Is Homosexuality Natural?

There's an old saying that the surest way to get into an argument with someone is to discuss one of two subjects: politics or religion.  While that may be true, it is not necessarily the complete truth, because that list of hot topics should be expanded to include homosexuality in general, and this question in particular.  This question has long been the subject of fiercely heated debate; few others can open that proverbial "can of worms" like the issue of nature vs. nurture.

I feel that homosexuality is an issue that can never be fully understood unless it has been a part of your personal experience; if you have never experienced homosexual feelings or had to deal with the related issues that arise from them...either for yourself, or because of a friend or loved one in your life who is gay...then there is no possible way that you could even begin to comprehend it, and you are therefore not even qualified to be debating the question in the first place!  With that said, here are my views on the subject.

The first problem that we encounter when trying to answer this question, is that no one seems to be able to agree on exactly how the word “natural” is to be defined in this case.  Using the most common definition of the word, natural is defined as “anything that exists in or is created by nature.”  Accepting that definition of natural, the question then becomes: does homosexuality occur in nature?  If one makes a thorough enough study of that question, they will find hundreds of examples that homosexual behavior occurs among every species of living creature in nature on a daily basis!  Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable to state that homosexuality among human beings is natural as well!

Homosexual people are as ordinary as any other group of people, and we have existed since the beginning of time.  We come from every walk of life, and in every form of appearance.  We enter the world in the same manner as every other type of person.  Anyone who takes the time to really know us would immediately see that our lives are no different than those of any other group in society.  We are not alien invaders hatched from pods; we are not clones created in a mad scientist's laboratory; therefore, it stands to reason that the definition of natural stated above would apply to us every bit as much as it applies to anyone or anything else!

I have never understood the logic that leads people to believe that homosexuality is chosen; it is just a complete mystery to me how anyone could ever arrive at that conclusion.  Consider how gay people are regarded by the rest of society.  We are hated; we are socially ostracized; we are accused of “recruiting” people into our lifestyle; we are accused of being child molesters, and sometimes even far more heinous things...and that's without even mentioning the horrible acts of violence that are often perpetrated against those of us who are gay.  A person would have to be completely out of their mind to deliberately choose something that invites so much prejudice, hatred and ridicule into their lives.

Even though it has been more than thirty-five years since the medical and scientific communities removed homosexuality from their lists of mental disorders, and in spite of the fact that there is an ever-growing amount of data which suggests that there is a genetic link to homosexuality, that evidence is still mostly ignored.  And those in religious and political power have done everything they can to discredit this information as false; unfortunately, people are still all-too-content to believe the rhetoric that these leaders are so fond of spouting.

But let's stop and think about this for a moment.  As a straight person, could you ever be persuaded to change your sexual orientation and become gay?  No?  I didn't think so.  Have you ever been approached by someone on the street or at your front door who has asked you to become gay?  No?  Well, so much for the idea that we “recruit” folks into the gay lifestyle.  There's two grossly stereotypical myths shot to hell!  As for the whole child molester thing, (which, by the way, turns my stomach), all you have to do is read a few statistics which can be provided to you by any law enforcement agency to see that the largest percentage of sexual molestation acts that are perpetrated against minors are committed by straight white males.

Since I am a homosexual person, I am very much aware that most people out there will automatically assume that my statements in this article are nothing more than an attempt to defend my “choice” to be gay, and will therefore dismiss them as untrue.  However, I can assure you that they are nothing of the sort.  Regardless of what others may say, homosexuality is not a choice, and it cannot be changed.  Therefore I have no need to defend my natural orientation, which I believe to be a wonderful gift from my loving Creator.

Gay people cannot change our attraction to members of the same gender any more than straight people could change their attraction to members of the opposite gender.  If there is anyone on earth who knows that from personal experience, I do; it is a lesson that I spent most of my life learning the hard way.  If you have read any of my past articles, my inner struggle about these issues is made more than clear.  I spent years living in total denial of my sexuality, and trying desperately to “change myself.”  I tried everything I could think of to do that; so believe me, if there were a way to change one's orientation, I would have found it.