Hot Topic (10/10): Is sexual orientation determined at birth?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

Whether sexual orientation is a trait we are born with (nature) or is caused by the environment we are raised in (nurture) has been hotly debated by scientists, religious leaders, elected officials, and the general public.

Many who believe that homosexuality is a personality disorder and a choice do not feel that those individuals are entitled to marriage and adoption rights, discrimination and hate crime protection, and social and religious acceptance.

Others claim that homosexuality is a biological characteristic that is unchangeable and to deny those individuals civil rights is similar to discriminating based on race or gender.

For more info:  http://borngay.procon.org/

 

Do you think sexual orientation is determined at birth?

[luckcharm]

I do think that being gay is not a choice.   To many people struggle with being gay for it not to be how they were born.   If it was a choice they could make then why would many of them choose to be gay when it isn't who they want to be?

I do think that some people choose to be involved with the same sex.  I think most of those people are ones that fall in the bisexual group,  not so much the gay/lesbian ones. 

[Goodwoman614]

I think that while homosexuality is likely determined in utero(based on evidence and common sense), so what?  So what if a person is "born that way" or decides to have a same-sex relationship, for whatever reason. 

What an adult decides to do and with whom(another adult, consenting) is none of my business.  Or anybody else's. 

The only difference between me and *some ppl* is that I realize and acknowledge that it is none of my business.

[Mergath]

No.  I think it is genetic, and so determined at conception.

[cherry41089]

I think people r born gay

[metalrocker]

i think it is already determined by birth. i really don't think it is a choice..& who would choose that anyways?

[EireLass]

I know a family (all adults now) where 3 of the 4 kids are gay. Were they born this way or is it their enviornment? One of the gals got involved with Michelle (whom we met at Christmas), then next year we were introduced to Mitch. It was obviously the same person, gone through surgery/hormone change. So does this make the gal a lesbian or not? She WAS with a woman, now she's with a man.  

[lajoy]

 I think it's genetic and fine. I hate when people compare being born gay to being born handicapped. It's not a handicap. People are going to love whoever they love. Everyone else needs to get over it.

[luchousdiva]

I think that people are born that way. 

[corsetedwife]

Sometimes it is but sometimes something horrible happens and a woman who was brutalized by a man can not bear the thought of being with a man again.  This happened to my closest friend and I understand why she is gay now.  She wants someone to love and to love her but can never be with a man again.  She was probably bi but who knows at this point.

[trippyhippy]

I think in most cases you are born that way.  My Mom was born that way as was her wife.  Also, one of my girlfriends has a daughter who I knew was gay by the time she was one or two years old.  She wanted to be called by boys names, refused to wear a dress and got mad if anyone called her a girl.  Now she is 16 and definatley a buch lesbian.  Her Mom is as feminine as you get, as is her sister.