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Genetic?
- Thread starter Jimmy
- Start date
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
How can taste, desire, attraction, etc. be purely choice? Can you look at someone you're not attracted to, then on the count of three decide to be, and instantaneously become genuinely enamored?
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I agree. Its like taking a brain scan and genetic analysis on a baby and guaranteeing to people 100% that baby will undoubtedly be gay or trans.
Genetic testing is not that sophisticated.
Why rule out the environment's effects?
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
its either genetic for all or not genetic for all i would imagine.
Hmm ... Are you saying there is no biological component to human sexual behavior? That all behavior related to sexual attraction and sexual activity is a free choice mental activity unencumbered by instinctual drives/behaviors or hormonal chemistry? That there is no involuntary component or influence involved?
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
instinct would probably lend itself to havin sex once a year haha
HonestJoe
Well-Known Member
You seem to be under the impression that sexual orientation is a simply binary question or that it being purely genetic would automatically render it so but it's much more complex than that. We're all attracted to different types of people and characteristics, and that can even shift over our lives. Research suggests it is a complex and multi-faceted topic, with a combination of inborn factors, upbringing, culture and experiences together determining attraction, with a whole different set of factors influencing behaviour (conscious and subconscious) as a consequence.
Regardless, there is zero evidence of fundamental attraction to other people being a choice. There will be plenty of examples where we're attracted to people when we wouldn't want to be (unrequited love, people already in a relationship, otherwise inappropriate partner, social or legal restrictions etc.) but nobody has ever been able to simple stop being attracted to a person or type of person. We can only choose what we do (or don't do) about it.
SkepticThinker
Veteran Member
I don't understand your argument. Did you consciously choose to be attracted to the people you're attracted to?
Why would that be? Women menstruate roughly once a month. If instinct only enticed us to copulate once a year, why renew the uterus once a month?
I think you underestimate the role and influence of instinctual behavior and that such behaviors can vary in intensity from individual to individual and at the core, as in other animals, such instincts are first encoded in our genetic in order to be expressed in the developed adult animal.
As a result, sexual instinctual behavior starts with genetics, in my opinion.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
ok instinct would be having sex roughly 100 times in ones life haha
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
although getting pregnant 10 times might be rough
Heyo
Veteran Member
Are you? If not, why not? Do you think you could choose to be attracted to men?
I'm sorry, but your responses are making no sense to me.
You've made a statement that you have concluded sexual preference of individuals is not based on genetics, not from an arguments supported by our collective understanding of biology and genetics, rather, you based it on your personal sexual preferences alone and used that to draw conclusions about genetics.
I suggest that such methodology may be counterproductive in finding sound and useful conclusions. In my opinion, anyway.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
suppose anyone could choose to be. haha
Heyo
Veteran Member
You're evading. Have you tried to be attracted to men? Have been with a man?
That’s the wrong question. It’s not a matter of genetics or choice. It’s a matter of nature or nurture. Science hasn’t cracked that but yet, but I believe the prevailing theory is that it’s some combination of both.