Being gay isn't a choice

Author: drlebronski

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drlebronski
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I would know myself as i am gay but im assuming you need evidence. 
https://theconversation.com/stop-calling-it-a-choice-biological-factors-drive-homosexuality-122764 it provides sources and please refrain from mentioning it straying from "gods path" or it is a "sin".
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Apparently, genes determine if you are more likely to attract to men or women, etc, which means that whether you are gay is determined from birth and is not a choice.

What that probably means is that even if you are attracted to a different sex, as long as your genes convey that you are "gay", you are "gay". That is what "straight phases" are. Many lesbian girls are pressured to get boyfriends from their friends or even their families before they discover themselves afterwards. If you are on social media chances are that you have met at least two people like this.


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@drlebronski
I always find this an interesting  topic.

Because procreation is the necessity and recreational sex is the derivative thereof.

If you have a penis, testicles and produce sperm, then you are a fully reproductive male.

So not participating in normal reproductive sex is a choice, as is where you might stick your equipment for fun.

 

What you choose to do with your equipment for pleasure, should be of no concern.....(And I stress, is of no concern to me)

But what also strikes me is...... What is nowadays loudly promoted as the social norm in liberal societies, still isn't quite the social norm. There is still an underlying element of taboo and consequential justification needed in such discussions.

Why?....Because procreation is the inherent drive and recreational sex is the acquired derivative thereof... Whether that be a physiological acquisition or a sociological acquisition.


Nonetheless......There's already 7.9 billion people clogging up this planet...So make love...Not babies.



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@drlebronski
Personally, I don't 'much care if someone is gay or not.
Still, in regards to the topic,
Ever hear of acquired tastes, habituation, Conditioned inclination?

People often say an individual would be this or that, depending on their environment, 'where they grew up in the world.
Though it wouldn't surprise me if people had genetic 'inclinations, towards certain likes, dislikes, political, philosophical views.
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I mean, I never consciously chose to be straight so I would think this is a no-brainer.

The claim that gays sit down and choose to be in a relationship with those of the same sex implies that everyone is attracted to those of both sexes and could just as easily be with one as the other. I think whether it is true or not this claim says a lot about the person making it.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
I can understand people having an 'inclination.
But I disagree with the 'pure nature argument, it ignores nurture, to my way of thinking.
Exposure.

"Hope that it continues the cycle"
Applies to 'any action, including straight individuals, my posting of the video is not meant as bashing of 'any group in particular, but as a laugh, and to point out 'legacy/'cycle of behavior, based upon experience.
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@Lemming
But I disagree with the 'pure nature argument
I never said or implied anything about nature or nurture.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
I guess I assumed it was implied in your argument, that you were making a 'nature argument, 'born that way, so to speak, am I wrong?

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@Lemming
There are some people that actually claim the actual "inclination" as you aptly put it does not even exist in the first place. They claim people that engage in same-sex relationships "choose" to be attracted to the same sex. I interpreted the OP to be a reference to those people given the word 'choice' in the title. Post 5, therefore, was not an argument about the origin of same-sex attraction so much as simply pointing out that it does very obviously exist.

I assume your misinterpretation stemmed from the fact that your brain is not stupid enough to even realize such a stupid argument as the one I was attacking even existed lol.
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I think it's interesting that men with older brothers are more likely to be gay. I don't think that's some weird mechanism for population control. That's not to say I think being gay is a choice though. 
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Homosexuality is linked to hormone levels. Didn't God know anything about quality control? I don't think God could have gotten into MIT.
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@Discipulus_Didicit
@badger
Claiming there's 'no biological, genetic, or even environmental connection in sexual orientation, is indeed 'not something I believe.
Unless I was to become semantic about it, and even then, being straight or quitting the most addicting drugs on your own without help would be a choices, if I went that direction, just ends up a bit silly to deny, hm, I'm not sure of the word,
But some word describing 'effect. The choices we make being 'effected by various circumstance, that they incline us, or end up it's near certain we go certain directions in life. Influence maybe. Of biology, experiences.

Really? Interesting if true,
Oh, seems there is a study that claims that.

If study claim is true, I wonder if that'd be due to biology or psychology.

I don't know if this is true of not,
Not that I know if gay individuals would have more or 'less testosterone. I mention it 'just to remark on biology.

But there's also the argument in psychology of familiarity.
ronjs
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@drlebronski
it's like many things in life, it can  be a choice.
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@ronjs
Is being straight a choice? 

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@Reece101
Like I said, it can be a choice, not that it is a choice.
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@ronjs
Are you sure you’re not just bi? 
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@Reece101
As I stated previously.

There's procreational sex.

And then there's multifarious recreational sex.

One can choose to do indulge in either, both or none.

LGBGTQ etc is just socially constructed mumbo jumbo.

Masturbation or variations upon an intercourse theme....Same drive, same end result....Roll over and go to sleep.....Till the next time.

Your body will tell you when and you will choose how.
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@zedvictor4
No one chooses who they’re sexually attracted to.
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@Reece101
Of course they do.


The brain decides relative to it's programming.

Whether that be physiological or psychological.


Recreational sex is just a way of satiating the singular male or female urge to reproduce......Attraction is an irrelevance in this context.

The whole partner, relationship, mortgage and puppy thing is just a socially contrived system of accepted behaviour.


