Are people born gay or is it a free choice?

[Eric]

In my opinion, i don't think people are gay because of their nuture and environment. I reckon it depends on the genes and DNA of a person. I was born gay and i think most of the homosexuals do too. For example, did you choose to have your natural hair colour? No. Homosexuality is illegal in my country and it's a crime. Homosexual acts could lead to penalty : 20 years jail, fines and whippings (horrible stuff), and there are laws made against homosexuality. I think it's fine to be homosexual. Some of them may disagree and some of them may accept it but in my country it's totally unacceptable. But gays are gay, you can't do anything to turn them into straight I'm fine with homosexual friends so yeaa

[GoldenMerc]

Personally i think its just a preferance

[FlyingJesus]

- Are people born homosexual, or is it a free choice?

Neither, it (along with EVERY OTHER PREFERENCE) is down to the entire culmination of events and reactions experienced in a person's life. No one single thing will "turn" a person, but it's not a choice any more than one could choose to enjoy a certain food or sport

- Why are people homophobic, are they hiding their own sexuality?

Mostly it's just ignorance. I don't like the whole "homophobes are just insecure and probably repressed gays!!!!" argument, since generally it's not true at all, it's simply that so many people are brought up told that it's something wrong or bad, and half the time never think to question this

- Is it socially acceptable to be homosexual?

Generally, but it still puts you at massively disproportionate risk of bullying and abuse, again due to ignorance

You cannot suddenly decide at 30 "Oh I'm going to be gay". I think the only exception to when changing of sexuality is 'acceptable' is in the adolescent/young adult years.

I don't see why not, especially since people in generations before ours had such stricter taboos on homosexuality. My best friend's mum came out as gay in her 40s having had 3 kids with a guy, these things sometimes are just very heavily repressed

I think the main factor is how you were brought up. Eg if you're a boy brought up to do tap dancing or something, then the chances are you'll end up gay.
I personally believe that homophobia is also partially how you were brought up.

Yeah like being brought up to believe that any traditionally feminine activity makes a man gay...

That was only an example - don't take it to heart. What I'm saying is it's the environment that effects it. I was just giving a stereotypical example so even the dumbest of people could understand. Clearly there's people dumber out there.

Liking fried chicken makes you black, but don't take it to heart.
If you work with kids you're a paedophile, but don't take it to heart.
Having sex means you're going to hell, but don't take it to heart.

What you said was homophobic AND sexist, and the fact that you don't even seem to realise that makes it even worse. Using a "stereotypical example" just reinforces these stereotypes and marginalises people even further, congratulations

I'd say she's sort of right. Considering most tap dancers are likely be girls, I think the influence from them could influence your sexuality in future.

Not sticking with ridiculous gender roles =/= being gay

[Samantha]

@Kikali31; you could be in a phase of being bi curious, I know when someone tells you something/does something like that it makes you consider the thing more. In this case it was your friend kissing you, in mine it was my friend coming out to me it will effect people differently but I don't feel it makes you any less human.

Also @Cerys:; sadly if you post your opinion on Habbox regardless of whether you've told someone not to talk to you they will reply to you if they agree/disagree with something you said.

[chantellehugs]

- Are people born homosexual, or is it a free choice?
Hmm, maybe it's both? Some people say they've felt attracted to the same sex their whole life, whereas you get people who decide many years later that they want to try dating someone of the same sex. If you could take a homosexual person and change their childhood upbringing multiple times and see whether that affected their sexuality later in life we'd find out if the environment played a role. However until someone invents time travel we'll just have to keep guessing

- Why are people homophobic, are they hiding their own sexuality?
Fear of the unknown.

- Is it socially acceptable to be homosexual?
Who cares if it's socially acceptable? Do what makes you happy

[MKR&*42]

Neither, it (along with EVERY OTHER PREFERENCE) is down to the entire culmination of events and reactions experienced in a person's life. No one single thing will "turn" a person, but it's not a choice any more than one could choose to enjoy a certain food or sport



Mostly it's just ignorance. I don't like the whole "homophobes are just insecure and probably repressed gays!!!!" argument, since generally it's not true at all, it's simply that so many people are brought up told that it's something wrong or bad, and half the time never think to question this



Generally, but it still puts you at massively disproportionate risk of bullying and abuse, again due to ignorance



I don't see why not, especially since people in generations before ours had such stricter taboos on homosexuality. My best friend's mum came out as gay in her 40s having had 3 kids with a guy, these things sometimes are just very heavily repressed



Yeah like being brought up to believe that any traditionally feminine activity makes a man gay...



