Ray Brown, an author, writes that he has many companions as a homosexual with the most faithful of all being depression. The quote follows the debate that has been in existence since the 90s on whether homosexuality is a choice. Many have chosen to view it as such following their religious notions or cultural conventions. Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon, and presidential aspirant remain faithful that homosexuality is a choice ( health24, 2015) . However, modern science, research, and societal knowledge prove otherwise. Despite the many suspicious minds that choose to remain on the side that undermines and segregates the LGBTs for whom they are, science confirms otherwise. The following paper argues that homosexuality is not a choice but rather a natural occurring event.
Forty years of intense research on whether homosexuality is a choice by the APA sheds light on the issue. According to American Psychological Association (APA) ( health24, 2015), LGB is not a mental disorder or illness, as many believe with a lack of identifiable similarities with psychopathology. The truth following this conclusion is that both the heterosexuals and homosexuals behave in the same mannerisms of the human sexuality ( health24 , 2013). Psychology understands that people express their orientation in sexuality via behaviors , which are intended to bond. Such actions include kissing and holding hands. On the contrary , the non-affectionate behaviors entail the feeling of needing love and attachment. Therefore, sexual orientation is hardly a characteristic of a person but rather elaborates a multitude of individuals where one has the possibility of finding satisfaction and romantic fulfillment following that relationships are crucial parts of the personal identity ( health24 , 2013).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
APA states that sexual preference emerges during the mid-childhood and teenage years and marks the same period where one discovers their LGB status. However, there is no proof showing that anything causes the preference . The American psychology association conducted a study that confirmed higher rates of depression among the gay men as compared to those that are straight ( health24, 2015) . However, contrary to the common likening of gays to mental disorder, the association indicates that the high levels of depression accrue from stigmatization and segregation of the gays from the society. Therefore, gays are not caused by mental disorders of any kind. In fact, “coming out as a gay” is one way of reducing the levels of depression and frustration among the LGBT (American Psychology Association, 2013).
Modern science insists that being a homosexual is not a choice. So evident is the fact that Ben Carson recently apologized for his remarks, which stated that homosexuality was utterly a personal choice although he has not backed down on his stand (Ghose, 2015). Most scientists disagree with his position following that extensive scientific studies show that a person cannot change their sexual orientation based on want. Moreover, changing sexual orientation causes great anguish to one’s mind (Ghose, 2015). In a bid to elaborate this newfound evidence, scientists explain the biological origin. Human beings are not the only species in the world that have the same-sex pairing. A good example is the Japanese Macaques that partakes in energetic sexual stimulation (Herek, 2000). Other animals like the lions, chimpanzees, dolphins, and bison have frequently been spotted in same-sex pairings and so have been approximately one hundred and thirty bird species seen engaging in sexual activities of the same sex (Ghose, 2015). The fact that animals show same-sex characteristics downplays the notion that the same in humans is a modern innovation of the mind (Ghose, 2015).
Indeed, science has not yet found particular “gay genes” that definitely make one gay; however, some do make one be a likelier gay. A study in the Psychological Medicine in 2014 confirmed a gene on the X chromosome called the Xq28 and another on chromosome 8 to be highly prevalent in gay men (Ghose, 2015). The study involved more than four hundred gay brothers and followed a report by geneticist Dean Hamer in the year 1993, which implied that homosexuality, ran in families and thus suggesting of a gene (Ghose, 2015). Therefore, it is more likely to have identical twins that share all genes being both gays than it is for the fraternal ones. Such studies indicate a significant influence of genes on the sexual preferences and orientations of the male versus the female identical twins (Ghose, 2015).
Orientation change cannot in any way be a choice (Ghose, 2015). If one wishes to become gay, they should be able to do so. However, most of those that are gay insist that it is a deep attraction ingrained in them and cannot be redirected or shut down quickly (Ghose, 2015). Studies are very clear on such issues according to the American Psychology Association in 2013 that indicates treatments of gays can have adverse effects on them and worsen their feelings (Klugger, 2015). Scientific studies show that sexual orientation is fixed for the men when they get to puberty while the female show high erotic plasticity and thus have their sexual description shaped by culture, love, and experience as compared to the men (Ghose, 2015). Nevertheless, studies show that women who switch lifestyles from gay to straight doing not stop being attracted to the female counterparts (Klugger, 2015). Therefore, a person can change their sexual behavior but not their orientation.
If the conventions of the society are anything to go by, then it homosexuality would be understood from two perspectives. The opinions of people in the community suggest that homosexuality is a lie (Eichenwald, 2015). Hundreds of these gay men and women do not choose to be beaten up in the social media, cut off from families and be in societies that have other people dictating their rights (Eichenwald, 2015). However, one cannot choose the reactions of their nervous system that is responsible for the involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate and sexual arousal. The religious people hold bias notions regarding gays and their coming into being . Well, Eichenwald (2015) argues that teachers regularly slapped his grandfather when he used the left hand to right telling him that it was a choice as the bible stated the left hand was the side of Satan. On the contrary , the right hand was the great side of the Almighty God according to the Exodus scripture that remarks God blesses with the right and curses with the left (Eichenwald, 2015). The teachers attempted to make the grandfather write with his right-hand side through all means like tying down the left hand, something that adversely affected his grandfather in his adulthood. However, left-handedness is determined before birth and the superstition that forces people discriminate left-handed people has far gone down following the scientific evidence regarding the same. Therefore, saying that homosexuality is a choice is similar to saying that left-handedness is a choice.
Summary
Numerous arguments have existed for years concerning homosexuality as being a personal choice. Well, part of the society believes gays and lesbians chose to become who they are, but science, research, and civil insight have come a long way to prove otherwise. The new evidence outweighs the common knowledge and beliefs that people hold on to dearly and thus imply that homosexuality is not a choice but rather an occurrence of nature.
References
Eichenwald, K. (2015). The problem with homosexual 'blame' Newsweek Retrieved 5 November 2016, from http://europe.newsweek.com/gay-choice-science-homosexuality-326867?rm=eu
Ghose, T. (2015). Being Gay Not a Choice: Science Contradicts Ben Carson . Live Science . Retrieved 5 November 2016, from http://www.livescience.com/50058-being-gay-not-a-choice.html
Health24, (2015). The verdict is in: homosexuality is not a choice . Health24 . Retrieved 5 November 2016, from http://www.health24.com/Sex/Sexual-diversity/The-verdict-is-in-homosexuality-is-not-a-choice-20150807
Herek, G. M. (2000). The psychology of sexuality prejudice. Current directions in psychological science , 9 (1), 19-22.
Kluger, J. (2015). How Science Proves Ben Carson Wrong on Homosexuality . TIME.com . Retrieved 5 November 2016, from http://time.com/3733480/ben-carson-gay-choice-science/
