why are people gay?

[polarbear]

are you born gay or do u become gay?

[tripolar]

I think you become gay,bi,lesbian,etc. People change as they age.

[MoveAlong]

This discussion has been discussed on the forums many, many times. I suggest taking a look through the Teen Sexuality forum, as well as Ramblings of the Wise (debate forum) for people's opinions.

I think that you are either born gay, or things early in your life influence what you're interested in (since many gay people report being 'more interested' in the same sex even before puberty)

[James18]

It's really hard to say. I'm almost positive that life experiences, etc in your formulative years play a huge role. If it was all genetic (if at all) we'd have gay brothers and sisters far more often than we do, and one would think that a "gay gene" would quickly die out for rather obvious reasons.

I'd say a whole lot of it has to do with how you develop, etc before you're around 16. By then most people have a pretty decent handle on their sexual orientation.

In saying this, I'm just stating what makes logical sense to me, scientists are really quite clueless right now in what causes it.

[Bougainvillea]

This discussion has been discussed on the forums many, many times. I suggest taking a look through the Teen Sexuality forum, as well as Ramblings of the Wise (debate forum) for people's opinions.

I think that you are either born gay, or things early in your life influence what you're interested in (since many gay people report being 'more interested' in the same sex even before puberty)

He has a good grip on this.
I would listen to him.

[thedudeman]

edit

[Bougainvillea]

Wow.
This wasn't about proving yourself...
But I think life experiences have something to do with it.

[The Joker]

one would think that a "gay gene" would quickly die out for rather obvious reasons.

Wrong. If straight people were able to create the gene (heterosexual sex is the only sex where a baby can be born), then what means that other straight people can't pass it on? It wouldn't die, as long as heteros still have sex.

[Bougainvillea]

Wrong. If straight people were able to create the gene (heterosexual sex is the only sex where a baby can be born), then what means that other straight people can't pass it on? It wouldn't die, as long as heteros still have sex.

I think you're explaining it as recessive, yeah?

[MoveAlong]

Wrong. If straight people were able to create the gene (heterosexual sex is the only sex where a baby can be born), then what means that other straight people can't pass it on? It wouldn't die, as long as heteros still have sex.

Well I think it's impossible for them to "create the gene". who knows what could have happened in the caveman days? Gayism might have been a mutation, and then maybe cavemen had sex with everybody any everything, so it was passed down
Going to the Greeks and Romans, their society accepted homosexuality as well as heterosexuality, so homosexuals might have done a number of opposite-sex stuff

Then going on, it became a very taboo thing. So people who were gay didn't speak of it and probably had sex only with the opposite sex, thus passing down a gene...

But now since it's coming into fashion, gay people are free to not have to or not want to have sex with the opposite sex, so the gene might die out, like what James18 was saying.

However, it seems like a naturally occurring brain condition is a better way to explain homosexuality. I read something that said gay men's brains function like a straight woman's brain sexually, and the opposite for lesbians. The brain could be wired wrong.
Nature could have created this condition for population control, and also a way to have the parents nurture offspring abandoned by other, heterosexual parents.

But then how does nature "create" something? Maybe it's a mutation that worked.

lol theories are endless.

[mosaic.]

Has anyone ever heard of the Oedipus Complex? (Electra Complex for females)

[The Joker]

I think you're explaining it as recessive, yeah?

OK, I had to look that up, but I think so, yeah.

[Atonement]

Has anyone ever heard of the Oedipus Complex? (Electra Complex for females)

Yes, and I see no reason for that to be relevant to sexuality.

If this continues as a debate, it will not be left here. Do not respond to other people's posts. This is not a debate. Give your opinion, that's what they want. If you want to debate this topic, there are tons of threads in the Rambling of the Wise forum.

[Camazotz]

It's a controversial topic, so you might not find the answer you're looking for. However, there is proof that homosexuality can be found in one's DNA makeup. Therefore, I have concluded homosexuality is something you're born with.

An article I found: http://www.slate.com/id/2194232/

[mosaic.]

Really? You don't think the Oedipus (alt. Electra) complex is relevant to sexuality? It most definitely is.

One theory is that if a child does not experience the complex in early childhood, they will become homosexual. And to some extent, it relates to the vague theory that homosexuality is determined by "the experiences one goes through."

[tbboltz92]

It's change over time i think.

i doubt seriosly that there is a gay gene

[Wonder.]

Are you born straight or raised straight? Why are people trying to figure out why people are gay? We are just people who just so happen to like the same gender. Scientists should spend our tax money on something more important.

[YourFriend]

You become gay. It's in your genes. You can't help it. You can't switch from straight to gay.

[mustang]

it has een scentificly prooven that it is genetic look up 60 minuites gay story parts 1 and 2 on youtube.

[MisterMonster]

i thinkk it is an environmental factor.
To be totally honest.
Because some gay people have a similar personality
(don't accuse me of stereotyping, they do)
of it's a gene you'd either expect a lot more people to be gay, or a lot less.

[tbboltz92]

You become gay. It's in your genes. You can't help it. You can't switch from straight to gay.

Is there proof that your born gay?????
Please explain the proof... I just cant grasp the fact the there is a gay gene.....:confused:

[DTeen]

Just how me and some other people turned up, just different likes and dislikes

[NeverTooLate]

I think u can b born gay

[mustang]

Is there proof that your born gay?????
Please explain the proof... I just cant grasp the fact the there is a gay gene.....:confused:

look up 60 minuites gay story parts 1 and 2 on youtube it is anough proof for me

[Sebastian Michaelis]

I think you become gay,bi,lesbian,etc. People change as they age.

:yes: yep puberty does things:D

[affablyeaseful]

I think some people are born with a greater chance of being gay. I don't think that the answer is either. It's probably both to be honest, and I'm pretty sure that's where the scientific research is pointing too. I just have a hard time buying the environment thing. It certainly doesn't explain why I'm gay...

I think it's mostly biological and then during our teenage years an event in our lives helps us to realize this. So I think it's sort of circumstantial in that sense, but still mostly biological.

However, there is interesting research that says for each younger brother that a male has from the same mother, their chance of being gay increases by 1/3. That supports the whole biology over environment idea.

[MoveAlong]

I changed my answer. I think people are gay because it's hot.

[ShatteredWings]

bump from july 09, locking