Why on earth does it matter to anyone how, why, or when someone becomes gay?  It's of no more importance than knowing what makes people like the Yankees or Rod Stewart.

The director of the Human Genome Project, Dr. Francis Collins, said this: "homosexuality is not hardwired. There is no gay gene. We mapped the human genome. We now know there is no genetic cause for homosexuality."

Nobody is being born gay. Medical science has proven it as an undeniable fact. Homosexuality is a psychological disorder and should be treated as such.

As in is the issue important to justify gayness? Quite frankly, while I do believe that people are born with their sexual preferences, I don't think it's all that important to debate. The bottom line is, it's none of my damned business whom somebody else wants to shack up with. It's not my call - whether we're talking about inherent biologically based love or a "lifestyle choice." People shouldn't have to justify who they are. If their existence is an offense to your religious beliefs, you might just want to keep it to yourself.

I think some people are born gay, i know some gay people and watching them grow-up, its pretty obvious they was born to be gay. So, not sure what star rating to give or what exactly i am giving, but being gay is just fine.

I have to say I can not see why any one would choose this life style. It seems to me that it would be very stressfull for every one in a persons life as well as themselves. Thats not to say that some do but I think for the most part it is in the genes and either you have it or you don't. Not that there is any thing wrong with that.

I really thing there is no possible way to be born gay. It is an instinct like eating or sleeping to be attracted to the oppisite sex. well at least in my eyes.

It's honestly hard to believe that someone would choose to love the same gender, when there are religous nutcases and others that give them so much hate and crap about it.

UpDate to emj5687 First of all let me just say that I disagree with the hate crimes and I do not support people who discriminate homosexual people. I do not hate homosexual people, however, as you know I strongly disagree. God dosen't even hate gay people. God loves the person but hates the sin.UPDATE:Note to Alec76 that has got to be the stupist thing I have herd!! What a cop out saying that no one choses who they are. Everyone choses the course of their life by the descions they make. If someone is an alcholic its because they chose to be one. The acholic will tell you its because there is a long history of alcholism in their family and its the families fault.A drug attack blames everybody and anybody for their addiction when the truth is he can't blame anybody but himself. God gave us free will and he also made a right and a wrong and we have the free will to chose which ever we want. Sometimes people chose the wrong because it's pleasing to the flesh. But if sin (wrong) didn't bring pleasure know one would do it and thats why its so hard for the alcholic to say know to the bottle and the drug attack to say no to the drugs because when they do it there is a payoff to the flesh. If you want to believe that you have know say about who you get to be thats your problem. Who I become in life is my choice and I'm responsible for every descion that I make. We live in a world of pointed fingers. Nobody wants to take resposibilty for the choices they make, they always have to blame something or someone for their descions. Well, Im here to say grow up and reliaze that only you are responsible for the desceions that you make. Nobody is born Gay. They didn't pop out and say lets go to michal Jacksons house. Listen everybody has a choice to be gay or not to be gay. They chose it , it does not chose them. Homosexuals say all the time I had these feeling from a very young age. I do not deny that it's probaly true. I had feelings to hurt people when I was angry but I didn't act on them. When you have the feelings you have the choice to act or not to. The feelings come with the surronding and the influnce that you have been brought up in.

i mean honestly, who would ever choose a life of being treated unequally, made fun of, possible physically abused, possible rejection from family and former friends, over being straight. No one. Its just not logical. Being gay isn't the cool thing to do Its a sexual preference no one has control over. No one voluntarily chooses to be the mistreated minority. UPDATE well mr. evangel since you are such an expert care to explain the surroundings and upbringings that lead people into choosing to become social outcasts ridiculed by close-minded people like yourself

Interesting topic. The diversity of opinions is amazing. Personally, I think that it is a combination of nature/nurture, and one does not necessarily exclude the other.

UPDATE: One of my daughters' high school basketball teammates went off to college and my daughter ran into her a year or so later and her friend told her she was gay. OK, Melody's gay (I told my daughter there's a difference between someone who is gay and someone who needs an identity, stay tuned). Another two years go by and they meet again and Melody has a boyfriend. My daughter mentioned what I had told her when she thought she was gay. I said, stay tuned, I didn't think she was born gay. ORIGINAL COMMENT 8/19/04: Can you be born gay? Or do you develop homosexual urges due to societal or gender related events and/or stimuli? Who cares? Shut up about it. Get a job, go to work, do a good job and leave your pro-gay agenda at home, where it belongs. Can't teach elementary school if you're a gay guy? Well, why the hell not? Can't be a cub scout leader? How unfair? Everyone has career decisions and choices to make, get on with it. Can't we just be Americans? Why do we have to be Gay Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, etc. How did being gay become a political agenda, one of the most divisive on the nationwide political landscape? I don't care if you're gay. I care if you break the law or intentionally hurt people I care about. Period.

