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Are you born with your sexuality or can it be influenced by external factors?

This is kind of an extension of the whole 'nature vs nurture' debate, I guess. Despite most LBGTQ+ people saying they were born with their sexuality, and therefore cannot change it (which I totally accept, by the way), as more of a believer in the 'nurture' side of the debate, surely the nurture can extend to ultimately influencing your sexuality? For example, I have grown up surrounded by heterosexual people (obviously due to the heteronormative society in which we live), however only once I started learning about issues surrounding social justice and finding many friends who identify with a sexuality that's not heterosexual, I have found myself becoming more open with my sexuality personally. (I'm not looking to be malicious or offend anyone in any way, just curious to find out what people think about this!) So, opinions?

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Reply 1

beththomas__

It can be from both, if you grow up with heterosexual people you could be too, but that can change. You may not be. As you get older you change and your sexuality might do too. It doesn't have to come from one, it can come from both, so both don't always influence it. In my opinion, I think both influence sexuality.

Reply 2

Wyrley

Finding someone attractive is caused by a chemical reaction in the brain, so I'd go with nature over nurture

Reply 3

Chicken.M.

Most evidence points towards environmental factors.

My theory is it happens during early brain development when you still have a mushy child brain :redface:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

anonlad

Why are there young gay people in very conservative, religious families? Homosexuality is taboo in these cultures so how would they have been influenced? And it's not as if they've actively 'tried' to become gay - it's actually completely the opposite (hence the expression 'Pray the gay away'), which funnily enough does not work

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 5

anonlad

Original post by ChickenMadness

Most evidence points towards environmental factors.

My theory is it happens during early brain development when you still have a mushy child brain :redface:

Got a reputable source for this 'evidence'?

I get the impression your theory is based on your homophobic attitudes

Reply 6

stoltguyboo

You are born with a sexuality....Sorry anybody that say's anything else is ignorant.

Reply 7

ra3096

I do believe it is more to do with nature, but nurture must have some input too. My friend is gay and his parents aren't so accepting of homesexuality, and he tried to fight it all of his life because he didn't want to dissappoint them. Before comign out, if he had the choice, he would have chosen not to be because of this. But the fact was that he is what he is, and he can't change that. His parents have become more accepting of him now but it was a really difficult time! However, nurture could be a factor too. If you were brought up by two lesbian mothers or two gay fathers, you might feel more sexually open to the idea. As a heterosexual, it is difficult to understand fully, but that is my opinion :smile:

Reply 8

Chicken.M.

Original post by anonlad

Got a reputable source for this 'evidence'?

I get the impression your theory is based on your homophobic attitudes

nawh just google. Read a bunch of articles about identical twin studies where one is gay and the other isn't.

I get the impression you're judgemental and close minded :redface:

What gives you that impression?

Your brain isn't fully developed as a baby. :fyi:

The first few years of your life are quite important for brain development.

Reply 9

beththomas__

Original post by stoltguyboo

You are born with a sexuality....Sorry anybody that say's anything else is ignorant.

you're ignorant, there isn't a gene saying you're gay or you're straight is there, so you aren't born with it, you develop it from your surroundings and environment

Reply 10

Dee .. ♥

i remember in nursery(3/4years old), sitting on the mat there was a cutie and i remember fantasizing :mmm:

#kinkyfromday1

Reply 11

Arkasia

Little bit of both, plus stuff that Scientists haven't figured out yet.

Nature, nurture, and not sure.

Reply 12

h3isenberg

Original post by beththomas__

you're ignorant, there isn't a gene saying you're gay or you're straight is there, so you aren't born with it, you develop it from your surroundings and environment

Can you then explain how someone in a conservative state such as Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality isn't even a discussed concept, and being gay is punishable as death, would develop homosexuality?

Reply 13

ilem

Who cares? It doesn't make a difference whether it's acquired or innate.

Reply 14

binarythoughts

Original post by h3isenberg

Can you then explain how someone in a conservative state such as Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality isn't even a discussed concept, and being gay is punishable as death, would develop homosexuality?

That doesn't even sound right

Reply 15

anonlad

Original post by ChickenMadness

nawh just google. Read a bunch of articles about identical twin studies where one is gay and the other isn't.

I get the impression you're judgemental and close minded :redface:

What gives you that impression?

Your brain isn't fully developed as a baby. :fyi:

The first few years of your life are quite important for brain development.

I could link academic studies which prove that certain parts of the brain, notably the INAH3 of the hypothalamus and the midsagittal plane of the anterior commissure, are significantly different in size in gay men than in straight men and women. i.e. a clear link between homosexuality and genetics. And those are just two examples of many..

You clearly have a very simplistic view on genetics (and biology as a whole) if you believe your 'twin studies' provide any sort of valuable evidence for your claims.

I got the impression that you are homophobic by your entire post, although apologies if I am wrong. What would happen to a baby in its early stages of development which would cause them to become gay in your opinion?

Reply 16

anonlad

Original post by beththomas__

you're ignorant, there isn't a gene saying you're gay or you're straight is there, so you aren't born with it, you develop it from your surroundings and environment

I refer you to my most recent post, as you also seem to have a very simplistic idea of genetics ("there isn't a gene saying" - really?).

Please do some research the next time you throw your uneducated opinion around...

Reply 17

Chicken.M.

Original post by anonlad

Well I don't have links to any studies just saw in a bunch of documentaries + read about it. Your diet and stimuli as a child affects how your brain develops and can affect your IQ in later years etc. So I would say what you're attracted to factors into that.

From personal experience, I have a pretty crazy fetish that I don't tell anyone about and I'm pretty sure it stems from some stuff that happened when I was a kid looking back at it tbh.

Reply 18

_Fergo

Can you please use the other -100% similar- thread? Creating these topics again and again is getting tiresome.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 19

tehforum

Original post by ChickenMadness

nawh just google. Read a bunch of articles about identical twin studies where one is gay and the other isn't.

I get the impression you're judgemental and close minded :redface: