I got the another theory, read on.

[TheMan]

My theory is not full of science mumbo jumbo, so it'll be easy to identify the words.

 

You know, when you are a little kid, and you like men, and not women? Ok, let's say you go into puberty, with the attraction for the same sex. Let's say that, technically, you haven't grow out of it. The haters, the blamers. They blame ourselves on our attraction to men. Well, have you considered the fact it isn't really our fault. Maybe something went wrong during puberty? Reason for why and what it makes us gay is the question. No, it isn't your background, or your friend that makes you gay. Haven't you consider maybe a movie caused to make you gay? or the media made you gay? Just tossing a another theory.

[Bondwriter]

Other factors that were discussed already:

Soy

Genetics

The Teletubbies...

 

And there must be tons more in the Teen forum, among which this lengthy discussion.

 

Personally, though my teen years were busy with the type of questions you're asking, I decided a solid decade ago that if someone could tell me why I was gay had become irrelevant. I am like I am, and I just have to live with it (as I won't change my complexion, my height, my ethnic background, my social background) and there are no people to blame for me being gay. People to blame for making me feel bad about it, yes, but that's yet another ball game.

[Graeme]

Speculation is easy. Trying to prove any of these theories is difficult because it's so easy to come up with counter-examples. eg. If a movie made me "gay", then why didn't it turn everyone who saw it gay?

 

If they ever nail it down, I think we'll find it's a complex interaction of a lot of factors -- genetic and environmental. I'm happy to leave the speculation to the scientists. As Bondwriter said, it's not that relevant to me any more. I'd like to know, but it's not a burning issue. I've got a lot more important things to worry about

[AFriendlyFace]

If they ever nail it down, I think we'll find it's a complex interaction of a lot of factors -- genetic and environmental.

Uh huh! I think it's almost certainly a combination of genetic and environmental (but then I think almost everything about a person is). As I've said in previous discussions, IMO, the same stimulus would affect differently people in different ways.

 

Anyway, I'm not particularly interested either.

 

Take care all and have a great day,

Kevin

[Drewbie]

Uh huh! I think it's almost certainly a combination of genetic and environmental (but then I think almost everything about a person is). As I've said in previous discussions, IMO, the same stimulus would affect differently people in different ways.

 

Anyway, I'm not particularly interested either.

 

Take care all and have a great day,

Kevin

 

Where I think it's a bit of both in my case it's def genetic, but I don't give a rats ass, im fine with being gay,

[TheMan]

It doesn't turn everybody on, because that's what attracts us, men and women.

[JamesSavik]

Haven't you consider maybe a movie caused to make you gay? or the media made you gay?

 

 

I sincerely hope that we aren't that superficial.

[TheMan]

Im sorry I hurt anyone feelings. I feel quite ashamed if I did.

And If I did, Im completely sorry.

P.S. I need a hug.

[AFriendlyFace]

Im sorry I hurt anyone feelings. I feel quite ashamed if I did.

And If I did, Im completely sorry.

P.S. I need a hug.

 

I'm sure you didn't hurt James' feelings. He probably just meant that we as individuals were too complex to be easily influenced by a movie.

[colinian]

Where I think it's a bit of both in my case it's def genetic, but I don't give a rats ass, im fine with being gay,

 

Well said, Drewbie!

 

That's my opinion too, 100%. I love who I am, who I'm attracted to, and who I love. I have no interest in becoming "straight" or being any different than I am today.

 

Colin

[Bondwriter]

Im sorry I hurt anyone feelings. I feel quite ashamed if I did.

I don't think you did (In fact, I think you didn't). Well, another one for you:

Have a look through the threads in The Lounge and the Teen Forum, and you'll notice these topics were already tackled, though no definitive truth was agreed upon. I don't think there is a media conspiracy to get people attracted to same-sex partners.

But feel free to express yourself, that's what this is for.

[rknapp]

Honestly, I think all possibilities are true. I'm sure there are people who claim to be gay just because of the media, but I just hope for their sake that they grow up and discover themselves for real.

 

What do I think? I read an article that scientists studied the brains of deceased HIV victims and found that the sex drive in gay men was similar in size to that of straight women (larger). Likewise the same drive in gay women was similar in size to straight men (smaller). As a scientist of sorts, I tend to believe this theory. Now, exactly how this anomaly occurs is beyond me. It could be a rogue gene within a persons DNA, or it could be a simple mutation cause by any number of things (such as environment). Although logically, if it were genes then we would see many gays in some bloodlines and few in others. Were it environmental then we would find gays more in certain areas than others (this is hard to find since many gays will move to gay friendly areas, thereby destroying any chance of in-depth study).

