Ryan Sorba’s bigoted comments at CPAC have prompted some bloggers to again raise the question of whether homosexuality is a choice. Is it something behavioral, or predetermined by genetics?
Bryan Caplan points to some evidence that sexual orientation is highly influenced by genes. As I understand it, it’s not determined by genetic factors, but it’s not a choice, either. Often these debates about homosexuality are framed as differences between self-aware willful behavior and genetic determinations. With sexual orientation, it’s neither.
What does the science say? It’s the prenatal environment. Scientists now actually understand how hormonal mechanisms in the womb produce sexual orientation. This pertains to sexual preference, not behavior. There are heterosexuals who engage in sexual activity with persons of the same sex, and there are homosexuals who engage in sexual activity with persons of the opposite sex. It’s quite tragic when homosexuals repress their sexuality because of societal pressures, because doing so is quite psychologically unhealthy.
Of course, that sexual preference is not a choice should be completely irrelevant anyway, politically. It is completely illegitimate to attempt to use the force of the state to prohibit any kind of consensual sexual behavior between adults.
Sorba, and those who share his worldview, haven’t escaped the morality of our evolutionary ancestors. Modern conservatives assess the morality of homosexuality on a dimension of purity, a value which is easily explained in an evolutionary context, but is foreign to us modern liberals.
Thank you for sharing this information with us, because I was going mad thinking that I was sick and not normal, though I tried to be straight my hole life but something inside me was not right. Due to family and religion I thought that I was damned. Now; I know that it is mother nature’s works not I nor a choice I am making but it is my norm… Thank you again and if you have any more info please do Email it to me @ samuelanajjar@gmail.com