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@zedvictor4
Do you think everyone is born straight? 

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@Reece101
Notwithstanding physiological anomalies..... Every male or female is born with either male or female reproductive organs.....That is one definition of straight.

How one chooses to satisfy corresponding urges recreationally is another issue....Straight in this context simply defines one modus operandi.


Have you ever considered why these contentious discussions only ever consider LGBTQ and not SLGBTQ?
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@zedvictor4
Notwithstanding physiological anomalies..... Every male or female is born with either male or female reproductive organs.....That is one definition of straight.
That’s the first I’ve heard of it being used that way. Where did you get that definition from?

How one chooses to satisfy corresponding urges recreationally is another issue....Straight in this context simply defines one modus operandi.
You’re the one who brought up procreation. And again you don’t choose to be straight or gay or any other sexual orientation. 

You’re treating sexual orientation as if it’s gender and even that’s wrong to a degree.

Have you ever considered why these contentious discussions only ever consider LGBTQ and not SLGBTQ?
LGBTQ+ is a civil rights movement. Do you feel ashamed of being straight? 
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@Reece101
To the last point....Good point....Think about it, and apply it to the whole issue of recreational sex.....Even straight.

Though "ashamed" is perhaps an inappropriate word.


There is procreational and recreational sex.

You can choose to partake in either, and recreationally you can choose whatever modus operandi  you prefer.......No problem.


Male, female copulation and fertilization, defined by their physical attributes, is straight....How straight do you require it?

The same persons can enjoy whatever mode of recreational sex they choose, doesn't make their capabilities any less straight.


LGBTQ.... No matter how you dress it up, is a social construct relative to the taboo subject of recreational sex and the justification thereof.









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@zedvictor4
No, a study called "Brain structure changes associated with sexual orientation" found that male brain structures that found female faces attractive were in nonhomosexual men and that male brain structures that found male faces attractive were in homosexual men. The report states:  In heterosexual and homosexual individuals, the mediodorsal thalamus was more activated by faces of the preferred sex relative to faces of a less desired sex, independent of the observers’ biological sex or sexual orientation45. While congruently suggesting that hypothalamic activation has downstream effects on visual perception likely impacting the selection of sexual partners46, previous findings also support a role of the thalamus in signaling sexual reward47 and arousal among homosexual and heterosexual individuals48.


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@FLRW
Probably true, that perception does stimulate a specific mediodorsal thalamus response.

If you think about it, everything relative to function relies upon perception stimulating brain activity stimulating function. Is there any other option?

So one could apply  the same argument to a hundred and one other, different contradictory attitudes.

For instance, why am appalled at the thought of eating witchetty grubs.....This is obviously an acquired response, stimulated by brain activity.....Nonetheless I still have the choice available.

And  the OP is about choice, and choice is deciding between two or more options.

In terms of recreational sex there are multifarious options.

In terms of procreational sex there is only one option....Though one can choose not to partake in such activities.


And "Gay"  and all it's associated social paraphernalia, is a social construct, relative to a particular penchant for recreational homosexual activity.
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@zedvictor4
There's already 7.9 billion people clogging up this planet
Not sure what this has to do with the topic, but, whatever. I don't agree that 7.9B is too many people. We don't have a people population problem; we have a resources distribution problem, coupled with greed.
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@zedvictor4
Wrong in every regard, again, you lack of correct information regarding sexuality and gender astounds me. The biological impulses are indeed noncontrollable, you can claim otherwise, but the data doesn't support your claim. Furthermore, it is also true that environment does have a role to play when it comes to the development of sexuality, do any of the steps require choice? No. 

That would be actually forming relationships, that requires choice, everything before that is an impulse subconsiously constructed by our brain - the opposite of a "choice". Its like saying you "choose" to favor one flavor of ice cream over another, in other words - bullshit. 
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@Theweakeredge

A hot headed answer and wrong in every regard. Your information regarding sexuality might be spot on PC, but the PC agenda seeks to overlook the reality of the issue in order to justify an action...... And as far as I am concerned an action that doesn't need justifying.

If you read my response dispassionately you would see that I was agreeing  that "biological impulses are noncontrollable".....FLRW was  stating the obvious.

Though the question was about choice and not about brain function per se, and choice is about making a conscious decision, and conscious decisions by definition are controllable.

Fundamentally, the noncontrollable impulse is telling the organism to procreate, and procreational sex has but one natural modus operandi.

Therefore to adopt any other course of action is to choose not to procreate, but to choose between a wide variety of other recreational options.

The outcome of any action will nonetheless be the same....Temporary satisfaction of the urge to reproduce.

What else might affect one's impulses and consequent choices, is not relevant to the question.

Overriding natural impulses and indulging in "Gay" recreational sex, although seemingly preferential is still undeniably a choice. Other options are available.


All that said....What ever method of recreational sex you might might find preferential and therefore choose to adopt is absolutely fine by me, and does not require PC justification.

Just as your childish choice to block me, is absolutely fine too.
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@fauxlaw
True.

If we ever get to such a point, "too many people" would  be defined by unsustainability.


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"Gay" is gene-determined and isn't "a choice".
 "Being" is a choice as you can just shoot yourself and stab your heart at any given moment. You choose to live. When you come to live, you are determined to be either gay or not gay, and there is nothing changing the true identity of gay/straight/bi/etc.