If you could, would you choose the sexuality of your child?

[hoodonit00]

I think except for a small minority of people who like to experiment with sex people are born homosexual. We all know or have known someone who was very feminine for a guy or butch as a girl. Now could they choose to live a life that is at odds with who they really are? Sure they could but should they really have to? I was very homophobic in my younger years but being very involved in color guard thanks to my 2 daughters really changed my mind on homosexuality.

As has been stated though I think some are taking liberties with the question. Cut and dry it is if you could choose what their sexuality would be what would you choose. There is no, as long as they are healthy, or, I would want them to be what they choose to be. It is our choice and I can't believe anyone would pick their child to be homosexual. I even believe if someone "magically" came up with some sort of medication that would make homosexuals straight a good portion of them would take it.

Adding a third paragraph after taking the poll. I'm surprised it is so lopsided on how many wouldn't choose at all. I compare it to how many would pick their kid to have a huge nose or have really bad acne in their teen years. Every parent wants their child to grow up with the least amount of pain possible. Although homosexuality is becoming more widely accepted it still has a stigma to it and many are bullied and abused for it. Again I find it very questionable that a parent wouldn't change something about their child if it save them from humiliation or pain.

 

[surfin4]

Wonder if people think foot fetishists are born that way........there is a very interesting agenda being pushed its amazing how peoples personal boundaries, there belief systems there morals can be shaped by a few guys who get to set the agenda.

 

[a-dev]

Is it the same type of thing? Being a foot fetishist and being homosexual? To me it seems one is much broader and more fundamental. Wanting to knock one out on someone's feet is pretty damn specific. You have to do research to even find out that that's a thing. Not so the simple fact of being attracted to the opposite sex or the same sex as the case may be.

 

[devilof76]

Wonder if people think foot fetishists are born that way........there is a very interesting agenda being pushed its amazing how peoples personal boundaries, there belief systems there morals can be shaped by a few guys who get to set the agenda.

Do they speak English in What?

 

[karamazov80]

The, er, devils make an interesting argument if I'm catching it correctly, and it is true that you can choose to engage in whatever type of sexual behavior you want to, and use it to define your sexual "preference." Further, you can develop sexual preferences like fetishes that become unconscious urges.

I think Difab is right on in that the vast majority of people innately have an "urge" that is a "natural" sexual predisposition for them. When you say "sexual orientation," this is what I am thinking about. Whether this is toward members of the opposite sex or the same sex is a function of genetics, and this is not something that can be consciously changed IMO, with exceptions perhaps for those that develop the kinds of fetishes and behaviors I was talking about before.

Every parent wants their child to grow up with the least amount of pain possible.

On balance, of course I want my children to be happy. But. . .I'm not sure real happiness can exist without overcoming some level of conflict and pain. In that sense, I'm not sure I agree with you 100% here, even though the idea seems abhorrent on its surface. Think about spoiled, entitled kids born into wealth and privilege that think everything in life should be handed to them on a silver platter. Those kids on the MTV 16 year old birthday parties, Paris Hilton, etc. When you take away as much "pain" as possible, I fear this is the logical conclusion.

 

[devilof76]

I really don't think it's genetic. I think there are countless choices made from the moment a person starts making decisions about themselves and the world, that all add up to a personality that responds sexually to one gender or the other. Boys who act feminine and girls who act masculine do it for a reason, but I believe it's psychological, not biological. And, even that's not sufficient to bring an adult to homosexuality. Feminine lesbians and masculine gay men are evidence of that.

I think it comes down to whether you believe humans are born tabula rasa (blank slate) or with ideas already installed. The question then becomes where they got those ideas. If you're going to call it instinct, and beyond the realm of ideas, then what is the biological purpose of homosexuality? Where does it come from, and why? Genetic mutation reinforced through breeding? Seems like there'd be a lot less of it were that the case.

Also, I'm not just saying that people make choices in their sexual lives, one way or the other. I do believe in orientations, I just don't think it's hardwired the way that the actual sexual response is. What's the word...superposition? That's more of what I'm getting at. The mechanism is there, but it needs programming. Values/identity are what does that job.

