Human Sexuality

[alanschu]

EDIT: Continued from here

 

 

Is it choice or not?

 

It's not a freaking choice, when did you 'chose' to be what you are? I wonder, try to switch your sexuality tonight and tell me how it worked out for you tomorrow.

 

 

I think you underestimate 'choice' as being something that you always consciously decide.

 

If you wanted to go all Behaviourist, one could argue that there's no such thing as "choice."

 

 

Lucius, how do you feel people become homosexual then?

[Musopticon?]

Oh, this can't end well. But do try.

[Walsingham]

I have no beef how people become homosexual. I happen to feel its beyond the individual's control, but as I say I don't care.

 

"Why?" I hear you cry. "Why do you not care?"

 

Because how a person chooses to get their consensual kicks is hardly important. You may as well ask "Why does a person like blondes?" Or "Why does John Prescott like beer?" Or rather, that these are valid questions, but should be asked in a spirit of friendly enquiry, not censorship.

 

I think that in a world like ours, where there are people hell bent on causing suffering to others it is a shame to examine overmuch the motivations of those who do not.

[Kaftan Barlast]

Ive had lots of experience with homo- and bisexuals and it seems to me that there is a scale to it. There are those who've known it instinctively since they were kids and there are those who just seem to end up in it. There are also a huge number who have had occasional homosexual flings and then decided it wasnt for them. And there's those who do it because it is/was trendy, theyll never admit it but I know its true. I know atleast three of them.

 

 

Personally I dont understand how anyone, man or woman, can be attracted to men :D

[Lucius]

How the hell should I know, what makes people become straight? I can tell you one thing though, I personally can't 'change' my sexual preference, nor have I ever made a 'choice'.

 

Lets see how many people post on this thread chose to be what they are today, can I get a first?

[julianw]

I think most of homosexuality is due to genetics, so it's not wrong for a person to be homosexual. Most of them don't have the choice.

But just because homosexuality is in our nature does not make it natural. Some people are also born with only one arm. We don't blame them for being unnatural and different. Instead, we try to help them.

As for homosexuality, it is definitely unhealthy for the body and unnatural. If you know homosexuality well enough, you would know how many health issues come with it.

I can understand homosexuals' desire to be accepted by society and not wanting to feel inferior because they themselves did nothing wrong. But I also understand why many people feel that homosexuality is nothing to be proud of.

[Lucius]

What health problems are those, I wonder? Do list them here.

[Rosbjerg]

I think most of homosexuality is due to genetics, so it's not wrong for a person to be homosexual. Most of them don't have the choice.

But just because homosexuality is in our nature does not make it natural. Some people are also born with only one arm. We don't blame them for being unnatural and different. Instead, we try to help them.

As for homosexuality, it is definitely unhealthy for the body and unnatural. If you know homosexuality well enough, you would know how many health issues come with it.

I can understand homosexuals' desire to be accepted by society and not wanting to feel inferior because they themselves did nothing wrong. But I also understand why many people feel that homosexuality is nothing to be proud of.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well .. born without an arm and born being homosexual is two worlds apart! since homosexuality is not a handicap last I heard..

 

and health issues? there are just as many health issues with heterosexuals having anal sex .. although I think such issues should be adressed and public awarness raised (about health issues with anal sex in general).. nothing wrong with doing it, but take repercussions ..

[Musopticon?]

I can see Rosjberg. Welcome back

 

I too would like to know the so-called "health problems".

[metadigital]

Ive had lots of experience with homo- and bisexuals and it seems to me that there is a scale to it. There are those who've known it instinctively since they were kids and there are those who just seem to end up in it. There are also a huge number who have had occasional homosexual flings and then decided it wasnt for them. And there's those who do it because it is/was trendy, theyll never admit it but I know its true. I know atleast three of them.

 

 

Personally I dont understand how anyone, man or woman, can be attracted to men :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ha ha, I couldn't agree more. Fortunately for the species, women tend to not share this opinion. (At least not at the moment; once they perfect the encattlement of men, then I foresee a different future for the human race.)

 

latest research

[alanschu]

You'll find that homosexuality is often a reflection of environment. They're more often located in locations such as overpopulation and whatnot.

 

There's an increased predisposition towards homosexual activity (and experimentation) when overpopulation is combined with a socially restricting stigma.

 

The patterns are also shared in species outside of human beings.

 

 

I would wager that homosexuality is not necessarily genetics, since there's little correlation between a homosexual having relatives that are homosexual as well. I would think the environment has a lot more to do with it. And for some that have experimented both ways, I'd say it is choice.

 

 

I would suspect that a lot of our notions of "choice" are influenced by our perceptions of homosexuality. And depending on what you would classify as homosexuality, there's certainly choice available. Is there anything really stopping us, aside from our perceptions about homosexuality and the sociological upbringing we had and all these environmental constraints, from having sex with someone of the same sex?

