two weeks ago I had just gotten out of class and I went to the gym on my college campus to play basketball. Trying to find some people for a pick up game I approached a group of ten guys all wearing the same shirt. It said " Who is Matthew ?" Referencing Matthew Shepard, a gay man that was brutally tortured and killed. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard). I didn't know who it was at the time so I asked them and they didn't know much besides he was gay and was murdered. They then, out of no where, started speaking about how gays are not a true minority, like blacks (All of these guys were black) because they "Pick to be gay" or choose their sexual preference. The conversation proceeded something like this:

Me: So people pick and choose which gender they are attracted to ?
Him: Yeah of course.
Me So you choose to be straight every day?
Him Yes.
Me: So tomorrow, you could wake up and choose to be gay?
Him: Well no! You just don't understand man, God made every baby perfect, not gay -

He went on, but that's where I walked away. It just wasn't worth arguing when he started quoting the bible.

To the users of Sythe: Is homosexuality a choice, and if so, does that make or not make a minority ?

I personally believe you can't choose who you are attracted to, I know I can't make myself be attracted to someone I am not, nor will I try. I also believe it was a very bigoted and hypocritical of them to deny someone else the rights their ancestors were denied hundreds of years ago.

 

I believe that Homosexuality is not a choice, we could go into this all day long but I'm motivated by evidence in the animal kingdom, some limited, but not without merit, studies dealing with hormonal imbalances and personal accounts from homosexuals I know personally.

 

I recently read an article about homosexuality in the animal kingdom from Lions to Dolphins, there are many species that engage in sex with the same species. I can't find the article, so here is a wiki page. Super interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals

 

We're so much different from animals, now, at least. If people chose to be gay do you think they'd choose it knowing the stereotype and homophobic abuse that comes with it? probably not.

You cant choose who you're attracted to, end of discussion really. I find people attractive just because, not because I want to.

 

Very well put.

 

I always wondered if you was in a community where you didn't know what being Gay was and would wonder if someone would just be attracted to male or female same sex. Or if you find out what being Gay is and then start thinking you are, not sure.

 

NO it is not. It is determined at birth.

Homosexual men have cell clusters in the hypothalamus that resemble women's (smaller than seen in men). Men with smaller cell clusters are more often than not homosexual!

This is not concrete proof alone, but!

Estrogen can penetrate the semipermeable placenta while you grow and develop in the womb. Excess estrogen leads to this cell cluster "deformation"


That's a brief overview of the psychological developments in the past 5-15 years. As for my personal views, I don't care what you think or do with others as long as it's completely consensual, legal, and don't drag me into anything you know I don't like and we'll be straight.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316316,00.html

Pigs only have 4 less pairs of chromosomes then us (true story)

 

Does it really matter? What difference would it make if it was finally proven that homosexuality is a choice or not? The fact is that it's something that is deeply ingrained in contemporary society. It's on the news, in movies, prime time t.v. Whether you like it or not, homosexuality is a part of you in one way or another. You have an opinion on it, don't you? It's something that you need to think about in order to formulate your stance on the matter
The real problem lies in our wanting to categorize people. There's a status-quo that society at large wants to maintain, but in the same way that 130 years ago, blacks and whites couldn't share the same restaurant, it's very likely that in the near future (considering how liberal the younger generations of today are), people will stop seeing each other as labels, and hopefully begin to restore some much needed unity into the world.

 

I don't think you can choose...
Guys can tell when another guy is attractive, but that doesn't mean they're sexually attracted to them... It's programmed into your brain.

Think of it like food. You can't choose if you like a certain food or not. You either just like it, or you don't.

 

I disagree it being determined at birth, but I don't believe it's a choice.
I know a few gay people that have slept with women before men.
I dont believe it's anything to do with genetics or anything but purely chance.

 

It it not a choice. You are born with genetics (not the word, It's some science term that I can't quite bring to mind. Chromosomes? Pheromones?) that will later tell you where your interests lie. You don't chose to be gay. Of all gay people I know, none of them want to be gay. Who would? Who would want to put themselves in that position where such a fucking blind idiotic society puts them down?

I don't have the time to put the input that I wish towards this, but I do not think it is a choice, at all. You don't choose whether you like bacon or not, do you? I wish i only liked healthy foods. I'd be sexy. Get it?

 

You also don't have a choice in whether or not you need to eat. You can't choose not to eat anything because you'll die of starvation. We can, however, choose to abstain from sex and relationships.

 

That doesn't address homosexuality itself, only the actions...

You could choose to abstain from sex and relationships but that has no bearing on whether or not you're hetero or homosexual.

Gotta love the logic of those influenced by a non-existent celestial dictatorship.

"It's all good and I'll accept you, just don't be different from me"

fucking lol.

 

You're saying it's possible to be homo/heterosexual even if you declare yourself to be indifferent to the matter? Then what makes person homo/heterosexual? If not the "actions", what then?

 

This isn't true there has been no isolation of gay gene (science term you were looking for). That being said it isn't a choice in my opinion. It in my opinion can be attributed to your influences as a child. If you don't have a male role model or a male role model is dominant to the point that you're grown to like other men. Im not sure if my sentence made sense but essentially i think it's attributed to your sociology (interactions with other people).

 

Attraction.
Sexual Desire.
Romantic Attraction.

 

And you don't think it's possible to abstain from romantic attraction? You do understand I'm not really trying to argue either way, right? To me it's a pointless question to ask, or at least treat as if though it were of great importance. What would change if either side were found to be correct?

I'm not really sure what the point you're trying to make is, divine_god.

 

I disagree with it being a pointless question. It shouldn't be questioned, but it is and if one could prove that it isn't a choice a case could be made to further the rights of gay people.

Although I do agree with you that a person's sexual preference shouldn't be questioned.

 

You want to know if people are born homosexual - if there's a "gay gene"? Look at identical twin studies. Enough said.

Homosexuality may not be a choice - don't forget, choice has to do with the conscious mind, but it's definitely not something you're born into. There is no gay gene. It's a mix of hormonal imbalance (which you could be born with) and environmental factors.

 

Personally I think it is a choice, but it is also a born thing. I mean there are guys I know who are gay who didn't know for a long time.