 

[karamazov80]

Some potential explanations here:

https://chronicle.com/article/article-content/135762/

The science suggests that there isn't a clear, 100% deterministic genetic factor. But genetics seem to certainly play a role, particularly in terms of hormonal makeup.

 

[devilof76]

I'm not done reading yet, but what the hell is an altruistic gene?

 

[karamazov80]

In context, it seems to be referencing biological tendencies to promote the social good over the individual good, which is something we see in nature.

 

[nanez]

You always have options. Sexual preference isn't set in stone.



Doesn't matter, the option was/still is there. You could decide right now to have a relationship with a dude if you wanted. If it weren't an option, then that would be physically impossible. People assume sexual preference is like



Again, sexual preference (like any other preference) isn't set in stone. You can change your mind. If you were born straight or gay that wouldn't even be an option like hereditary traits i.e. if you're born short being tall is NOT an option. If you're born without arms and/or legs having them is NOT an option.

But anyone can change their sexual preference at any time, as many times as they want throughout their life. Because it's a choice. Not something you're born with.

Wow man, just wow. You are completely wrong.
How can you be so sure it´s a choice? Are you Gay to say you choose to be gay? Or are you straight and just saying you "choose" to be straight.
Sexual orientation is not an option, it IS predetermined before the child is born, though it can change through a series of unfortunate events.u choose to hate cheese and cream? If you had a unpleasant experience with cheese for example, like almost choking to it, you will hate cheese for the rest of your life, you body will just hate it and and you´ll have this bad taste everytime you eat it, though you did NOT choose to have the bad taste fron that point on. Your body "adds" that bad taste because it identified cheese as dangerous to your body.
Same happens with sexual preference.
Just like food taste. Did you chose to like and love oranges? Did yo

Like others have said, if men didn´t even crossed your mind, it is not an option.

 

[devilof76]

He's completely wrong? You've mapped and decoded the entire human genome, huh? World class geneticists have yet to decisively conclude that homosexuality is predetermined, but you have the revealed truth? Glad to be in the presence of such incalculable genius, I guess...

In context, it seems to be referencing biological tendencies to promote the social good over the individual good, which is something we see in nature.

I think whatever leads people to conclude there is some such thing as an altruistic gene is the same thing that brings them to conclude that there is a biological purpose to homosexuality. Group survival (or even the survival of a species' genetic code) is not what drives human behavior. I'd even argue that it's not what drives animal behavior. The basic observable motivation of all biological action is the survival of the individual organism. Some species have developed in ways such that the group is a primary tool to this end, but that is still the primary goal; not survival of the group, per se. It's a means to an end.

Genetic selection in humans is pointedly individualistic. Society can be a major boon to that goal, but it is not the goal itself. Evolution of a homosexual gene for the purpose of perpetuating the species via advanced childcare is something of which I'm extremely skeptical. I can see how homosexual family members would be helpful in childrearing, but designed for it? Not so sure of that.

 

[Intruder04]

Straight. All the way. I'm not against homosexuality or such but given a choice, I'd choose my kid to be straight. That's how nature intended it to be.

 

[devilof76]

Nature has intentions?

 

[Intruder04]

It has some, yes.

 

[OSCORP]

You're not born that way.

Out!

 

[devilof76]

And...who gives a ****?

It has some, yes.

Does it have hopes and dreams too?

 

[Lejuan]

Straight. All the way. I'm not against homosexuality or such but given a choice, I'd choose my kid to be straight. That's how nature intended it to be.

Uh... you're not against homosexuality or such, but homosexuality is not natural. Okaaaaay...

 

[devilof76]

There are people who think that humans are unnatural. They seem to consistently oppose human existence, but maybe not everyone holds 'natural' in such high regard.

 

[Irvy]

This thread is too sexy.

 

[willocrew]

Without a doubt straight.

A kid that has hetero sexual preferences will have one thing less to worry about in life. And I want my kid to have as little potential obstacles to stop them from living life to the fullest.