Some kids don't identify as straight OR gay until they are much older....so Adam Poe's situation isn't universal.
When I was younger, I wasn't really attracted to either gender....only until I was like age 11 did I have attractions to men and women. As I got older, I became more attracted to men.
However, everyone will have a different situation. I believe sexuality is a spectrum, not a checkerboard.
I think it is developmental. I haven't read any of this though.
Now I don't know why but a lot of people get offended if you suggest it is not genetic. Is it better to be genetic? Now I don't think you just wake up one day and decide to be gay, but I don't think you are born set in stone to be one way or the other either.
I don't mean to sound close minded, but if you are born gay, doesn't that go against the whole concept of life and death? I know we are smart enough to know how to make babies and all, but why would nature specifically designate some people to not want to breed with their counterparts? Isn't that counter productive? Nature gives animals hormones and instincts and such to make sure they breed, so why would we be born differently? That is just my reasoning. I don't care if someone is gay , or why really, but for the sake of thinking as a curious human being that is the conclusion that I've come to.
Originally posted by Devil King
one of these things is NOT like the other.
Way to cut and paste. I just meant it on a conceptual level. Obviously if we all were gay and never bred we would die out as a species. Hence going against the circle of life. being born is Life....then we breed and ide, then our offspring breeds and die...etc.
Now I don't give a damn what people are, and I don't try and deny anyone rights. But think about the logic of it all.
Originally posted by Pezmerga
I think it is developmental. I haven't read any of this though.
Now I don't know why but a lot of people get offended if you suggest it is not genetic. Is it better to be genetic? Now I don't think you just wake up one day and decide to be gay, but I don't think you are born set in stone to be one way or the other either.I don't mean to sound close minded, but if you are born gay, doesn't that go against the whole concept of life and death? I know we are smart enough to know how to make babies and all, but why would nature specifically designate some people to not want to breed with their counterparts? Isn't that counter productive? Nature gives animals hormones and instincts and such to make sure they breed, so why would we be born differently? That is just my reasoning. I don't care if someone is gay , or why really, but for the sake of thinking as a curious human being that is the conclusion that I've come to.
I am with you on this.
I refuse to believe that I am forced to accept what a set of genes say about my behaviors. Surely this big ol' brain of mine (lest someone misinterpret that as arrogance...its not, I am referring to how intelligent the human species is.) would allow me to make decisions that are contrary to what my genes programmed me to do.
Now, having said that...
If someone chooses to live a heterosexual life despite the fact that they were genetically homosexual, does that mean that they are no longer homosexual? I don't know...that's a toughy.
But it does work quite well in the opposite direction. If someone is genetically heterosexual and they chose a homosexual life, are they still heterosexual? Probably not. Some would argue that they were homosexual to begin with...that may be true it SOME cases but not all. Sometimes a person DOES chose what they want in their sexual orientation DESPITE what they were genetically programmed to do. I have NO evidence for this but just going by statistics on these types of things...there are probably plenty of people out there whose genetics would prove me right. Again, it's just statistically sound that I am right.
I will be proven right in maybe 20 years. 😐
Originally posted by dadudemon
I am with you on this.I refuse to believe that I am forced to accept what a set of genes say about my behaviors. Surely this big ol' brain of mine (lest someone misinterpret that as arrogance...its not, I am referring to how intelligent the human species is.) would allow me to make decisions that are contrary to what my genes programmed me to do.
Now, having said that...
If someone chooses to live a heterosexual life despite the fact that they were genetically homosexual, does that mean that they are no longer homosexual? I don't know...that's a toughy.
But it does work quite well in the opposite direction. If someone is genetically heterosexual and they chose a homosexual life, are they still heterosexual? Probably not. Some would argue that they were homosexual to begin with...that may be true it SOME cases but not all. Sometimes a person DOES chose what they want in their sexual orientation DESPITE what they were genetically programmed to do. I have NO evidence for this but just going by statistics on these types of things...there are probably plenty of people out there whose genetics would prove me right. Again, it's just statistically sound that I am right.
I will be proven right in maybe 20 years. 😐
Hmm....Unfortunately we just don't know as of yet. Good question though. I prefer to think of it as a developmental process though.
Like someone might develop into being a great speaker, or a great athlete. Humans are so complex, how are way to know what would cause people to prefer same sex relations? Personally I don't think it matters, but from a curiosity stand point it'd be cool to know just because the human mind is so fascinating, but usually when you apply science to something it takes the compassion or feelings out of it. Which is why my above response might sound so cold hearted. I really don't mean to make it sound like being Homosexual is wrong, I think it might sound like I am saying Nature doesn't approve of being gay, and I didn't really mean that per say, I just mean that I don't think it is genetic for the above stated reason.
Originally posted by Pezmerga
Hmm....Unfortunately we just don't know as of yet. Good question though. I prefer to think of it as a developmental process though.
Like someone might develop into being a great speaker, or a great athlete. Humans are so complex, how are way to know what would cause people to prefer same sex relations? Personally I don't think it matters, but from a curiosity stand point it'd be cool to know just because the human mind is so fascinating, but usually when you apply science to something it takes the compassion or feelings out of it. Which is why my above response might sound so cold hearted. I really don't mean to make it sound like being Homosexual is wrong, I think it might sound like I am saying Nature doesn't approve of being gay, and I didn't really mean that per say, I just mean that I don't think it is genetic for the above stated reason.
Something like athleticism can be measured and quantified. (Number of androgen receptors, serum testosterone levels, VO2 max, etc) Unmolested athleticism can be directly correlated to genetics. (Of course, you have to work hard and take care of yourself..but in a controlled environment, a scientist can clearly see that not all humans are equal when it comes to athleticism.) Athleticism is a physical attribute and not a behavior.
That is a faulty comparison. (Don't take that the wrong way, bro...I don't mean it like "You are wrong poopy head!!"...I mean it more like "FYI, we do know about that part so it doesn't fit.)
Behavior, in the sense I was discussing, is a combination of psychology and medical science. If behaviors are a direct function of biology, then "doing" the psychology part gets a lot easier. Since, as far as we know right now, its not that simple, I think my assessment is right.
Originally posted by dadudemon
If someone chooses to live a heterosexual life despite the fact that they were genetically homosexual, does that mean that they are no longer homosexual? I don't know...that's a toughy.
Nonsense. It's simple semantics and has been answered previously in this thread.
Originally posted by dadudemon
But it does work quite well in the opposite direction. If someone is genetically heterosexual and they chose a homosexual life, are they still heterosexual? Probably not. Some would argue that they were homosexual to begin with...that may be true it SOME cases but not all.
Well, there's a difference between what "some would argue" and what actually happened. If they were homosexual to begin with that's what happened, if they choose to pretend to be homosexual by having sex with men that happened and yes, even if it is unlikely, if they actually chose to be homosexual...then that is what happened. What people would argue or think about it means **** all to the actual situation.
Originally posted by dadudemon
Sometimes a person DOES chose what they want in their sexual orientation DESPITE what they were genetically programmed to do. I have NO evidence for this but just going by statistics on these types of things...there are probably plenty of people out there whose genetics would prove me right. Again, it's just statistically sound that I am right.
There's no proof whatsoever for it (as you point out yourself). You can't choose to be gay and you refuse to prove otherwise. How is it statistically sound if you just pulled a theory out of your ass with no backing whatsoever?
Originally posted by dadudemon
I will be proven right in maybe 20 years. 😐
Sure