Is having homosexual feelings a choice?

[nclib]

I've heard this absurd claim made many times but have yet to hear anyone back it up.

[Alcon]

You can behaviorally brainwash anyone into having sexual feelings of a certain persuasion, but you can only use shame to get rid of current feelings, and they usually come back. At least that is what I understand.

You can't just decide "hey, I'm not going to be gay today!" Unless you're homosexual.

[Redefeatbush04]

You can't just decide "hey, I'm not going to be gay today!" Unless you're homosexual.

Yep.....only gays can decide to not be gay   

[Lunar]

Eh, it's probably a subconscious one in my opinion.

However, I don't presume to know.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Find me a homoesexual who says they werent abused mentally or physically, or raised without a male influence, and still are gay, and i'll show you someone who's lying.

It's a shame whats happened to them to turn them in that direction.

they are ALWAYS a product of their environment

It is not a biological thing that is predetermined

[Richard]

Find me a homoesexual who says they werent abused mentally or physically, or raised without a male influence, and still are gay, and i'll show you someone who's lying.

It's a shame whats happened to them to turn them in that direction.

they are ALWAYS a product of their environment

It is not a biological thing that is predetermined

Careful.  I'm a product of such an environment.  I wasn't abused in any way.  I have a terrific dad.  I'm not gay, but I am bisexual.  My twin brother is not.

That said, I believe it is a choice.

[John Dibble]

Find me a homoesexual who says they werent abused mentally or physically, or raised without a male influence, and still are gay, and i'll show you someone who's lying.

My uncle. And I don't think he's lying, considering both my aunt and my father turned out fine with the same parents. My grandparents weren't abusive, in fact they were a typical family really.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Find me a homoesexual who says they werent abused mentally or physically, or raised without a male influence, and still are gay, and i'll show you someone who's lying.

My uncle. And I don't think he's lying, considering both my aunt and my father turned out fine with the same parents. My grandparents weren't abusive, in fact they were a typical family really.

John, in all reality I don't know those people but something happened to him, perhaps his parents werent responsible but perhaps they had no idea what happened

[Richard]

John, in all reality I don't know those people but something happened to him, perhaps his parents werent responsible but perhaps they had no idea what happened

What supposedly happened to me?  *frown*

[Alcon]

You can't just decide "hey, I'm not going to be gay today!" Unless you're homosexual.

Yep.....only gays can decide to not be gay   

Haha.

Bisexual*, of course.

[Cashcow]

It is absolutely not a choice for most homosexuals. I know quite a few homosexuals/bisexuals, in fact, one of them is an old friend of mine who I just recently lost contact with. They all grew up with good families and healthy environments - just happened to realize that they couldn't help the way they felt.

Think about it. Can you imagine yourself waking up and deciding that you'll become attracted towards men? I know I couldn't, and no other heterosexual male can either. It's just something that happens - something that's been with you forever.

TN2024 wins idiot of the week for the 8th consecutive week. Congratulations!

[The Duke]

I don't know.  I don't pretend to know.  If I had to guess, I'd say part of it is biology and part of it is environment.  There may be some element of choice in some cases.  I've seen no real evidence one way or the other, this is just my intuition and it could be completely wrong.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

John, in all reality I don't know those people but something happened to him, perhaps his parents werent responsible but perhaps they had no idea what happened

What supposedly happened to me?  *frown*

Hey didn't know you were gay, I don't know, tell us please

[angus]

overbearing mother or genetic anomaly?  we may never know, but I'm pretty sure we can rule out:  Oh, yeah, I like everybody to  with me and beat me up, so I think I'll be gay.  Still, I think I can still have an orgasm without a thumb in my bum.  though I have to admit that the older I get, the more I like it.  A choice?  or just a fettish?   who the  knows.  and, more importantly, who the  cares.

This thread definitely deserves a mullet.  Here's a little shot we call the Texas Cokehead (and yes, he's actually a close personal friend of mine):

[cp]

Categorically, absolutely, not.

Choosing homosexual feelings implies two things that dont' make sense.

1. Why would anyone choose an orientation that's stigmatized, attacked, discriminated against, and mocked?

2. How can you possibly choose sexual feelings in the first place? Does anyone choose to be straight at some given point in their lives?

As for environmental factors, it's been proven countless times in psychological studies that homosexuality is not a predetermined outcome of abuse - sexual or otherwise.  Same goes for styles of parenting or exposure to homosocial environments at home or elsewhere.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

TN2024 wins idiot of the week for the 8th consecutive week. Congratulations!

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AWESOME! whats the record?

[Cashcow]

9 weeks. Keep it up!

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Categorically, absolutely, not.

Choosing homosexual feelings implies two things that dont' make sense.

1. Why would anyone choose an orientation that's stigmatized, attacked, discriminated against, and mocked?

2. How can you possibly choose sexual feelings in the first place? Does anyone choose to be straight at some given point in their lives?

As for environmental factors, it's been proven countless times in psychological studies that homosexuality is not a predetermined outcome of abuse - sexual or otherwise.  Same goes for styles of parenting or exposure to homosocial environments at home or elsewhere.

quite a first post

[The Duke]

I'd also like to add that when I say environment, I don't mean to say that gay people are the result of child molestation or anything.  I just think that in cultures where its accepted, it is more likely to appear and in culture's where its not, different choices may get made.  A lot of our behavior is the result of cultural values or assumptions we don't always think about, homosexuality/hetereosexuality may be one of them.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

9 weeks. Keep it up!

 awww c'mon, so what did I do to achieve the title for the first time anyway?

[Richard]

Categorically, absolutely, not.

Choosing homosexual feelings implies two things that dont' make sense.

1. Why would anyone choose an orientation that's stigmatized, attacked, discriminated against, and mocked?

Because some of us just don't care what others think.

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I can easily turn off my gay side and go to my hetero side.  When I have a girlfriend, I don't look at other girls, and I don't look at guys.  It is simple.

[Rob]

I really have no idea, and I don't care either. BTW, that was a great post Angus:)

[Richard]

John, in all reality I don't know those people but something happened to him, perhaps his parents werent responsible but perhaps they had no idea what happened

What supposedly happened to me?  *frown*

Hey didn't know you were gay, I don't know, tell us please

Nothing.  Nothing at all.  I'm from a very normal family, and nothing bad happened.  In fact, I've had a great life so far.

[danwxman]

Find me a homoesexual who says they werent abused mentally or physically, or raised without a male influence, and still are gay, and i'll show you someone who's lying.

It's a shame whats happened to them to turn them in that direction.

they are ALWAYS a product of their environment

It is not a biological thing that is predetermined

Me. Well, I'm bisexual. I do have several gay friends who were not abused or raised without a male influence, I do have some who were. I also have straight friends who were sexually abused.

[angus]

I really have no idea, and I don't care either. BTW, that was a great post Angus:)

not that it matters, but I still haven't figured out which team you're on.  maybe we need a purple icon.  and for the record, I'm a registered republican.