Being Gay Research Paper

The gay personality may be determined during a child’s early years of development or throughout the individual’s life. A lesbian or gay individual like heterosexual individuals are influenced by family, peers, and society. Family structure, social factors, and cognition and conditioning help the development of sexual identity (Kwiatkowski, 2010). The child while living with the parents, adopt many of the customs and values the parents emphasize. The parents may stress the importance of gender roles in the household which the child may learn to

A highly debated issue concerning homosexuality is whether sexual-orientation is biologically determined or if it is a socially learned behavior. One case study done about this topic gathered that “the homosexual desire seems in most cases to be implanted in those who develop an unusually strong attachment for one parent” (Cory 1951:67). This seems to suggest that homosexuality can be influenced by family structure or other sociological elements. On the other side of this argument, there is the belief that people are born either gay or straight. Even though there is no scientific or genetic evidence to prove this, there have been many studies done and most homosexuals interviewed take this view-point. McIntosh states, “[homosexuality] is still commonly seen as a condition characterizing certain persons in the way that birthplace or deformity might characterize them” (1968:182). To support their cause and to fight for acceptance in society, it would be beneficial to convince people that sexual orientation is biologically determined. “Research indicates that people who believe that homosexuality is a choice are more likely to condemn it than are those who believe gays and lesbians are born that way”

Not only can this result in self harm but also a lifestyle of homosexuality. Richard Garson is a training and supervising analyst who wrote a January 30, 2011 article called, Talking about Sexuality on Abused Boys and who They Become. Richard Garson did an investigation on the question of whether mentally and sexually abused childhoods increase the likelihood of same sex relationships. This investigation concluded, “Findings from this investigation provide tentative support for a sexual relationship between childhood sexual abuse and same sex sexual relationships, but this relationship appeared only for men. That is, men with histories of childhood sexual abuse were more likely than men in a control group to report same sex sexual partnerships” (Garson 1). Although this investigation only clarifies for men it still shows that an abused childhood can be the underlining factor of why one chose this lifestyle. This investigation also stated, “A physically abused childhood can cause a same sex relationship but also a mind transition. Nevertheless, a heterosexual boy is likely to doubt himself, wondering why he was chosen by a man for sex. A homosexual boy may feel rushed into considering himself gay, or may hate his homosexuality because he believes it was caused by his abuse” (Garson 1). Tavaun Moore an openly gay male was interviewed and asked how being molested affected him as a child. In Tavaun’s answer he stated, “As much pain as being raped and molested caused me I look at

It is a fair assumption to say that America is approaching a new age in understanding and accepting the many variations of human sexual orientation. More same-sex couples have fostered children than ever before in our nation 's history. Institutions such as military and professional sports have (slowly but surely) began to accept openly gay members. Most importantly, a recent amendment to the Marriage Act of 1961 now defines marriage as a union of two people; an amendment which removed the prohibition of same-sex marriages. These landmarks in the progression of social awareness surrounding sexual orientation are derivative of scientific findings disputing the "choice" theory. As outlined in Simon LeVay 's book, Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why, the result of someone 's sexual orientation "emerges from the prenatal sexual differentiation of the brain" (LeVay 2011: 271) What LeVay means in this context is, "whether a person ends up gay or straight depends in large part on how this process of biological differentiation goes forward, with the lead actors being genes, sex hormones, and the brain systems" (LeVay 2011: 271). Much research, proven and theoretical, has been done on the concept of what makes people gay. Many factors surrounding socialization in regards to sexual orientation have undergone extensive scientific scrutiny (LeVay 2011: 77). Although there is evidence that suggests social and environmental elements play a role in sexual orientation, it is

“While I don 't believe the environment can "make someone gay", it certainly can influence their willingness to accept their sexuality and/or to "come out" to others. In communities where intolerance is frowned upon and society in general is "gay-friendly", a gay child is more likely to feel comfortable both with his/her own sexual orientation, and with sharing this information with family or friends. On the other hand, in places where homosexuality is frowned upon or even punished, they are more likely to keep it hidden, or even deny it to themselves.

