Why do people think that being gay is an option?

Question

There's abundant proof that being gay is not an option. If you look at the world in the past, it was condemned alot worse than it is today, yet people still were gay. Why would someone risk themselves so strongly, just to choose something that's supposedly a terrible sin?

Are these people really so naive to think that every gay person on the planet is lying about their "choice" and people would really choose to be discriminated against by them?

What gives any straight person the right to say they know being gay is a choice, if they haven't even experienced it? And in some cases, even been around it?

It seems very hypocritical of me for straight people to say they know being gay is an option, and they also KNOW being straight isn't. I say that if being gay is an option, then being straight must be as well. So how many of you chose to be straight?

Just because homosexuality was more accepted in some previous societies, doesn't mean more people "chose it". It just means that less people hid it.

Answer 1

First off, people assume that sexuality is binary in nature (gay || straight), rather than seeing it like a continuum (60/40). As soon as you reduce something to binary, you have a heavy, hard-to-fight argument (because so much in life is grey).

Second, the choice-ists look for examples in nature. And ask for examples in nature of the X% of the population of that is gay. You cannot provide them with 600,000 gay cats, therefore, there are no gay cats. And whereas in a grey-scale one could argue that homosexuality could be suppressed or "partially manifested" they can write off isolated incidents and examples as "confusion."

Third, they cite the "natural order of things" and say that because heterosexuality is such an overwhelming force in nature, it must be so for people as well.

Fourth, they find it intolerable to think that God would single out a group of people to pick on and work against his will. God is forgiving, therefore your homosexuality must be no more than a birth-defect or tendency, like diabetes, alchoholism, or being born with no legs, which you must strive to overcome.

Some of them also view being gay as a kind of rebelliousness. You are being a non-conformist and are acting out against society at large by being gay (in a sense equating homosexuality with being a hippy, a puritan, a punk, or a hacker).

Personally I'm ready to accept being gay/straight as at least being a natural predilection 60/40, 70/30, 25/75, whatever. And that people either find ways to suppress that predilection or expand upon it to conform or conflict with their society and culture.

Answer 2

I guess the real questio here isn't a choice of gay or straight, but why do some people think being a closed minded bigot is an option? I mean it isn't doesn't the bible say Love is not proud, Love is not haughty, Love does not boast, Love is not jealous, and it does not judge. Wasn't Jesus greatest commandment to love God then love your neighbor as yourself? He said that is how to gain entry into the Kingdom of the Heavens. So how can someone preach morals, condemn, and teach hatred be a true follower of Christ? It's not an option. Go home and read your bible, read the entire message and don't use "sound bytes" as your agenda. Christians only agenda is to be an example of love and respect as Jesus was.

Answer 3

This isn't exactly true. Many societies accepted homosexuality. The ancient Greeks during the "golden age" for example. The Athenians actually had to enact legistation in order to force a husband and wife to consumate because the population of the city was dwindling. The genetics vs. learned behavior debate has been going on for quite some time, but to suggest that a majority of the ancient Athenians were born with a homosexuality gene is simply unrealistic. Most simply saw it as accepted behavior.

Answer 4

A straight person has a right to say whatever, just as you do. Lets not go down that path about right to say what you may want to.
Gay is a choice, your belief is irrelevant, just as mine is. But, gay in the modern sense is choice of behavior, perhaps desire is not, but the act itself is. Surely your not implying that the homosexual community at large is some out of control animal instinct kind of existence with no self control at all. I may want to hit some one, I choose not to, just as a homo chooses to partake in same gender sex.
Why would someone risk themselves if they had a choice, Am I to believe you think that partaking in a act that will lead to being discriminated against can not be a simple choice. Smoking, Biker, Alcohol, drugs, the list is endless. ALL are choices, some worst then others, but choices none the less.
Have a great day, Calm down, it will be alright, Geezzz unwad your panties and relax. People generally are not interested in your sex life as much as you think they are.

Answer 5

I have nothing against gays. I personally believe that being gay -is- an option, just like being straight is. I say this because I think that we are all products of our environment. I was raised in an environment in which I would be inclined to be a straight woman. Granted, just because I grew up in this manner does not mean that I could have ended up as a straight woman. Now, before anybody starts saying stuff like "Why would I willingly choose this lifestyle knowing how I will be treated..." know that this excuse does not hold water. That's like asking anyone that has ever been discriminated against why they are a woman, why are they black, why are they liberal, etc etc. As for experiencing being gay, you do not have to be gay to empathize with another human being. It is an unfair, unwarranted assumption to think that just because we are not gay, that we could not possibly understand where you are coming from.

Answer 6

I think it is mainly out of ignorance. I have heard fundamentalist xians argue this vehemently, but their arguments are so poor that I really can't tell you why they feel so strongly about it.

I am atheist. We run into the same kind of ignorance all the time - i.e. theists who think we should simply switch over to their side. This is why Pascal's Wager is so flawed. He said that even atheists should worship god. "If god exists, then you win; but if god doesn't exist, you've lost nothing." Aside from the fact that his logic is bad here - he is actually advocating a kind of fake belief!

This is what I have heard fundamentalists say about homosexuality - that gay people should simply behave as if they are straight... as if this actually makes them straight! (It also reminds me of the wisdom of "don't ask, don't tell".) Amusingly, this seems to show that they don't even understand what biological sexual attraction really is. Their sex lives must be horrible!

Answer 7

It helps them rest easier if they think and believe that it was an option and a choice someone made then consider the fact that maybe they were born like that because it is a possiblity someone close to them or one of their kids could be gay. Thats my opinion

Answer 8

They only have their ideas confirmed when groups like Exodus International and NARTH continuously pound it into their brains that if a person prays hard enough they can be "cured" of this "affliction" or purged of their "demons" which make them want to life a supposed "lifestyle" that is different than what their "holier than thou" pasters tell them.

Because they keep using terms like "Lifestyle" as if there were gay cars, gay houses, gay clothing, gay music, gay food and we simply "indulge" in that "lifestyle" too much.

Because people keep equating pedophilia with homosexuality as if pedophilia was a type of adult sexuality at all.
Because kids are still encouraged to play "smear the queer" and other such hurtful games.
Because people are still taught to fear sex, sexuality, their bodies, their lives.
Because children are bombarded by negitive stereotypes and advertising that only promotes heterosexism.
Because being gay is not shown in a light that is anything but dirogitory, filthy, anti-christian, insulting, belittling and down right shameful.
Because kids who are different are automatically assumed to be "gay" and are beaten, harassed, picked on, bullied and pushed to suicide insted of protected, included, understood.
Because ignorance is easier than education.
Because bigotry is easier than inclussion.
Because intolerance is easier than tolerance.
Because hate is much easier than love.
Because people are simply LAZY!

Answer 9

well if being gay is a choice then every straight guy has had to have been gay at sometime to make the choice to no longer be gay.. Of course it's not a option. You are absolutely correct.

Answer 10

You are absolutely right, being gay is not an option, it is born that way. To say it is an option, it is just plain ignorant & naive. Who on earth wants to go through the prosecutions just because you are a gay? No one in the right mind will do that & except those who are honest about their sexual orientation.