Homosexuality: It’s All In Your Head
October 28, 2007 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Rather, your brain. And that goes for heterosexuality and bisexuality, too.
From Science Daily article, Same-sex Attraction Is Genetically Wired In Nematode’s Brain, Oct. 26, 2007:
University of Utah biologists genetically manipulated nematode worms so the animals were attracted to worms of the same sex – part of a study that shows sexual orientation is wired in the creatures’ brains.
First Thought: I hate animal testing of any sort. Although I realize thus far many important scientific discoveries have involved animal testing, I’m allowed to dislike the method and hope that alternative methods will someday soon become popular.
Second Thought: Kudos to anyone who can do anything regarding something as small as a worm brain, especially a nematode.
Third Thought: Upon reading the article, this turned into a sort of no-brainer (no pun intended). Our brains are responsible for so much. Why should we be surprised that “sexual orientation is genetically wired in worms” and possibly humans, too? Hello? Hmm…
Fourth Thought: In the article, laboratory leader and biology Professor Erik Jorgensen, scientific director of the Brain Institute at the University of Utah and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, states:
We cannot say what this means for human sexual orientation, but it raises the possibility that sexual preference is wired in the brain [...] Humans are subject to evolutionary forces just like worms. It seems possible that if sexual orientation is genetically wired in worms, it would be in people too. Humans have free will, so the picture is more complicated in people.
Now, I’m not homosexual. I have several homosexual friends, but that hardly qualifies me to say anything on their behalf. However, the presence of “free will” – to me – doesn’t seem to make a difference in whether or not you’re homosexual. Free will – to me – seems only to play a role in whether or not you choose to date males or females, i.e. act upon or not act upon homosexual desires. You can be homosexual and date someone of the opposite sex because, hey, you have free will. Yet, it seems – again, to me – that if you’re gay, you’re gay. Or bisexual. Or heterosexual. Regardless of who you use your free will to choose to date.
Tricky, tricky business, this free will and genetics, or free will vs. genetics. Which leads me to my…
Fifth Thought: If indeed homosexuality is a genetic predisposition, as science tends to lean toward, what is the reaction of the Christian community? Rather, those Christians who take every word in the Bible for its literal meaning? Those who believe homosexuality is wrong, according to God?
Interesting…
What are your thoughts?
Alicia, free will only takes into account control of actions. It has nothing to do with motivations. People aren’t sexually attracted to other people because of any conscious choice, but rather because of a number of motivations on a less than conscious level.
Exactly my point, Chuck. From my post:
However, the presence of “free will” – to me – doesn’t seem to make a difference in whether or not you’re homosexual. Free will – to me – seems only to play a role in whether or not you choose to date males or females, i.e. act upon or not act upon homosexual desires.
And, also why I don’t think free will really holds any weight when it comes to this study.
I am a gay man and I promise it is not a choice. I wish I wasn’t gay. I always knew I was different some how but didn’t really accept I was gay till about 15 years old. Even then I dated a girl hoping that it would go away. It didn’t. Being gay is not easy..I much rather have met a nice girl and got married and had family. I also would never decide to be gay because of how the world and my own religion looks at it. Being gay can be lonily at times. I am 31 years old now and have a bf that I have been with for several years. I do not have the same rights as others and to be honest lets face it if I held my bf’s hand walking down the street there is a good chance I would get a beat down. One time a doctor about 10 years ago refused during an exam to check a lump I thought I felt on my testical because I was gay. I guess in his distorted view he thought I would “enjoy” it. I was just worried I had cancer. I never did anything about that doctor and just saw another one and thank god it was ok and nothing to be worried about. So this is something I would not have picked for my life. But I guess if you aren’t gay maybe it seems like a choice to others. I don’t hate people who think it is a choice…it just sometimes hurts.
Brian – Words can’t express how truly sorry I am that you had to come into contact with, and deal with, such an ignorant and narrow minded individual as that doctor. I am very happy you ended up being healthy!
I am proud of being an optimist, but even I recognize that the world will never be a perfect place – due mostly, after all, to everyone’s vision of “perfect” being different – and not one of us here on earth will ever be 100% accepted by everyone else on earth. I hope that you surround yourself with those who accept and love you for who you are, and those who don’t hurt you. I also hope that regardless of what life throws your way, you continue to be strong, resilient, and happy with your life.