There are many theories on why people are homosexual and i do not have an answer but i do know this: No one chooses to be homosexual. God makes us the way we are and if we were all born the same then there would be no homosexuals. God makes people with nice voices or with artisic abilities and some times he makes people gay. Sure, the bible may say it is wrong but the question isn't what does the bible say?, the question is why is it wrong?. My answer is that it isn't wrong, they love each other, who cares what jender they are? it's not hurting you! God loves all of his children and if he made some of his children homosexual then he loves them too, no matter what. There is no cure for being gay or lesbian nor should it be thought of as a sickness. As for The-being born gay-issue, people who say it is impossible should think again, are we born heterosexual?, No... because we are not born with a sexual drive, therefore cannot know who we are attracted to. But gay people, however, can know if they feel more them playing with a barbie doll than a toy truck. So far i have come accross alot of people who believe that it is a choise, because of what is writen in the bible, and to prove them other wise they'd have to see scientific proof. Please, any person who believes in god should know that just because there isn't proof of something doesn't mean it isn't real. You cannot pick and choose what you need scientific proof for and what you will take a leap of faith on. God exists... how do you know? you don't, you just believe. Homosexuals are born that way..how do you know? you don't, you just believe. And if you need proof of god turn within your self because you are his creation. If you need proof of people being born homosexual turn to the ones who are, for they are the only ones who truly know.

For those of you who think that being Gay is the way you are born....and think that God made you this way...think again! God made all people in the image of Him! Now heres the thing! God still loves all people and will forgive all people...But He did not create people born gay! And another thing ...%95 of gays who get psychiatric help can be converted...therefore...the theory of being born gay is no longer.... THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION! I believe that no matter the way you are God loves you!

There is some evidence that proves prenatal hormones may be involved in development of sexual orientation....(ie, there is preliminary evidence that points to the fact that people are born gay)...Also, who on earth would choose such a lifestyle for themselves? It's not as if being gay is a new thing...evidence of homosexuality dates back centuries ago. In the days when homosexuality was thought to be a disease and mental illness, I really doubt that people woke up and decided hey, depression doesn't sound so good...I'll be gay!

Whether you are born gay or become gay (something I don't believe), how on earth does this affect anyone else who isn't?

I have an uncle who is a flaming homosexual and flaming is not meant as a derogatory statement. If you came in contact with him you would understand the word flaming. He has six brothers and one sister whom is his twin. My fathers family went to the beach all the time because they lived near the beach. Well in one of the family pictures they took as small children their is one picture that my grandparents blew up and gave to all the children. It was a picture that showed all of their personalities. My uncle was around 7 when this picture was taken and he was flaming in the picture. When ever someone comes over who has an issue about being born gay i show them the picture of my uncle and his six masculine brothers and standing on the beach. I always say pick the one who you think is gay. No one has failed yet. It was obvious then and even more today.

The major reason I don't believe that someone choses their sexual prefrence is that, for those of us who believe in Christianity, it doesn't make sense! How could the bible. the word of God, specificly condemn homesexuality, and then have God create human beings that are gay!? It doesn't add up. Now I know many people don't believe in God, but I don't understand how those who do could ever argue for this.

I just find it amazing that sexuality can be such a huge issue still. Are they harming you? Does seeing 2 girls or 2 guys holding hands or kissing mentally scar you? (if it does, go get some help...) I have a gay sister and my main concern is that she is happy - which she is. I don't care what she does with her life as long as she doesn't harm herself or anyone else. A person has the right to live their life as they choose as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. So all you people who have issues with how someone else chooses to live THEIR life, my advice? Get over it and live your own life.

Some are, some ain't.

All of you twits (on both sides of this issue) need to stop flooding the website with posts longer than the old testament. Who the hell cares about the alleged causes of homosexuality? How does that change your daily life? Gays are productive, educated, and well-informed members of this culture (although as a collective, I think they whine a little too much) Why is America so sexually backward? Why do people try so desperately to over-vaildate themselves? You people on both sides of the issue need to relax and try the decaf. . .