[Draken]

I don't believe there is a problem with being of the homosexual variety. A person's sexual prefrences are nobody's business but their own! Some of my friends are gay, or bisexual. If people could get over the fact that, yeah, some men like men and some women like women, I think the world would be better off.

 

As for AIDS? I'll let you guys discuss that.

[Musopticon?]

A combination of genetics and enviromental reasons sounds plausible.

 

As in: "I'm not gay yet"

[Lucius]

Does that mean that you tried to change your sexual preference since we last posted? If so, how did it go?

 

As for your overpopulation thesis, perhaps, just perhaps, gays and lesbians might get drawn to big cities because the people of said cities are more open to their sexual orintation than the small town provinces they're trying to escape.

[alanschu]

As for your overpopulation thesis, perhaps, just perhaps, gays and lesbians might get drawn to big cities because the people of said cities are more open to their sexual orintation than the small town provinces they're trying to escape.

 

Except that the patterns can be also be found in animals other than humans.

[metadigital]

You'll find that homosexuality is often a reflection of environment.  They're more often located in locations such as overpopulation and whatnot.

 

There's an increased predisposition towards homosexual activity (and experimentation) when overpopulation is combined with a socially restricting stigma.

 

The patterns are also shared in species outside of human beings.

 

 

I would wager that homosexuality is not necessarily genetics, since there's little correlation between a homosexual having relatives that are homosexual as well.  I would think the environment has a lot more to do with it.  And for some that have experimented both ways, I'd say it is choice.

 

 

I would suspect that a lot of our notions of "choice" are influenced by our perceptions of homosexuality.  And depending on what you would classify as homosexuality, there's certainly choice available.  Is there anything really stopping us, aside from our perceptions about homosexuality and the sociological upbringing we had and all these environmental constraints, from having sex with someone of the same sex?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, current research suggests that there is more than one "gay" gene.

 

The current theory is that these genes give various advantages to the bearers, such as better empathy, for example, and that only the agglomeration of many of these "gay" genes makes a person "gay". There is also reason to believe that it is down to the endocrimal amniotic mixture whilst the embryo is interuterine, and specifically the testosterone concentrations at various critical (and not yet determined) stages of early development.

[alanschu]

If homosexuality is genetic, why is there no correlations between homosexuals and their relatives (most specifically their siblings and their parents)?

[metadigital]

There is.

 

Read the book I linked to, earlier. It is the latest and most thorough research and involves a lot more evidence than anyone has posted here.

[Musopticon?]

How about outside influences to the parents?

[Draken]

Except that the patterns can be also be found in animals other than humans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Like frogs. They change their gender in order to reproduce in an all male (or female) enviroment! Perhaps that's why men, surroounded by other men, and far away from women (like soldiers, steel mill workers, oil rig workers) are gay!

[Lucius]

Research also shows that both straights and homosexuals are stimulated by pheromones of people sharing the same sexual preference. This, to me, shows more than just a casual 'choice'

[alanschu]

You'll find that homosexuality is often a reflection of environment.  They're more often located in locations such as overpopulation and whatnot.

 

There's an increased predisposition towards homosexual activity (and experimentation) when overpopulation is combined with a socially restricting stigma.

 

The patterns are also shared in species outside of human beings.

 

 

I would wager that homosexuality is not necessarily genetics, since there's little correlation between a homosexual having relatives that are homosexual as well.  I would think the environment has a lot more to do with it.  And for some that have experimented both ways, I'd say it is choice.

 

 

I would suspect that a lot of our notions of "choice" are influenced by our perceptions of homosexuality.  And depending on what you would classify as homosexuality, there's certainly choice available.  Is there anything really stopping us, aside from our perceptions about homosexuality and the sociological upbringing we had and all these environmental constraints, from having sex with someone of the same sex?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, current research suggests that there is more than one "gay" gene.

 

The current theory is that these genes give various advantages to the bearers, such as better empathy, for example, and that only the agglomeration of many of these "gay" genes makes a person "gay". There is also reason to believe that it is down to the endocrimal amniotic mixture whilst the embryo is interuterine, and specifically the testosterone concentrations at various critical (and not yet determined) stages of early development.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I would really like to see a reference for this.

 

The National Association for Resarch and Therapy of Homosexuality pretty much says otherwise

 

There was a study that showed a slightly less than 50% correlation between twins both being homosexual, but two other geneticists analyzed the data and claimed it was more support for environment than inheritance.

[Ohma]

GAH! Why couldn't human beings just be hermaphrodites?! None of these stupid "problems" would happen then.

[Musopticon?]

To the Big O:

So would we all have, you know, racks then?

[alanschu]

Research also shows that both straights and homosexuals are stimulated by pheromones of people sharing the same sexual preference. This, to me, shows more than just a casual 'choice'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Dr. Savic (the guy that found that correlation), in an interview with the New York Times, mentioned explicilty that "We cannot tell if the different pattern is cause or effect...The study does not give any answer to these crucial questions."