Im a 24 yr old gay man from Dublin, Ireland, and i agree, and also promise it is not a choice, of course i have no wish to be different than anybody else , and i dont think anyone else who doesnt understand has a right to judge. i have tried dating girls in the past but its not right as i would never feel anything but friendship for them.
i’ve totaly accepted being gay now and have a great life, with accepting friends, family and work colleagues, i enjoy life completely normally and am pleased to say have been able to hold hands with partners on the streets with no problems.
Alan x
Thanks for chiming in, Alan. I wholeheartedly believe that accepting who we are is one of the first steps toward being happy and functioning in healthy-for-us ways. Kudos to you!
I stumbled on this blog post this morning and it seems you are sincerely interested in how the Christian right views homosexuality in light of some scientists and many homosexuals’ claim that they are born that way. Since I am a member of that group, I can at least share my personal viewpoints on the subject.
The thing is – it doesn’t matter whether they are born with those desires or not. All of us are born with sinful desires. As a heterosexual, it was my strong desire to have sexual relations with a man prior to marriage. Some people have very strong desires to steal – kleptomaniacs. I believe their condition to be environmental rather than genetic, but the fact remains that they have a very strong urge to do something that is sinful to God. Every human being has a sinful nature and that is why we all need Jesus.
The main argument seems to be “God made them that way,” but that argument holds no water since all humans are born with a sin nature. Jesus offers His salvation to all of us, but we are in no position to accept it if we are making excuses and rationalizing our behavior rather than reading His word and accepting that our behavior is sinful.
Hi lisa, i welcome your viewpoint.
I have to dissagree, Choosing to be gay is NOT a choice. A gay mans brain physiology is different to a straight mans, a proven fact. but choosing to have sex is a choice, I agree with you on this.
However if i choose to love my boyfriend i do not believe it to be a sin,
(sex is irrelevant, as all sex even between man and wife is sin unless for the purposes of pro-creation, hence the anti contraception stance).
Therefore gay sex and straight sex in this regards are both morally wrong. But love! that is exactly the same as heterosexual love. two people who love and respect one another makes the world a better place.
Basically my point is i know god made me this way and is happy if im happy in a realtionship full of respect and loyalty. male or female, but he may judge me because of sexual conduct but the same can be said for most promiscious men, women and unmarried partners in general.
Alan
Excellent points from both of you (Lisa and Alan).
Lisa, while I was reading your comment, a question came to mind: From your comment, I’m assuming you’re heterosexual (forgive me if I’m wrong). If you were told heterosexuality is wrong – that it’s a sin and one you are, according to the Bible, supposed to suppress – would you be able to do it? Would you be able to marry a woman, after having been born a person who is attracted to males? I’m guessing it would be difficult (it would for me, and I couldn’t do it).
I guess, like most things in life and especially in religion, it all boils down to what we, as individuals, genuinely feel is right and wrong.
As I make my comments, please know that I have lifelong friendships with homosexuals – one in particular I love dearly. I am not making my comments from a position of self-righteousness looking down on “sinful” gay people. I hope my original comment made it clear that I recognize sinful behavior of my own and in fact, agree with the Bible when it says all people have sinned.
And that is how I must answer the questions posed to me by Alicia – the Bible is the authority on what is right and wrong. Neither you nor I have the right to disagree with it and if or when we ignore it, we do so at our own peril. I’m sorry, Alan, but deciding to believe it is not a sin does not make it so. And no, Alicia, we do not get to decide what is right or wrong based on our feelings.
I realize I didn’t answer your question as to whether I could marry a woman, but I’m afraid I simply can’t. There are examples of heterosexual women having homosexual relations in situations where men were not available – jail, for example. There are too many variables for me to definitively state what I would or could do. The desires for companionship, intimacy and sexual relations are incredibly strong. If my environment were different, perhaps I would chose to fulfill these desires with another female. It doesn’t seem impossible to me.
Hi Lisa, I have nothing against you or your opinion.
“I’m sorry, Alan, but deciding to believe it is not a sin does not make it so.”
It does not say that loving someone is a sin in the bible. the sex part according to the bible is, and i agreed with you on that point. I accept it although i may not live up to that.
Im happy to hear however that you as a person are tolerant and respectant of other.
This discussion has been quite interesting. thank you both, i shall bow out at this point.
Alan X