What is the 'cause' of homsexuality?

[michel]

You quoted NARTH?

Michel, do you know that they are actually very anti-gay and push reparative therapy for homosexuals?

Ouch! Sorry !.....back to the drawing board; I was so pleased to find something that seemed to be recent............

 

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

Out of curiosity, which of your fingers is longer - the 2nd (index) or the 4th (ring)?

I wasn't the one asked, but my ring finger is substantially longer than my index finger. I recall seeing something about this a couple of years ago. I don't recall the exact show, but there was something along the lines of men who have ring fingers longer than index tend to be more athletic, or something along those lines.

B.

 

[michel]

You quoted NARTH?

Michel, do you know that they are actually very anti-gay and push reparative therapy for homosexuals?

Just goes to show how the wording of a google search can make all the difference.

http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html#whatcauses (American psychological association)
What Is Sexual Orientation?

Sexual Orientation is an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual or affectional attraction to another person. It is easily distinguished from other components of sexuality including biological sex, gender identity (the psychological sense of being male or female) and the social gender role (adherence to cultural norms for feminine and masculine behavior).

Sexual orientation exists along a continuum that ranges from exclusive homosexuality to exclusive heterosexuality and includes various forms of bisexuality. Bisexual persons can experience sexual, emotional and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex. Persons with a homosexual orientation are sometimes referred to as gay (both men and women) or as lesbian (women only).

Sexual orientation is different from sexual behavior because it refers to feelings and self-concept. Persons may or may not express their sexual orientation in their behaviors.

What Causes a Person To Have a Particular Sexual Orientation?

There are numerous theories about the origins of a person's sexual orientation; most scientists today agree that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors. In most people, sexual orientation is shaped at an early age. There is also considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person's sexuality. In summary, it is important to recognize that there are probably many reasons for a person's sexual orientation and the reasons may be different for different people.

<A name=choice>Is Sexual Orientation a Choice?

No, human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience. Although we can choose whether to act on our feelings, psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice that can be voluntarily changed.



Can Therapy Change Sexual Orientation?

No. Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy lives, some homosexual or bisexual people may seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, sometimes pressured by the influence of family members or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable.

However, not all gay, lesbian, and bisexual people who seek assistance from a mental health professional want to change their sexual orientation. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual people may seek psychological help with the coming out process or for strategies to deal with prejudice, but most go into therapy for the same reasons and life issues that bring straight people to mental health professionals.

 

[Green Gaia]

Ouch! Sorry !.....back to the drawing board; I was so pleased to find something that seemed to be recent............

I figured you didn't know.

For information on this subject, I would stick to professional organizations like The American Psychological Association, The American Medical Association, and The American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

[Flappycat]

Interestingly, I did have a rather troubled childhood, but it didn't affect me sexually as far as I can tell. In fact, I'm in a process of attempting a transformation from troubled, ugly duckling to the androgynous and pure elegance of a swan who has chosen to learn, from its past trials and mistakes, to become a happier and wiser creature than it would have been without them. My interest in actual sex is diminishing with each passing day, and the relationship I have with my other is nothing like the sort of relationship one would have with a father (if anything, I compulsively mother him while he complains). On top of that, I intentionally kept my father at a distance because it became apparent to me as early as seven that there was little or nothing that I could truly want to learn from him, and I could have saved myself a great deal of pain and loneliness if I had pawned my integrity for a friend and a little comfort. Perhaps you could say that I chose the left-hand path a very long time ago and paid a price for it that has been a part of the gift all along.

Here is what I think is more likely. Homosexual boys might have trouble relating with their fathers after their outting, particularly if their fathers have difficulty with the notion of homosexuality. Also, if gay men develop mentally along a feminine route, their fathers might subconsciously detect this and, again, have difficulty associating with their sons. There are manifold, manifold ways that homosexuality in men could correlate with bad relationships with their fathers without having a bad relationship with their fathers actually being the cause. Perhaps it's worth looking into, but it's not a closed case.

 

[Radar]

I am pretty sure that the thing that causes homosexuality is the same thing that causes left-handedness. Nobody chooses either one. If I was born left handed can I learn to do things as a righty? Probably, but it would not be easy, and my handwriting would look like hell.

B.

What about those of us that are neither right or left handed. Like myself, I write and eat left handed, I do everything else right handed. When I was in kindergarden I would write from the left side to the middle of the page with my left hand and fromthe middle to the right with my right hand. I see what you mean and this is a rare occasion in which I don't fully agree with you. You can teach a left handed person to be right handed and vise versa and you would become good at doing things in that manner especially if something was to happen that forced you to do so like the loss of a limb. I'm not gay or bi-sexual and I don't think I could be taught to be because I am not attracted to males and vise versa I don't think a strictly gay person can be taught to be strait. It is a function of the mind and what one finds attractive. I find women with brown skin more attractive than white. But if there were no longer brown women I would go with a white woman not a brown man. I can't be taught to be gay I can be taught to do things with the opposite hand.

 

[Nehustan]

Interestingly, I did have a rather troubled childhood, but it didn't affect me sexually as far as I can tell. In fact, I'm in a process of attempting a transformation from troubled, ugly duckling to the androgynous and pure elegance of a swan who has chosen to learn, from its past trials and mistakes, to become a happier and wiser creature than it would have been without them. My interest in actual sex is diminishing with each passing day, and the relationship I have with my other is nothing like the sort of relationship one would have with a father (if anything, I compulsively mother him while he complains). On top of that, I intentionally kept my father at a distance because it became apparent to me as early as seven that there was little or nothing that I could truly want to learn from him, and I could have saved myself a great deal of pain and loneliness if I had pawned my integrity for a friend and a little comfort. Perhaps you could say that I chose the left-hand path a very long time ago and paid a price for it that has been a part of the gift all along.

