marc@pyuxn.UUCP (M Schare) (08/05/84)
Reguarding Ken Ardnt's last submission.. Does it really matter if GAYS (Alright Ken, I wont call them Homosexuals) are born, or made? Should society think more of them if they are Gay, not by choice, but by something beyond their control ? Sounds pretty silly to me, but: Unfortunately, that is the way many people think. Society is more willing to accept gays if it is believed that they dont really want to be that way, but have no choice (i.e. gay = incurable sickness that must be lived with). Since many people now accept gays because of this belief, and since science hasn't and probably never will come up with an answer on the subject, it might be in the best interest of gays to foster the belief. Enough Rambling. Im interested if people's opinions on whether gays are born "that way", or whether its a conscience decision. Any comments ? -- Comin now to Eden.. Yea Brother. Marc Schare (pyuxn!marc)
schwab@iuvax.UUCP (08/06/84)
Well, you can see my thoughts on this more fully as a response to Ken Arndt's goodbye message above. I think it's irrelevant. If research into the reasons for an individual exhibiting homosexual behavior have shown anything, it is that there is no single cause or single significant contributing factor. For any particular gay person, there have probably been hundreds of complexly interrelated factors, both biological and experiential, that contributed to being on the homosexual end of the Kinsey scale. But again, so what. The same can be said about heterosexuality. I suppose that it is possible for a person to be experientially motivated to make a conscious decision to be homosexual. I've never met someone like that. I knew I was homosexual when I was 13 and the anguish I suffered because of this realization and an overdose of traditional Christian morality as a child make me believe there was no conscious choice. I don't remember one and I am not masochistic enough to have chosen that anguish. (Ken Arndt - the anguish was not the result of homosexuality, but a deeply felt belief that it was abhorrent. I got over it.) How many heterosexuals have made a conscious choice to be heterosexual. Are we to picture 12-16 year olds sitting in their bedrooms and thinking, "Well, should I be gay or straight. I have to decide by next Thursday so I'll know whether to invite John or Mary to the dance." Absurd. David Schwab ...ihpn4!inuxc!iuvax!schwab