Nature or Nurture?

[TheN3rdyOutcast]

The Nature vs Nurture debate has been going on for too long, so I'd like you all to put an end to it, but this time I'd like your take on:

Homosexuality
Bisexuality
Asexuality
Trans-sexuality
and
Pan-sexuality.

[Miserabilia]

Whether it's caused by nature or nurture, you can't really change it.
So I don't really care.

[Gamma Male]

I voted mostly nurture because I thought this was about human behavior in general, but if it's just about sexuality than my answer is mostly nature, some nurture.

[Abyssal Echo]

I voted Nature because you are who you are and no matter how hard you try you can't change it.

[Perfectly Flawed]

Nature vs. Nurture is almost never a one sided answer. For the idea of human sexuality I would argue that the majority of it is nature, but nurture can very slightly influence someone's sexuality. For example, if you are born bisexual and are raised in a very homophobic society, you may slowly find yourself more attracted to the opposite gender because there is no negative connotation around heterosexual relationships. I don't think nurture makes people not like a gender, so much as it makes them like prefer the other. In saying this, I feel those born into a sexuality that is interested in both genders are more likely to be influenced by nurture; whereas someone born heterosexual or homosexual is probably going to be less affected by their surroundings (as far as sexuality goes).

[Blood]

I believe it's mostly nature; humans are born attracted to what they are attracted to, and those attractions develop and mature over time. However, I believe nurture can play a somewhat important role in certain cases.

[LuciferSam]

I voted "Mostly Nurture, Some Nature" thinking it was about behaviour in general. In terms of sexuality though I would swap those around.

[Gamma Male]

I voted "Mostly Nurture, Some Nature" thinking it was about behaviour in general. In terms of sexuality though I would swap those around.

Lol, that's what I did.

[CosmicNoodle]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t34.0-12/10622124_349189591900645_1158466408_n.jpg?oh=a85ce57fcde367a85560b63f4198b492&oe=5407C39A&__gda__=1409819466_9a48d126d97f4b8f9a47b1b75c218031

[thatcountrykid]

I voted mostly nurture and some nature. I haven't seen a study yet where two twins grew up completely separate and both where gay in completely different environments. I beleive what I said makes sense.

[ImCoolBeans]

Any psychologist will tell you that it shouldn't be called "Nature VS. Nurture", it should be called "Nature and Nurture." The two work together in harmony.

[Bleid]

Any psychologist will tell you that it shouldn't be called "Nature VS. Nurture", it should be called "Nature and Nurture." The two work together in harmony.

Because I like this post, I'd like to leave an addendum to this:

The various sexualities listed in the OP, including heterosexuality take place internally in the same manner that a sexual fetish takes place in the mind. (And interestingly, a similar situation for psychotics like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, but that's off-topic)

Just the same way a heterosexual male will be excited by the thought of having sex with women he finds attractive, and a person with an S&M fetish will be excited by the thought of having rough, domination by someone they find attractive, a homosexual merely has the feelings of sexual excitement towards those of the same sex.

And the nurture part comes in for those who have S&M fetishes as well. Similarly for heterosexual persons.

In cases of S&M, the person doesn't simply wake up one morning going, "I want another person to dominate me" - they have to be exposed to some sort of domination-related 'rough' act in order to first make the connection that they have these feelings.

The reason heterosexuality is so easy for people to assume for themselves is because it's regularly exposed to us. The majority will always be heterosexual by a matter of natural selection principles, but they are easily aware that they are because of how readily available heterosexual material is to the public.

Those with S&M fetishes easily find for themselves that they desire such things because they get exposed to violence whether it be in movies or media or just simply kids playing rough, and it's not that far from violence to domination in the bedroom.

Similarly, homosexuality, bisexuality and so on and so forth are of course partially to be present by nature, but like any fetish (including heterosexuality if we pardon the generalization for a moment) it does take nurture in order to make it 'wake up' in the individual.

And we can understand this just by considering a hypothetical:

A heterosexually-oriented male is born in the world and is kept away from any suggestive imagery and any female contact for his entire life.

Will he have sexual fantasies of women?
This would be impossible. He has no knowledge of women to have this occur. He will still be internally heterosexual, however. Just like a homosexual is internally homosexual before they may understand it (it gets nurtured) later on in their life.

Heterosexuality is just as Nature & Nurture as any other sexuality. It just so happens that it's very easy to be heterosexual in the modern age, and a little more difficult for everyone else.

So as was quoted, it's nature & nurture.

[Faolan]

As others have said, sexually can't and shouldn't be messed with. I think both nature and nurture have influence. To what extent, I don't know, so I put equally.

[DeadEyes]

Any psychologist will tell you that it shouldn't be called "Nature VS. Nurture", it should be called "Nature and Nurture." The two work together in harmony.

Right, I suppose the way we nurture is part of nature.

[ImCoolBeans]

Please don't bump threads with more than two months of inactivity :locked: