Homosexuality - Choice? or Genetic?

[HuskerShark]

I'm curious what people here think/believe about homosexuality. Do you believe gay people are born gay? Or do you think that people are not born gay, but rather make a choice to be gay at some point in life due to peer influence, society influence, bad parenting, bad role models, etc.? Or do you believe something else? I don't know what the other thing would be, but I put it on there just in case someone has another opinion.

 

Have at it.

 

 

Shawn Watson.

[Ratt Mhule]

Genetic. When I worked at a elementary school, there were kids you could just tell would turn out gay when they got older.

[krill]

You phrased the question in a manner that presumes no complexity, and the truth is there is not a definitive answer. The problem I've observed is that while the general consensus is that there are biological and environmental development factors, the moment you concede that the later is a factor at all, people who want to believe it is exclusively environmental development will take anything as definitive evidence while ignoring everything else. It has actually become quite a controversy in itself with respected psychologist having their research mutilated and taken completely out of context by quacks that are still trying to treat homosexuality as a behavioral disorder.

[Enhance]

In ancient Greek culture, homosexuality would have been a foreign term. Males took part in homosexual activity as a means of sexual pleasure, although, there was still a stigma between 'giving' and 'taking', if you catch my drift. Females would have taken part in homosexual behavior, too.

 

In fact, in Spartan culture, it was considered a good thing for an older man to take a younger boy as his sexual partner. Spartan men were also divided into dining halls, of about 20-30 men each, and there was a lot of homosexual behavior in these groups. Furthermore, part of ancient Greek lore described many brave warriors who excelled on the battlefield because their male lover had been with him. There are many stories of famous warriors taking their lovers on war campaigns.

 

The reason I'm saying all this is because I don't think there's a definitive answer. Back then, homosexuality was normal. The concept of being a homosexual wouldn't have made any sense to them. I think some people may be born with a disposition towards homosexuality, but I also think that it can be an open choice for any individual, depending on their background and how they feel about it.

[The Dude]

Homosexuality has been observed in about 1,500 different species. Seems to just be something that's naturally occuring. Don't see why that would be any different in humans.

[carlfense]

I agree that it's a complex question with more factors than just genes or choice. I'm not sure that it really matters.

 

I guess I wonder why I should care about why people are gay.

[robsker]

I agree that it's a complex question with more factors than just genes or choice. I'm not sure that it really matters.

 

I guess I wonder why I should care about why people are gay.

I agree that it's a complex question with more factors than just genes or choice. I'm not sure that it really matters.

 

I guess I wonder why I should care about why people are gay.

 

Well said... what possible relevance is there at arriving at an answer? To make this doubly moot --- it is something that genetic science is nowhere near sophisticated enough to answer. So... no answer is possible (at this time) and the answer, even if tractable (which it is not), has no relevance to anything.

[HuskerShark]

I agree that it's a complex question with more factors than just genes or choice. I'm not sure that it really matters.

 

I guess I wonder why I should care about why people are gay.

I agree that it's a complex question with more factors than just genes or choice. I'm not sure that it really matters.

 

I guess I wonder why I should care about why people are gay.

 

Well said... what possible relevance is there at arriving at an answer? To make this doubly moot --- it is something that genetic science is nowhere near sophisticated enough to answer. So... no answer is possible (at this time) and the answer, even if tractable (which it is not), has no relevance to anything.

 

That's why it's an opinion question. I don't know what's wrong with that.

[husker_99]

In ancient Greek culture, homosexuality would have been a foreign term. Males took part in homosexual activity as a means of sexual pleasure, although, there was still a stigma between 'giving' and 'taking', if you catch my drift. Females would have taken part in homosexual behavior, too.

 

In fact, in Spartan culture, it was considered a good thing for an older man to take a younger boy as his sexual partner. Spartan men were also divided into dining halls, of about 20-30 men each, and there was a lot of homosexual behavior in these groups. Furthermore, part of ancient Greek lore described many brave warriors who excelled on the battlefield because their male lover had been with him. There are many stories of famous warriors taking their lovers on war campaigns.

 

The reason I'm saying all this is because I don't think there's a definitive answer. Back then, homosexuality was normal. The concept of being a homosexual wouldn't have made any sense to them. I think some people may be born with a disposition towards homosexuality, but I also think that it can be an open choice for any individual, depending on their background and how they feel about it.

 

Except Homosexuality was different back then too. From Wikipedia: Penetrative sex, however, was seen as demeaning for the passive partner, and outside the socially accepted norm.^[6]

 

It's different today where homosexuality is defined sexually exclusive. In ancient Greece it was more of a mentor thing.

 

Here's my link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_ancient_Greece

[Lyons in the Sea of Red.]

