Born gay or lifestyle choice...?
Born gay. Scientific researchers who specialize in human sexuality have shown that homosexuality is innate and linked to biology and genetics. An October 2004 scientific research publication stated that scientists at the University of Padua have found that women tend to have more children when they inherit the same genetic factors linked to homosexuality in men. This fertility boost more than compensates for the lack of offspring fathered by gay men, and keeps the “gay” genetic factors in circulation. A study published in Human Genetics in February 2006 examined X chromosome inactivation in mothers of gay sons and mothers whose sons were not gay. Researchers found extreme differences between women who had gay sons and women who did not. Another scientific study said that researchers have known for years that a man's likelihood of being gay rises with the number of older biological brothers, but the new study found that the so-called "fraternal birth order effect" persists even if gay men were raised away from their biological families. Anthony F. Bogaert, Ph.D., professor at Brock University, said "The research suggests that the development of sexual orientation is influenced before birth." The older-brother effect was constant regardless of whether the men were raised with natural, adopted or stepbrothers. It also didn't matter if they weren't raised with their biological mothers. If gay younger brothers and older brothers don't have the same home environments, what do they have in common? "They shared the same uterus, the same womb, the same mother," Bogaert said.
Are you born gay or is it a lifestyle choice?
Nature vs. Nurture has been a big debate when it comes to sexuality. Here's some of the facts though: In a twin study, identical twins (who have almost completely identical genetic makeup) were more than 50% likely to BOTH be gay, showing that there can be at least some genetic basis for being gay. Homosexuals are highly discriminated against. They are ostracized, beaten, sometimes even killed. In some countries (mostly Africa and Middle-East) it's even punishable by law and some are put to death for being gay! I personally know that I did not "choose" to be gay; I've always had a thing for guys. Usually what most homosexuals will say is, "I didn't even know what sex was, and I've still felt a pull towards (same sex) since childhood." The best thing is to learn about homosexuality from the homosexuals themselves. Only they can answer what it's like and what goes on in their heads. If you want more info, ask me if you wish! ^^
Is being gay a lifestyle choice? or are they born that way?
You are born gay. Myself, being sexually attracted to men was not a choice at all. I actually fought my feelings for years and years and tried to be straight, I actually CHOSE to be straight but could not do it. Becasue I am gay. This is a similiair experience for alot of gay men, and it sounds like an experience your cousin went through. The only reason I wanted to be straight when I was younger was because of society. Because of fear of everything that might happen to you if people found out. Not at anytime I CHOSE to be straight did I actually feel anything for girls, except love of a freind, but I naturally continued to have these feelings for guys. I think your cousin went through fear and doubt of who he was born as, especially going to a christian school with their views on homosexuality, it can only add to the discrimination of society in general. Sounds like he just finally had enough of living a lie, just think how long you could last living as a gay person and hiding the fact you are straight. It would be very hard. Im sure he loved his wife, and loves his kids. But think how much you could love another man, and then think about the natural love you can have for a girl. Same deal. Thank you for wanting to hear this from gay people, who have actual life experience on the matter. Only life experience and valid science research should be involved in this debate. Not uneducated views or religious beliefs that come from no experience or science grounding..
Are people born gay or is it a lifestyle choice?
You think it's a choice because it doesn't lead to offspring? That's the worst argument after quoting bible verses. How many straight couples are incapable of producing offspring, and pay through their nose for it? Have you ever heard of surrogacy? Just because people are gay doesn't mean their organs don't work, there's so many medical alternatives to having a baby if you're a gay couple. It's hard to explain the whole concept to people with dogma. But it's not a choice. For example, when you were a kid, even before your parents had that talk with you even before you hit puberty you know you liked girls cause it's natural. It's always been in your brain to do so. The same goes for me. I dunno why I took so long to realise it but I've always liked girls since I was a kid. But growing up I was told to like boys, that I need a man to be happy. I had that talk with my guardians, they told me everything about puberty and what to expect. But even when I hit puberty all I could think about was girls. I tried dating guys obviously cause that's just what you do, that's what's expected of you. If my being lesbian is a choice explain to me why no matter how much I like a guy, no matter how many guys I've dated, no matter how good his game is or how eager I was for dating none of them could even get me wet but my feelings for girls was instinctual? Why's it so hard for some straight people to understand because their blinded by their own beliefs? You're bound to find haters if you don't do the research. Just saying.
Is it a choice to be gay or are you just born gay?
Scientific researchers specializing in human sexuality have shown that homosexuality is genetic. Scientific research publications from October 2004 and June 2008 stated that scientists have found that women tend to have more children when they inherit the same genetic factors linked to homosexuality in men. This fertility boost more than compensates for the lack of offspring fathered by gay men, and keeps the “gay” genetic factors in circulation. A 2005 study reported genetic scans showing a clustering of the same genetic pattern among gay men on three chromosomes - chromosomes 7, 8, and 10. The regions on chromosome 7 and 8 were associated with male sexual orientation regardless of whether the man got them from his mother or father. The regions on chromosome 10 were only associated with male sexual orientation if they were inherited from the mother. A study from 2006 said that researchers have known for years that a man's likelihood of being gay rises with the number of older biological brothers, but the new study found that the so-called "fraternal birth order effect" persists even if gay men were raised away from their biological families & that "the research suggests that the development of sexual orientation is influenced before birth."
