Toribash
Originally Posted by Divine View Post
Ok so this is a tricky topic because you can't answer that question unless you are gay.
You have to understand that being gay is a sexual orientation and personally I don't really think you can just choose to like the same or opposite sex. You just kind of do, it's encoded into you. I can't just go "you know I like guys now" and then just boom, I'm sexually attracted to men. You just kind of like what you like, it's not just "ehhhhhhhhh yay I want to like men today". I hope this is coming off correctly.
There have also been studies that show most gay people show physical and hormonal features similar to the opposite sex, suggesting that being gay is something you're born with.
When trying to figure out if it's a choice or you're born with it you also have to remember that each case is individual, everyone isn't going to be the same. So, that being said, there are definitely people out there that just want to be special/different and they will choose to be gay, and you know, that's ok it's their life and they can live it how they want.
(Typed on my phone sorry if there are any weird spelling or grammar mistakes)

I'm gay myself and, yeah. I can pretty much confirm what you've said.
I feel like there is no right answer to this. i believe people can be born gay scientifically when born with a lack of certain chemicals. but i also believe that experience can make some. if someone has mostly negative experiences with girls Like myself i was borderline harassed by girls at a young age and i feel like that defiantly contributed to me being gay. i have been watching the tread for i wile but i never really posted I don't know why
Trying
All of these arguments are very well put together and i respect both sides of the debate but to end the whole "to choose to be gay is impossible" thing is possible ask someone who went out with a guy then decided to go out with a girl (some of my close friends) and some went back out with a guy (some more of my close friends) and i told them this "i dont care what sexuality you claim but i do care about other people and i think yall should make a commitment because now all yall are known as freaks and whores because you wont keep your legs closed." i also said " i kinda believe them to, which is sad because now yall probably have diseases because i know yall dont wear protection and your a walking safety hazard."

I truly believe that being gay and lesbian is sort of a trend now and thats a serious choice to make and i dont want people to be influenced to be any other way than themselves
This is a pretty touchy topic to be quite honest. (That was not a sexual innuendo). I believe that being lesbian, straight, bisexual, pansexual, is a personal preference. Whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or straight, that should never be based on anything other than your own preference. I see girls in my school and my area coming out lesbian or bisexual etc. due to depression, feelings of being unacceptable by the opposite gender, and other reasons alike. That should never be the case. Sure, if you have been rejected by males/females and decide that you are going to try and have a relationship with someone of the same gender and you find out that you enjoy that more and being with someone of the opposite gender, more power to you. I have personally never seen that happen, though I'm sure it could. I don't believe that you can be born with preferences. I feel that once you are old enough to develop thoughts of love towards other individuals is when you find a preference. And yes, I truly believe that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, straight, is a personal preference that you alone must find out. I would like to see what others think about what I have said. This is just my personal opinion on this topic.
you're on thin ice, pal
I completely agree with Kozmonaut, but I would like to add that you should NEVER give in to peer-pressure, no matter if it's drugs, alchohol, or being gay. I know it sounds silly but I have once given in to peer pressure and started lighting fires, and it wasn't something I wanted to do. I wanted it to stop, but I couldn't, because I was afraid.

Never be afraid to stop doing things because of peer-pressure, or because someone is forcing it. Only do things that you want to do. After the kids who started it moved out, I was my old self, and stopped lighting fires, swearing, and being rude.

tl;dr: Don't give in to peer pressure
If we are all very honest then we must acknowledge what a complicated subject human sexuality is, especially when it comes to proving things scientifically. We still today struggle with theories that have become stereotypes in this entire subject and sadly mistaken to be "Fact", well the truth is, there is no fact on how homosexuality develops. Some say it is because hormonal dis balances, or as I've read on here because certain chemicals... But neither of those have been a factor in every case of homosexuality.

I personally believe its a personal preference, as some people may prefer other colors than others. Yet can I see it as a choice? Well, I for one never choice what I like or don't like, and I doubt any of you guys choice. You also don't choice if you are straight or not do you? You either are attracted to women or you're not.

But then there comes the fact that there are certain cases where people choice to be gay for possible cultural reasons, we can't deny that these don't exist. But perhaps this is just a bisexual person to begin with, since they are more common than people would like to admit, yet usually pick their gender of preference, thus choosing to be gay or straight.

There is no clear pattern on how homosexuality develops, people simply differ too much for the patterns to be working in large masses.
Nothing is as beautiful as mediocricy
The early nurturing of a being has a huge affect on one's life(1), with this, you can easily nurture someone to be hetero/homo-sexual. This(1) theory was founded by John Watson, a famous psychologist, and is still widely agreed upon.
Originally Posted by Lampito View Post
The early nurturing of a being has a huge affect on one's life(1), with this, you can easily nurture someone to be hetero/homo-sexual. This(1) theory was founded by John Watson, a famous psychologist, and is still widely agreed upon.

Of course you can, environment is a huge factor in all facets of development.

Just don't complain when LGBTQIA++ has 4-5x the rate of mental health issues because that implies it's maybe not a good thing to have society encourage people to have deviant sexuality or dissociate identity. It's a very similar problem to the obesity epidemic, people will call you bigoted should you suggest that being overweight isn't good for your health, it's just absurd. If people want to do negative things, fine, do it. But don't make excuses about it. If you like burgers so much that you don't care about your lifespan or your impact to society, so be it but don't claim "oh no, being obese isn't a problem I'm as fit as a fiddle".
I believe that you are raised gay, you're not just born that way. I have many different friends I've known forever and they've always dated the opposite sex. Around the year 2012, up to now they've started coming out as gay. The only reason I see this for is because of the kinds of relationships they were in. Always misused and mistreated by their lover, slowly they gave up on dating the opposite sex and began dating the same sex. As soon as this decision was made their lives slowly became a happier, more joyful, and worthwhile thing again. In anycase, I believe that it's up to the environment, what you choose, and how you're treated that leads up to the decision if you want to be gay or not. This decision is not easy, it can take a couple years in your life or half of your lifetime.