I would say it is a combination of both. It is really hard to say. I don't really know if there is homosexual "gene", but I would say that there may be a combination of things genetically that when put in the right environment will combine to develop a form of homosexuality. But honestly, I don't know if there is an answer. This will be debated til the end of time.

[carlfense]

That's why it's an opinion question. I don't know what's wrong with that.

I never said that it was wrong. I even answered the poll question. I'm just saying that I don't think it really matters why people are gay. That's not an attack on you. Most things discussed on the internet don't really matter. If it is something people want to talk about then that's cool with me.

 

You are awfully defensive, HuskerShark.

[HuskerShark]

That's why it's an opinion question. I don't know what's wrong with that.

I never said that it was wrong. I even answered the poll question. I'm just saying that I don't think it really matters why people are gay. That's not an attack on you. Most things discussed on the internet don't really matter. If it is something people want to talk about then that's cool with me.

 

You are awfully defensive, HuskerShark.

 

I wasn't being defensive, I was just saying. The reason I asked the question is because I have my own opinion, and last night when I was on facebook, I saw a page called Northeast Nebraska LGBT, and one of the guys on there said something to the effect of, "being gay isn't a choice, it's something you're born with." I was just wondering what other people thought on the subject, so I asked. And I'm a little surprised by the responses, to be honest. But that's okay.

[Enhance]

In ancient Greek culture, homosexuality would have been a foreign term. Males took part in homosexual activity as a means of sexual pleasure, although, there was still a stigma between 'giving' and 'taking', if you catch my drift. Females would have taken part in homosexual behavior, too.

 

In fact, in Spartan culture, it was considered a good thing for an older man to take a younger boy as his sexual partner. Spartan men were also divided into dining halls, of about 20-30 men each, and there was a lot of homosexual behavior in these groups. Furthermore, part of ancient Greek lore described many brave warriors who excelled on the battlefield because their male lover had been with him. There are many stories of famous warriors taking their lovers on war campaigns.

 

The reason I'm saying all this is because I don't think there's a definitive answer. Back then, homosexuality was normal. The concept of being a homosexual wouldn't have made any sense to them. I think some people may be born with a disposition towards homosexuality, but I also think that it can be an open choice for any individual, depending on their background and how they feel about it.

 

Except Homosexuality was different back then too. From Wikipedia: Penetrative sex, however, was seen as demeaning for the passive partner, and outside the socially accepted norm.^[6]

 

It's different today where homosexuality is defined sexually exclusive. In ancient Greece it was more of a mentor thing.

 

Here's my link: http://en.wikipedia...._ancient_Greece

Right, which is why I mentioned there was a stigma between 'taking' and 'receiving'.

 

But, I still don't think it changes the concept much. Homosexuality was commonplace. The word wouldn't have even made sense to them.

[husker_99]

In ancient Greek culture, homosexuality would have been a foreign term. Males took part in homosexual activity as a means of sexual pleasure, although, there was still a stigma between 'giving' and 'taking', if you catch my drift. Females would have taken part in homosexual behavior, too.

 

In fact, in Spartan culture, it was considered a good thing for an older man to take a younger boy as his sexual partner. Spartan men were also divided into dining halls, of about 20-30 men each, and there was a lot of homosexual behavior in these groups. Furthermore, part of ancient Greek lore described many brave warriors who excelled on the battlefield because their male lover had been with him. There are many stories of famous warriors taking their lovers on war campaigns.

 

The reason I'm saying all this is because I don't think there's a definitive answer. Back then, homosexuality was normal. The concept of being a homosexual wouldn't have made any sense to them. I think some people may be born with a disposition towards homosexuality, but I also think that it can be an open choice for any individual, depending on their background and how they feel about it.

 

Except Homosexuality was different back then too. From Wikipedia: Penetrative sex, however, was seen as demeaning for the passive partner, and outside the socially accepted norm.^[6]

 

It's different today where homosexuality is defined sexually exclusive. In ancient Greece it was more of a mentor thing.

 

Here's my link: http://en.wikipedia...._ancient_Greece

Right, which is why I mentioned there was a stigma between 'taking' and 'receiving'.

 

But, I still don't think it changes the concept much. Homosexuality was commonplace. The word wouldn't have even made sense to them.

 

Yes but is it considered homosexuality if there is no penetrative sex? Yes they might have done it in private but not known pubically. They might have kissed and stroked each other off but if that's all they did does that constitute being homosexual? Likewise with a straight male that is still a virigin but pleases a woman with his fingers and kisses is that enough to be considered straight?

[carlfense]

Yes but is it considered homosexuality if there is no penetrative sex? Yes they might have done it in private but not known pubically. They might have kissed and stroked each other off but if that's all they did does that constitute being homosexual? Likewise with a straight male that is still a virigin but pleases a woman with his fingers and kisses is that enough to be considered straight?

I think homosexuality just means an attraction to the same sex. You don't need to act on that attraction to be gay.