Here is what I think is more likely. Homosexual boys might have trouble relating with their fathers after their outting, particularly if their fathers have difficulty with the notion of homosexuality. Also, if gay men develop mentally along a feminine route, their fathers might subconsciously detect this and, again, have difficulty associating with their sons. There are manifold, manifold ways that homosexuality in men could correlate with bad relationships with their fathers without having a bad relationship with their fathers actually being the cause. Perhaps it's worth looking into, but it's not a closed case.

I found this very interesting. My oldest boy (3 1/2 years) is exploring his sexuality at the moment, not in a physical sense, but I can see it happening. I would prefer that he was heterosexual, and he seems to be leaning that way, and I have been nudging him. I'll explain what I mean. We were in the bath the other day, and he was playing with some toys that he and his older sister identify as 'male and female' he started to make two males 'dance with each other', I asked him if he thought whether maybe the boy toy should 'dance' with the girl toy, he laughed listened to my exposition (i.e. biology) of why boy toys should dance with girl toys, and nothing has occured since. I am aware that he appears sometimes far closer to me than my wife, and we have spoken about this saying that he must have a strong and equally close relationship with his mother. If my son turned out to be gay, I'd ask him to respect my home and my beliefs, but I would never reject him.

 

[Green Gaia]

My daughter is also 3 1/2 and while she identifies things as "boy" and "girl" toys or activties, I don't think that has anything to do with her sexuality. Just give them love and support and they will be what they will be regardless of how you try to nudge them. My mom dressed me in pink dresses and gave me baby dolls to play with. Didn't make me straight.

As for your son being closer to your wife than you, kids do that. They go from one parent to another at different times in their lives depending on what they need at the time. He's probably realizing he's not a baby anymore and that can be exciting and a little scary and mom's are usually better at recognizing that and comforting him while letting him explore (not to say dad's don't, but typically moms are the ones with the kids the most).

 

[Fluffy]

I don't know why I am gay, I just am. It's like asking "why are you right or left handed?" or "why do you have blue eyes?" I don't know and whatever it's cause it doesn't change who I am and it doesn't mean I should be ashamed of who I am.

I agree completely. The discovery of the cause of sexuality is likely to be independent of the morality of such a thing just as the discovery of gravity did not place moral value onto the act of jumping off a cliff.

 

[michel]

I had various bouts of being uncertain about my sexuality at certain times in my life; I think)( I can now say that I have finally accepted myself as I am; even though, had I been given the choice, I would have been a woman. I can't even explain why; it feels like an instinctive though.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

It is equally hard so say what makes a hetrosexual a hetrosexual.

Perhaps it's destiny.

It certainly effects no one else but themselves, so why make an issue of it?

Terry_____________________
Blessed are the pure of heart, they shall behold their God.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

It certainly effects no one else but themselves, so why make an issue of it?[/font]

That is a question primarily for the orthodox and the homophobe who would deny homosexuals basic civil rights based on the conviction that homosexuality is an abomination and perversion.

 

[Mathematician]

Society doesn't care about other groups who hate; why, oh why, are homophobes different?

 

[Mike182]

I agree completely. The discovery of the cause of sexuality is likely to be independent of the morality of such a thing just as the discovery of gravity did not place moral value onto the act of jumping off a cliff.

oh fluffy, this made me laugh! until i realised what you had actually written

when i first read your post, i thought you said:

"just as the discovery of gravy did not place moral value onto the act of jumping off a cliff"

 

[Sunstone]

Can there be any real doubt that homosexuality is caused by demonic possession?

 

[Sunstone]

Society doesn't care about other groups who hate; why, oh why, are homophobes different?

I think society cares a great deal about other groups which hate. The KKK, for instance, is almost universaly abhored. But homosexuality is currently getting the spotlight because it's been targetted by the Religious Right and it is still up in the air how society will respond to such targetting of a minority for hatred.

 

[standing_alone]

Can there be any real doubt that homosexuality is caused by demonic possession?

No! What else could cause such an abomination? Psychological effects, genetics, horomones, environmental "stimulation"? Oh, please...

 

[Nehustan]

Can there be any real doubt that homosexuality is caused by demonic possession?

No! What else could cause such an abomination? Psychological effects, genetics, horomones, environmental "stimulation"? Oh, please...

Tell me that that is a joke and that you haven't actually ever heard that as a causation....please!!!!

 

[standing_alone]

How could anyone joke about something as evil as homosexuality?!



Yeah, it's a joke.

 

[Flappycat]

I found this very interesting. My oldest boy (3 1/2 years) is exploring his sexuality at the moment, not in a physical sense, but I can see it happening. I would prefer that he was heterosexual, and he seems to be leaning that way, and I have been nudging him. I'll explain what I mean. We were in the bath the other day, and he was playing with some toys that he and his older sister identify as 'male and female' he started to make two males 'dance with each other', I asked him if he thought whether maybe the boy toy should 'dance' with the girl toy, he laughed listened to my exposition (i.e. biology) of why boy toys should dance with girl toys, and nothing has occured since. I am aware that he appears sometimes far closer to me than my wife, and we have spoken about this saying that he must have a strong and equally close relationship with his mother. If my son turned out to be gay, I'd ask him to respect my home and my beliefs, but I would never reject him.

Just don't let him try to be something he's not. My Other had been playing Married Man for years before holding up the pretense, among other things, caused him a series of breakdowns and an eventual self-outing. Altogether, it about killed him. You don't want your kids going through that, so try to avoid it.