If, on the other hand, you consider someone to be gay only if they act on their same-sex attraction then being gay can be considered a choice depending on an individual's behavior.īut the real question is, does this really matter? If a person is an adult, is it anyone's business whom he or she is attracted to or has sexual relations with? Whether science can ultimately prove the biology of being gay or not, it's important to support all adults in their choices no matter how they identify. It very much appears that same-sex sexual attraction is not a choice but acting on it is so if you define gay as the mere presence of same-sex attraction, then from everything we understand, being gay is not a choice. Is Being Gay a Choice?Ĭonsidering whether people choose to be gay is complex. While psychological factors may increase the likelihood that someone is gay, no single factor is known to cause homosexuality.
Psychological reasons also appear to be part of why a person is gay. 4 Why Are People Gay? – Psycho-Social Reasons The connections in the amygdala and the corpus callosum have both been shown to be different depending on the sexual orientation of the individual. The precise genes involved in the causes of being gay have not yet been identified but they appear to come from the mother.Īdditionally, some studies have found that the brains from homosexuals differ from the brains of heterosexuals. Psycat games Gay quiz: This test is designed to reveal your sexual orientation if you are not sure of it. This test will help to determine if you exhibit some of the common signs of homosexuality. Study of family history reveals that homosexual men have more homosexuals in their family tree than do heterosexuals." Quizlagoon gay test: Another test to try out if you're doubting your sexuality is the Quizlagoon gay test. "In recent years, evidence has accumulated that a homosexual orientation is inherited. Modern science is working to show that genetics is one of the causes of being gay, although some science conflicts in this area. (read: Cure the Gay: Gay Conversion Therapy – Real or Hoax?) The reasons people are gay are both physiological and psychological.
No one knows for certain why any individual is gay, but the current thought is that being gay is not a choice. In other words, 5-10% of people experience same-sex sexual attraction or behavior of course, this doesn't speak to what makes people gay. "Of, pertaining to, or exhibiting sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person or persons of one's own sex." The simplest answer is to look at the definition of the word "gay." The term gay is a synonym for homosexual, which is defined as, 1,2 Possible impact for sociology now and in the future.Estimates as to the number of gay people in the population range from 1-in-20 to 1-in-10, so why are some people gay? Are they gay by choice or is being gay genetic? Working at the national and international levels, the AssociationĪims to articulate policy and impleme nt programs likely to have the broadest Services to its members and to promote the vitality, visibility, and diversity Through its Executive Office, is well positioned to provide a unique set of About 20 percent of the members work in government,Īs the national organization for sociologists, the American Sociological Association, Sociologists who are faculty members at colleges and universities, researchers,
With over 13,200 members, ASA encompasses Membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific disciplineĪnd profession serving the public good. The American Sociological Association (ASA), founded in 1905, is a non-profit Promoting the Contributions and Use of Sociology to Society We discuss how the assignment and ensuing discussions encourage heterosexual students to explore their homophobia and heterosexism and facilitates their empathy for GLBT students.Īmerican Sociological Association Mission Statement:Īdvancing Sociology as a Science and Profession We feel it is important for heterosexual students, as part of their assimilating knowledge about sexual orientation, to comprehend as closely as possible what the coming out experience might be like. Although this letter is never actually sent, it becomes the "raw data" that the student uses to analyze his/her reaction to the assignment and pertinent issues related to it. For heterosexual students to experience the fears of being identified as gay, an experiential written assignment was created for a Sex, Gender, and Society class in which heterosexual students write a "coming out" letter to a person of their choice.
Such discourses may help heterosexual students intellectually understand the dangers and delights of coming out, but do not enable them to experience related emotions. Specific discourses exist around "coming out" in gay and lesbian communities.