Oscar De La Huerte answered
There are a number of opinions on whether someone's sexual orientation is something decided at birth. My opinion is that there is evidence of genetic predisposition, but that social environment is also a contributing factor.
What does it matter if people born gay?
In the current climate, the question is particularly pertinent because gay rights issues have come to the forefront of political debate in the run-up to the American Presidential elections.
On one side, there are those who believe that being gay is not a lifestyle choice, but rather a hereditary trait- just like being born male or female.
For this group of people, the idea that gay couples shouldn't be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples is just as backwards as suggesting people shouldn't be given the same rights based on their gender or race.
On the other side of the fence, there are those that say people are born straight, but somewhere along the way choose a different sexual path.
Whilst this view, in principle, shouldn't cause any real problems, friction occurs when this sexual 'choice' is viewed as immoral or sinful.
Scientific studies about homosexuality.
Over the years, there has been significant scientific and social research carried out to determine exactly what causes someone to be gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Whilst none of these studies have been 100% conclusive, they have argued very convincingly that genetics can have some effect on determining the sexuality of a human being.
To read more about this research from both sides of the argument, I'd recommend the following links:
My personal opinions on gays, lesbian and bisexuals.
My view is that we are essentially born with very little idea of what sexuality is. I believe that the formative years of children have an effect on their sexuality, but this is essentially a moulding or guiding of a basic biologically hard-wired instinct to simply 'be sexual'.
How that sexuality would have developed without any social interference is hard to speculate on, but I feel it's a combination of biological programming and environmental influence that eventually forms our views on sexuality.
Once these opinions are formed, they become intrinsic to our nature, and I feel that judging people based on their nature is fundamentally wrong.
What does it matter if people born gay?
In the current climate, the question is particularly pertinent because gay rights issues have come to the forefront of political debate in the run-up to the American Presidential elections.
On one side, there are those who believe that being gay is not a lifestyle choice, but rather a hereditary trait- just like being born male or female.
For this group of people, the idea that gay couples shouldn't be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples is just as backwards as suggesting people shouldn't be given the same rights based on their gender or race.
On the other side of the fence, there are those that say people are born straight, but somewhere along the way choose a different sexual path.
Whilst this view, in principle, shouldn't cause any real problems, friction occurs when this sexual 'choice' is viewed as immoral or sinful.
Scientific studies about homosexuality.
Over the years, there has been significant scientific and social research carried out to determine exactly what causes someone to be gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Whilst none of these studies have been 100% conclusive, they have argued very convincingly that genetics can have some effect on determining the sexuality of a human being.
To read more about this research from both sides of the argument, I'd recommend the following links:
My personal opinions on gays, lesbian and bisexuals.
My view is that we are essentially born with very little idea of what sexuality is. I believe that the formative years of children have an effect on their sexuality, but this is essentially a moulding or guiding of a basic biologically hard-wired instinct to simply 'be sexual'.
How that sexuality would have developed without any social interference is hard to speculate on, but I feel it's a combination of biological programming and environmental influence that eventually forms our views on sexuality.
Once these opinions are formed, they become intrinsic to our nature, and I feel that judging people based on their nature is fundamentally wrong.