Liking fried chicken makes you black, but don't take it to heart.
If you work with kids you're a paedophile, but don't take it to heart.
Having sex means you're going to hell, but don't take it to heart.

What you said was homophobic AND sexist, and the fact that you don't even seem to realise that makes it even worse. Using a "stereotypical example" just reinforces these stereotypes and marginalises people even further, congratulations



Not sticking with ridiculous gender roles =/= being gay

Sorry I appear to have phrased my paragraph incorrectly haha. I didn't mean "cannot" but I meant that the likelihood of it happening is a lot less for a person in their 30s/40s/50s/etc. Of course some people will take a very long time to discover their true sexuality but it tends to be that people discover theirs whilst in the late teens/20s I think. Not sure if there's actually any statistics on this... doubt it... but it seems to be portrayed as the common pattern?

--

Hmm I'm sure I had to say something about bi-curious but It's completely slipped my mind =/

[LiquidLuck.]

@Kikali31; you could be in a phase of being bi curious, I know when someone tells you something/does something like that it makes you consider the thing more. In this case it was your friend kissing you, in mine it was my friend coming out to me it will effect people differently but I don't feel it makes you any less human.

Also @Cerys:; sadly if you post your opinion on Habbox regardless of whether you've told someone not to talk to you they will reply to you if they agree/disagree with something you said.

About what you said to me, I never said it was making me less human, and I agree with you. It's those types of things that make you wonder. Although, I'm pretty sure I'll keep being into guys since that was something I never doubted about.

About what you said to Cerys, couldn't agree more.

[Conspiracy.]

I don't think people choose to be gay at all. Why would a person raised by a conservative/homophobic family choose to be gay? My cousin is gay and my aunt and uncle are both strong Jehovah's Witnesses. My aunt and uncle are making his life as difficult as hell. I don't see why he would choose that. He also believes that being gay is a sin (mostly due to being conditioned as a child, but that's a whole other debate)

I didn't wake up one day and decide to start liking guys and girls :| I've never made a conscious decision to be attracted to anyone.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I think that it is caused by genes (perhaps a genetic mutation which kicks in to prevent population growth, or just a random mutation). The nurture argument is interesting agreed, but I actually think that your personality or likes can be influenced by your genes/chemicals anyway - hence why some people are just more naturally inclined to be good at Maths and others good at English.

In terms of is it a choice, of course not - although it is a choice to engage in it. I don't accept the Kinsey argument that everybody is naturally inclined to both sexes because some people (men in this case) just haven't ever been attracted to women and the same the opposite way around.

Why would a person raised by a conservative/homophobic family choose to be gay?

The word 'homophobic' (questionable itself) shouldn't be put alongside conservatism which is an ideology. Whilst conservative thought may be disapproving of homosexuality, this in no way does it mean conservative thought advocates making homosexuality illegal or punishable.

[FlyingJesus]

I think that it is caused by genes (perhaps a genetic mutation which kicks in to prevent population growth, or just a random mutation). The nurture argument is interesting agreed, but I actually think that your personality or likes can be influenced by your genes/chemicals anyway - hence why some people are just more naturally inclined to be good at Maths and others good at English.

I agree that there are some natural predispositions that we have - intelligence and certain skills do tend to seem inherited traits to some degree - but if there is some actual genetic mutation involved I think it would have to be a random one rather than DNA that regulates population, as there's no way a cluster of cells can know what the current population status of humans is unless you can use that to justify some sort of fertility deity's involvement, which is possible considering the rate of homosexuality (in other animals too, notably rabbits) supposedly does increase with overpopulation.

In terms of is it a choice, of course not - although it is a choice to engage in it. I don't accept the Kinsey argument that everybody is naturally inclined to both sexes because some people (men in this case) just haven't ever been attracted to women and the same the opposite way around.

Yeah Kinsey is an idiot... pretty sure it was them who also brought about the 6" myth by simply ASKING men how big their junk was and having no scientific involvement whatsoever