This is a question that I honestly don't have an answer to as of yet. In fact, I really don't think that it's even relevant to the matter at hand. The main debate here seems to be whether or not homosexuality is a tendency that one is born with as opposed to one that is gained over time through socialization. There isn't any concrete scientific evidence that there is a genetic predisposition, so we can say that the behavior is acquired at some point. The legality of such relationships doesn't weigh on whether or not people are born gay or not. Really there is no way of determining this from an objective standpoint.

personally I believe that people who are gay are born with the genetic makeup to be gay. I do not think that most Ask to be gay it is how they were born.I have no scientific back up it is just my belief.There is no proof that someone chooses to be gay.I have a hard time believing that someone would choose to be gay when they know how they will be treated by some others.

Nobody is born gay. Homosexuality is something that a person determines by themselves. Sometimes certain events or exposure may sway sexual preference, but not at immediate birth.

While I concede to the fact that we just dont know why people are gay, I will never believe that people are born that way. I believe it is completely psychological. That is based on my experience with gay folk and really nothing else. It's worth mentioning the fact that we humans are not even aware of our own existance until 3-4 years old (Or at least do not have concious memory of our lives until then), how the hell would you know what your sexual preference was at birth!!? Your doctor sure as hell couldn't! When you meet so many who 'turned' gay or admit that they made a choice at some point, when you see first hand the disfunction in every one of their lives, you discard the Im born that way thing very quickly. With acception of one or two in my 45 years, (who claim to be born gay)It was very obvious why every gay person I have ever known was that way. It would have to be very finalistic scientific evidence to sway me here.

There was a recent study published in Time (?) magazine. The scientists who conducted the study came up with an interesting conclusion. If I remember correctly, they said that homosexuality comes from a combination of Nature and Nurture. The article said that when the first born son leaves the womb, a chemical is left behind. The male children born after the first have a chance of that chemical going into their systems. Once the chemical is in the child's system, the way in which the child is brought up can influence his sexuality. The study did not say anything about lesbians, only about gays. So in effect, one can actually be born gay.

I wouldnt know because im not gay, But if i were to take a guess i would say that it is possible that a person could be born gay.

Frankly, the nature v. nuture debate in regards to homosexuals is a red herring. If some people are born gay, what does that mean? Certainly not that homosexual behavior has to be legally and socially tolerated because their are others who are born with urges to behave in ways that are not so tolerated. The reverse is true for nuture. In the end, I couldn't care less either way as the legal and social anaylsis is on behavior, not whether one is actually gay or not. As an academic matter, the question of born gay has some interest to scientists and homosexuals I suppose. The bottom line is that just because one is born gay doesn't mean that society must tolerate any particular form of behavior. Conversely, just because one may be choose to be gay via nuture doesn't mean that homosexual acts should not be legally and/or socially tolerated. The answer is simply not determinative on those issues.

I tend to think homosexuality has biochemical factors, and that envirnomental causes are minimal. Gay people face so much persecution and discrimination;I can't imagine anyone consciously choosing to be gay. I have heard of some homosexuals trying to change their sexual orientation through therapy, but I don't think this is a good option. Gays who go this route are obviously doing this to please straight people in their lives who cannot accept that they are gay. My attitude towards gays is live and let live. I have known some fine people who were gay.

LOL - 1) I was not referring to your comment when I used the word defiant, I was referring to anyone who tries to convince the world that they have the correct answer on this issue. 2) Did you even read my comment? I said that you can't argue this, either way. I am not telling you you were or weren't born gay. I did offer my opinion, but all I really said is that no one knows for sure! ...Find me scientific research that says people are born gay and I will believe it. The fact is, there is none. How can you make a defiant statement that people either are or aren't born gay - you don't know - up to this point, no one knows. Some say it is a chemical imbalance or a genetic inheritance, but again it's only speculation. Personally, I have met many gay people and the vast majority seem to have something in common - either a lack of a father figure or an extremely overbearing/violent/alcoholic father. Yes, like Kolby1973 said, some brothers turn out straight while one is gay and they were raised in the same home. But they all had different environments in school, different interactions with people, different friends, etc. The brother arguement will not sell me. Lastly, bro - I could just as easily argue that environment or personal interactions starting from when you were a small child could determine your future choices. Here's an example - I grew up listening to rock music. I am repulsed by country music. Yes I could listen to country music, but as you say, it just wouldn't feel right. However if I grew up in Texas, I would probably love country. Point being if you grew up in a different environment, with different parents, I would argue that you might be straight.