[JamesSavik]

Honestly, I think all possibilities are true. I'm sure there are people who claim to be gay just because of the media, but I just hope for their sake that they grow up and discover themselves for real.

 

It is easier to say I'm gay because name your BS reason than I'm gay and it's none of your f-ing business.

[AFriendlyFace]

What do I think? I read an article that scientists studied the brains of deceased HIV victims and found that the sex drive in gay men was similar in size to that of straight women (larger). Likewise the same drive in gay women was similar in size to straight men (smaller).

I'm not sure if we're discussing the same article/study, but I once went over something similar in one of my classes and the prof. was quick to point out the following research problems:

 

1) As you pointed out they were studying the brains of deceased HIV victims. Now this was probably very convenient since you can't exactly hack open anyone's head and have look, and presumably in the time period that this study was conducted the majority of HIV victims were gay. However, I think the majority of scientists - if not the majority of people - would agree that it's not the best idea in the world to look at a diseased population in an attempt to make inferences about the general population.

 

2) Assuming point one is irrelevant you're still faced with the causality vs. correlation problem. Again, as my prof. pointed out there's evidence that the activities, learning, and experiences that one has affects one's brain structure/regions. In other words it might be that the differences in sizes of certain brain regions are due to the activities and experiences associated with being gay versus the differences in brain regions causing one to partake in the activities, experiences, etc. associated with being gay.

 

Now, exactly how this anomaly occurs is beyond me. It could be a rogue gene within a persons DNA, or it could be a simple mutation cause by any number of things (such as environment).

I believe it's been postulated before that perhaps the genes that might cause male homosexuality are linked to female fertility and that thus it was an advantageous gene/set of genes to pass along (in much the same way that having ONE gene for sickle-cell anemia inoculates against Malaria and it's only when someone has BOTH genes for it that they have the blood disorder).

 

Anyway, who cares? Let's just enjoy it

 

Although logically, if it were genes then we would see many gays in some bloodlines and few in others.

I have quite a few gay and lesbian friends, and a very high number of them do have other gay and lesbian people in their families (and that's just the ones that I know about, several others may also but simply not have mentioned it to me).

 

Were it environmental then we would find gays more in certain areas than others (this is hard to find since many gays will move to gay friendly areas, thereby destroying any chance of in-depth study).

And even ruling out people who migrate and only looking at natives of an area, you're still going to have skewed results simply because it's easier to be out in some areas versus others.

 

Great points, Robbie!

 

It is easier to say I'm gay because name your BS reason than I'm gay and it's none of your f-ing business.

My favourite quote about this is currently in Ieshwar's signature (I hope you don't mind me quoting it, Ieshwar ):

 

"My mother made me a homosexual"

"If I give her the fabric will she make me one too?"

 

(I hope I remembered that quote correctly)

 

Anyway, it's just like I've always said, when someone says "you're choosing to be gay", I think it much more preferable to respond "Yeah, so what?", than to get into an argument with them.

 

Just my thoughts on the matter,

Take care all and have a great day!

Kevin

[glomph]

The choice/not-choice argument is often largely political and based on the assumption that if it's a choice, then it's OK to deny certain folks basic constitutional rights and such, and conversely if it's not a choice, then that's not OK.

 

I don't agree with the assumption, so I'm not in agreement with either side of that debate.

 

P.S.

 

As for a movie making you gay, I wonder how many teenage boys watched the recent high school musical sequel on Disney. All those musical production numbers and Zac Efron shirtless, it was sure to have an effect.

 

There was even a not-so-subtle subplot about the almost stereotypically gay rich younger brother and his eventual acceptance by the jocks. Look at the scene and musical production number on the baseball field.

Edited September 4, 2007 by glomph

[Benji]

The choice/not-choice argument is often largely political and based on the assumption that if it's a choice, then it's OK to deny certain folks basic constitutional rights and such, and conversely if it's not a choice, then that's not OK.

 

.........Well said!!

 

I don't agree with the assumption, so I'm not in agreement with either side of that debate.

 

P.S.

 

As for a movie making you gay, I wonder how many teenage boys watched the recent high school musical sequel on Disney. All those musical production numbers and Zac Efron shirtless, it was sure to have an effect.

 

......A movie making you gay!! BS LOL!!

There was even a not-so-subtle subplot about the almost stereotypically gay rich younger brother and his eventual acceptance by the jocks. Look at the scene and musical production number on the baseball field.