Korean Job Discussion Forums

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

I had a conversation about this question with a female co-worker a couple of days ago, partly because I've lived in Korea for several years and might be a bit "out of touch" with things at home.

Basically, I've always believed that sexual orientation was something you were born with, not something you choose. Partly, the reasons were political: if people are born straight or gay, if it's genetically inherent, then it's illogical and irrational to discriminate against homosexuals. This is based on the argument that if people are born straight or born gay, then homosexuality is not an 'abnormal lifestyle choice' as some conservative Christians would have us believe, but is instead simply a normal variation in human nature.

Nowadays, I think, people are willing to be more open-minded and experiment about the choices available to them. But, for example, if a woman has some fun with the same gender for a while, but then eventually gets married and settles down with a guy, was she ever really lesbian in the first place?

And, if you "explore your sexuality" with the same sex, but basically feel you have more fun and satisfaction with the opposite sex, are you being deceitful to people who are 'truly' gay?

** puzzled **

magicwolfman · Joined: 01 Sep 2005

homosexuality is a choice, plain and simple.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

Sharpen your pencils for "Gay Or A Stud II- the revenge"

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

Troll_Bait · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:32 am Post subject:

A study showed that German women who were pregnant during the Allied bombing raids (and thus had higher levels of stress hormones in their bodies, which can easily cross the placenta and into the fetus) were much more likely to give birth to homosexual children.

It's one of many studies indicating that there is a strong biological component in homosexual orientation.

Male hormone levels in womb may affect sexual orientation, study says
March 29, 2000

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/03/29/gay.fingers/

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

I hope nobody thinks that the thread itself is intended as a troll. It isn't, and I apologize if it comes across that way. I guess I'm just curious about people's opinions on the subject nowadays.

I've always thought that there was a biological component to homosexuality/hetersexuality, in that it's common to meet people who are not interested in the opposite sex/same sex in a romantic or sexual manner. But if there are people who feel comfortable 'exploring their sexuality', (maybe not forever) regardless of whether or not they feel they are 'native' straight/queer folk...I wonder if this changes the landscape, so to speak. Does it mean that culture has a bigger influence on sexual orientation than previously thought?

It also raises the question, 'even if sexual orientation is a lifestyle choice, so what?' I think we'd all agree that people have the right to have the kind of relationships they feel most comfortable with.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

the thread isn't trolling- but this topic came up before and went for 35+ pages of endless moral / biological / emotive arguments that went nowhere.

I think it's an interesting question that for some reason doesn't translate well to this message board.

Anyway- we'll see!

kermo · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:23 am Post subject:

I heard an interesting sociobiological theory about whether homosexuality could be genetic. It's tricky, because you'd think that people who are less inclined toward reproductive sex would be generally unsuccessful at passing on their genes. However, this theory proposed that men who were less traditionally "masculine" might give their genes a better chance at survival by staying around the home-front and helping raise and protect the children, their nieces and nephews for example.
The stressed-mothers-homosexual-children study is an interesting one that I hadn't heard.

My university psychology textbook proposes a fairly convincing sociological mechanism explaining homosexual tendencies. I wonder if I can explain it adequately. The idea was that children who exhibit traits which are atypical for their gender will often be ridiculed or cast out by their same-sex peers. That tension leads to a desire for acceptance and excitement which can manifest as sexual desire. No, I don't suppose I did a very good job of explaining it, but maybe you get the picture.

Fredbob · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:23 am Post subject:

There will never be a definitive answer one way or the other because there is no conclusive way to determine a cause, there are too many factors to consider. Therefore the simplest answer is that some people are born that way, some people choose to be that way and for some people both genetic and developmental factors come into play. Each side has just as much research, some legit and some not, "proving" their point and for that matter there is substantial research proving that human are born bisexual because they do not differentiate between pleasurable stimilus presented to by men or women. Of course this also depends upon your definition of sexuality. I say, believe what need to believe if it doesn't hurt anyone and it gets you through the day.
-I'm dreading the submit key right now, really hoping there isn't as much ignorance and intolerance on this board as I sometimes think there is.

Yo!Chingo · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: Seoul Korea

I've always felt that homosexuality is for the most part genetic. In the past I hung out with many gay males, never any females, and would always ask them about when they knew that they were gay. The answer 95% of times was that they had always prefered males. I even had one friend tell me about the 1st time he had sex with a female. He said that he was imagining a guy he knew just to get through it!
I find it hard to believe that anyone would chose to have a lifestyle in which they would be ostracised unless their was no choice.

Troll_Bait · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 1:43 am Post subject:

One of my psychology professors pointed out that while many people think of sexual orientation as being "either/or" (like being pregnant or not) sexual orientation actually exists on a continuum.

At one end are a few very homosexual people. As you move along towards the other end of the spectrum, people become less homosexual, then begin to become bi-sexual, then cross over into the "more hetero- than homo-" territory, and then finally heterosexual.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Xian · Joined: 08 Jan 2006

http://www.stonewallrevisited.com/pages/sy_r.html

This is the story of Sy Rogers, a former homosexual man. It talks about aspects of his life including being on the verge of having a sex change operation.

Here are some others for anyone interested in reading the stories of many similar people who were living a gay lifestyle and changed.

http://home.messiah.edu/~chase/h/testimon/index.htm