UPDATE #2: I didn't say there was scientific proof, nor do I truly care about scientific proof, as scientists screw up too. I know how I feel and you know how you feel and that is ok. Just don't tell me I am gay because of how I was raised as there is no proof to this either. You are just making up excuses so you can back the anti gay movement that we choose to be this way. I respect your opinion, but you will never be able to convince me that I CHOOSE to be this way or because I was raised in a strange environment that turned me into a fairy. But I do appreciate the time you have taken to discuss this. PS- and just because I don't agree with you does not make my comment a DEFIANT one..lol. You are not my parent lecturing me on morals..he he. OLD REVIEW: I have always felt I was born this way. Even though I only lived with my father until a certain age, while growing up living with my single mother, I had many masculine authoriy figures in my life on a daily basis. I had my Grandfather, who was very masculine and macho, I also had a stepfather for a short time, he was a total man's man. I had my brothers, who are also very masculine and macho. SO therefore I do not feel it is something you get while you are young, that is just ignorant. We are born that way, and to those straight people that think we aren't. How the HELL would you know? You have no clue what it is like to be gay ! You just wish we weren't born that way, so you would have more reason not to accept us. If you don't care for us, that is fine. Just don't make up reasons for it ! UPDATE: I asked numerous 'straight' friends of mine a question this week out of curiousity...and I am not claiming it is proving anything..but it certainly makes me think even more that I am correct that we are born gay, well if you are gay anyways...and that some of us are born straight. Anyways...I asked them- if being gay is a choice, are you telling me that you could go out and have sex with someone of the same sex and feel good about it cause you chose too? Every single one of them said NO, that they would not be able to have sex with someone of the same sex without feeling dirty or totally repulsed. So therefore I still think we are born this way. And I also would feel bad if I had sex with someone of the opposite sex. Sure, I could do it, but it wouldn't feel right. But as I said before, I don't expect anyone to understand what it feels like to be gay if they aren't, just like I don't expect myself to understand what it is means to be straight. Everyone has their opinions....and good for them. I have mine too...

To quote the famed Mexican singer Chavela Vargas I've had to fight to be myself and to be respected. I'm proud to carry this stigma and call myself a lesbian. I don't boast about it or broadcast it, but I don't deny it. I've had to confront society and the Church, which says that homosexuals are damned. That's absurd. How can someone who's born like this be judged? I didn't attend lesbian classes. No one taught me to be this way. I was born this way, from the moment I opened my eyes in this world. I've never been to bed with a man. Never. That's how pure I am; I have nothing to be ashamed of. My gods made me the way I am.

You can't be born gay. It's not genetic, I don't see where people get these ideas. You see 20 year old girls, who just started being Lesbians when they were like 14, so they weren't born gay. Whatever, I'm not going to argue.

If sexual preference is a choice then at what age did you choose to be a heterosexual? Or, as I suspect, did you always have heterosexual urges? Researchers have found a correlation between sexual preference and the size of the section of your brain that processes sexual arousal. It is smaller in women than in men. And that part of a gay man's brain is smaller than a straight man's / and that part of a lesbians brain is larger than that of a straight woman. While correlation is not causation it does strongly indicate that you are Born Gay. Also I just want to know why if you beleive that gay's will be punished by god in the afterlife, why do you feel a need to persecute in life?

How can you feel that homosexuality is genetic?, or pass judgement in God's name having never gotten his precise opinion on anything? You can't even prove He exists. The only proof anyone has is in a book written by Man 1000s of years ago when Man was even dumber than they are today! And science will never give a definate answer to anything as circumstances are constamtly changing. The bottom line is: people who think they know everything are exactly what makes racist, ignorant bigots. Gays are here to stay...like it or not. there isn't anything anyone will ever be able to do about it, so we might as well learn to cope with it. Some people think blacks are evil. Others think that jews, Americans, men, women, black cats, or Arabs are evil. Some people believe in Santa Clause. The world is full of people with their own beliefs and they are all different from you. You can fight the fight you'll never win, or (preferably) shut your stupid mouth and stop complaining all the time. World-peace, though unattainable, is something I think most people can agree upon (only crazy people like war all the time). However, everyone getting all up-in-arms about everthing is only making things worse. America is a free country and taking away personal freedoms isn't what we're about. Move to another country if you think gays are criminals or abortions take lives (by the way: a fetus is a fetus, not a human being...that way of thinking makes masturbaters mass murderers. LIFE BEGINGS WHEN YOU ARE BORN). So, get off your high horse and see yourself for what you truly are...no different from anyone else.

No you're not born gay and it's not genetic. If you were less ignorant gmanod you would have bothered to read up on the subject. It's psychological, why do you think some people turn gay in the middle of their lives and some gays turn straight. I know people in both instances who've done this, to say they didn't realise is a bit unebelieveable.