In one article by Marcia Malory, “Homosexuality & Choice: Are Gay People ‘Born This Way’”, she goes into multiple studies on the genetics of a gay child's parents. A study conducted in 1993 the “gay gene” matter arose when it was looked into the homosexual children's parents having a different X chromosome marker. Nonetheless genes do not control our behavior completely as does environment. The brain may also play a role in sexual preference, like the study in 1991 showing the difference in neurons and pituitary glands. Later in the 2000s more studies showed that gay men have more symmetrical hemisphere and amygdala resembles that of women's. The brain develops in the womb and continues through late adulthood. When did a fetus choose its

Even though many people would like to ignore this minority group, thousands of LGBT Christians have felt hated and ostracized by their religious communities creating space for psychological issues as they are forced to believe that something is wrong with them. According to psychology studies on sexuality, humans are sexually aware at a very young age in order to separate the differences between mom and dad and find characteristics between them both which allows them to later on identify the differences between what makes mom, mom, and what makes dad, dad. As the child begins to grow up they experiment with both masculine and feminine roles which gives them a general idea of what they like in the terms of sexuality. According to Erik Erikson's

The impetus of religion and church leaders that drives the acceptance or non-acceptance of nontraditional relationships sexual orientations helps to create within many communities shame and guilt for LGBT individuals. “Beyond the legal restrictions, many communities perceived nontraditional sexuality as something abnormal

There are multiple theories people hold on how they believe homosexuality started or is generally caused. However, after multiple studies and ongoing research the likelihood that it is nature, rather than nurture, based is going strong. Although, as of now, there has been no exact consensus among researchers, after examining possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and/or cultural influences, to prove that homosexuality is completely one or the other, but it is usually found that people cannot choose their sexual orientation, but rather only

As it stands, there is no concrete evidence explaining why some individuals are homosexuals. There are however, two contradictory causes to homosexuality: (1) homosexuality is innate and (2) homosexuality is a choice.

Even though there have been a lot of studies that indicate the biological bases of homosexuality, there are adequate evidence that prove that homosexuality might be base on nurture. Studies conducted by Kinsey in the 1940s imply that homosexuality is a learned behavior [3]. This study stipulate that homosexuality can be influence by your environment and early homosexual experiences. It can also be cause by family abnormality. Most social theorists believe that a child’s play pattern, early peer interaction, and familial patterns can determine sexual orientation. Social theorists such as Jean Foucault believe that homosexuality is a sexual preference.

It has long been debated where our sexual orientation comes from, particularly whether its biological or social forces driving these behaviors. In regards to homosexuality and bisexuals, some have argued that it may be a choice that these individuals are making.(Levay 2012: 41)Some have even said it is a mental disorder that one can recover from, but there is plenty of data that says otherwise.(Levay 2012: 41)(Levay 2012: 65) I believe diverse sexual orientations develop in humans due to sex hormones during fetal life, gene influences, and other effects such as birth order influences. I’ve come to this conclusion based on the narrative provided via Dr. Simon LeVay’s book Gay Straight, and the Reason Why, and the research that has been compiled showing strong influences from a multitude or reasons. I will also be looking at a research paper by Francesca Iemmola and Andrea Camperio Ciani, who looked into genetic factors influencing sexual orientation in men. It is clear there are gender differences between men and women, and this is probably one of the strongest indicators that hormones can affect the outcome of variations in gender traits.

Not only is their childhood experiences a reason a person is not born a homosexual, but biblically speaking it is impossible also. Religiously speaking, being born a homosexual is impossible. In the eye of any believer, the human body is designed for heterosexuality, not homosexuality. In the Bible, it states “…do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers,

Many use their middle and high school years as a path of self-discovery, whether they know it or not. Like most people, I spent most of my life feeling I was like everyone else that was around me: cisgender and heterosexual. In middle school, I began to learn that there was even such a thing as having a different sexuality, though at that age it was all being ridiculed in front of me, and I shrugged the whole ordeal off as being something that had never and would

According to studies done by Simon LeVey, being gay is a biological cause, not a choice made when one is very young. It is also an accepted