Do you believe that people are born gay or it is a life choice?
Ah! I saw an amazing documentary on this with the actor John Barrowman (who is gay). He was trying to find out where gay "comes from". He had brain scans and his brain was monitored when he was shown different pictures (naked lady:zero sexual response, a kitten:the "awww so cute" response, and a naked man:arousal and attraction). He wanted to know if you are born gay or made gay. Basically they spoke to all different experts and scientists and their conclusion was 99.9% of people are born gay. In some vary rate cases a person can be made gay by enviroment and circumstances growing up, but it is very very unlikely. Something which I found very interesting is that they said that the more older brothers a boy has, the more likely he is to be gay. It has something to do with the mothers hormones when she is pregnant. This actor John was like "well I only have one older brother" but then when he spoke to his mum she said that she had had several stillborns and miscarriages in between the two boys which were all boys as far as she knew! There's also the hand test, where if one finger is longer or shorter then it is a good indicator of sexual orientation in men--again due to the hormones they're exposed to in the womb.
Are you born gay or is it a choice you make in life?
As for whether or not some people choose to be gay, I've noticed in here that some people seem to feel that they made that choice (and I have the highest respect for some of these people, judging from their other very intelligent answers). However, I feel I had no choice. I feel I was born this way. For those who feel they made that choice, I'll just let them speak for themselves. HOWEVER, because of what they've said, I've started to wonder if it might be BOTH. That is, is it possible that it is a combination of BOTH pre and post-natal events? Consider Albert Einstein, for example. Genetics obviously played a part in his being so brilliant, but what if he had been born in a jungle in a primitive tribe? About the most he would have accomplished would have been chief of the tribe. So, we can see the effects of BOTH pre-natal and post-natal influences at work in his case. Research is now being done in Illinois on this aspect and results are expected to be published later this year. (Center for Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern Health Care Research Institute). They expect to find that it's a combination of pre-and post-natal circumstances. http://allpsych.com/journal/homosexuality.html “Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture,�� The Journal of Homosexuality, Ryan D. Johnson, April 30, 2003 Gay, Straight, and In-Between: The Sexology of Erotic Orientation, John Money David France, “The Science of Gaydar,” New York Magazine http://nymag.com/news/features/33520/ APA Position - http://www.apa.org/topics/orientation.html
Are people born gay or is it a life choice?
Boy, that's the question of the century, isn't it? Until that elusive "homosexual gene" is discovered in our DNA, it's probably going to continue to be a matter of opinion. In my opinion, there is more than one reason for homosexual behavior. People who are sexually abused often resort to homosexuality. Others simply experiment during adolescence (though these people are not considered gay unless they adopt such behavior as a continued lifestyle). Still others claim to have been that way since birth, yet homosexuality is in no way genetic. Therefore (again, my personal opinion), I believe they simply choose to be gay. When contemplating this question, I look to nature. In nature, no species can survive unless it can reproduce. Therefore, if homosexuals were that way by design, then they would be able to procreate. They are not, leading me to conclude that people are either gay by extreme sexual abuse or trauma, or by choice. By that same argument, the closest I can come to agreeing that people are born gay is if it is by some defect. I realize how infuriating that must sound, but again, if it were by design, then why wouldn't homosexuals be able to reproduce?
Neither. Sexuality, like all human preferences, is more learned than inherited or consciously chosen. All the data bears this out.Were you born liking country music, or did you choose to? Were you born liking root beer, or did you choose to? Were you born liking the color blue, or do you choose to?Could you choose to like hip hop music? Could you choose to like Mountain Dew? Could you choose to like yellow?Your preferences aren’t conscious choices. And they aren’t inherited at birth like eye color or your reproductive parts. They are learned through experience, perhaps with some predisposition towards one or the other.Sexuality is the same way. And as with other preferences, it appears to be fluid for a time but becomes set by late adolescence. While fluid, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a choice involved. Socialization is a strange thing, and the way people are raised and learn constitutes countless variables.So my approach is to assume that sexuality is like all other preferences- acquired, learned and developed through countless variables but not chosen and not inherited.
Are you born gay? Or is it a choice?
Yes, there is a choice and very likely at least one of the parents is gender opposite in sexual preferences and likely bi-sexual. Cave-man was without a gender preference, he was bi-sexual, homosexual, heterosexual, and transsexual if possible. We in our societies since the arising of a spiritual character have derived morals as to keep the seed of man on the belly of a whore or in the natural vagina. Old England and Queen Victoria has some surprising information concerning her power of distributing a moral concept to the Americas in the 14th -15th century.