Of course people are born gay; it is genetic. PBeavr is not a homophobe, but merely misunderstands what it means to be born gay. There are large amounts of research that proves that not only is sexuality a product of genetic determination, but most of one's personality is derived in the same way. Though it might seem impossible to conceptualize the fact that we are inseperable from our genes one still needs to accept the scientific truth of the matter and not let preconceptions, misconceptions, or predjuices stand in the way. The heaviest evidence, and probably the most irrefutabel, are the large number of twin studies completed. These studies examine sets of identical twins seperated at birth and never having had any contact with eachother, nor similar environmental experiences while being raised. They have shown surprising levels of similarities in personality, lifestyle, occupation, and traits in their spouses. One famous example involves two twins seperated during WWII, one was taken to Cyprus, the other to NY. They met decades later because they were both executive in accounting firms and were attending the same conference. The reason this is true physiologically is fairly simple: what determines the structure of your body? Your DNA. What determines your personality? The structure of your brain. Your DNA determines the structure of your brain, which then determines your personality; the link is clear. As far as serial killers, or anyone with a serious psychological affliction: There is even more evidence that psychological disorders run in families (Schizophrenia and alcoholism are well known). One's genetics does not damn them to a certain lifestyle, but it also doesn't provide them with a choice: If the genes are there then you are susceptible to developing the psychological state, but the environmental factors that turn on those genes is unclear and up for speculation, but without them there would be nothing to turn on and you would see a zero-prevalence of the condition or state of mind.

Often times I feel having an opinion does not validate giving an opinon. Gay people are gay thats that. The reason is not important really. I personally feel that homosexuality is genetic, but who cares even if it's not, it affects me not one bit. Saying god would not approve is crazy. Do you know god personally? Did god give you permission to judge using his name? If you beleive in god than you must feel he created everything, including gays.

I don't like the argument why would gay people choose to be gay knowing that they would be persecuted? Well, why do drunks choose to drink when they know it does them harm? Why do druggies do drugs when they know it does them harm. Now, after that statement, it may seem that I think of homosexuality as a lifestyle., but I do not. I just think that is a very poor argument. I am not an expert on the subject, but I think it has more to do with your childhood and how you're raised. Everything can be a factor- which parent you live with, what you watch on TV, your friends, your family- there are many factors. Of course I'll eat my words here if a study can PROVE that homosexuality is genetic, but until then, I'll stand by my position that it starts at birth and develops.

i believe people are born gay in my primary school when i was about 6 or 7 there was a boy who always hung around with girls and played with barbies. later in high school i heard that he had came out. i dont think you can choose to be gay. although i do think some people do choose to ignore it due to their religion or circumstance.

Even those born gay should work to solve their problem rather than revel in it. People who are born deaf learn to speak with sign language. People born blind learn to read with braille and walk using a cane to show them the way. People born retarded are taught to take care of themselves to the best of their ability, such as getting jobs or driving a car. Being born gay is not a license to revel in a defect, and defect it is. If everyone were born without the desire to procreate, the human race would die out completely within 100 years. There are worse things in the world to be sure, but I disagree with many of the pundits on this issue.

People are born gay! Accept it. PBeavr is just a homophobe!

Actually it's not just one or the other. Everyone is born with a predisposition to a certain vice (some would call it sin). But we all have the choice to resist it or not. And if we choose to resist, we can either try to do it by ourselves (which is much harder if not impossible) or give it over to God, let Him take control and He can take away the desires.

I must say, PBeavr took the words right out of my mouth on this one.

Yes, people are born gay. I've seen three year old boys in my classroom tell me they wish they were girls and were constantly playing in dress-up with skirts and high heels on, much to the chagrin of their parents. Also new research indicates that fetal environment can contribute to homosexuality. In second and third born boys, homosexuality is more common because it is belived that the uterine environment may secrete a chemical to the fetus that induces homosexuality. I believe in our lifetime scientists will find the cause of homosexulaity and that the answers lie in fetal development and uterine environment.

I agree with MOST of you...If the gay community could choose the way they are, they probably would have chosen to be straight. Who in their right mind would choose to be gay knowing that they might be ridiculed, assaulted, or left by their family and friends. I personally think that they are born that way, plain and simple.

I believe about 70% of gays are born gay. I certianly did not choose to be gay. Its just the way I am. The other 30%, however, are what I like to call the lifestyles, the ones who choose to be gay. All scientific evidence suggests that people are born gay. Many people think all gays choose to be gay. I chose to be gay in the same way that a black person chose to be black at birth.