Author - Devid Swift | Reading Time - 05 Min | Date - 08/02/2023
Why are some people gay, given that the population's estimated LGBT prevalence ranges from 1 in 20 to 1 in 10? Do they choose to be gay or is it in their genes? But currently online gay test is also available for check your sexuality.
The simplest solution is to look at the term "gay" in its dictionary definition. Gay is a noun that is used to refer to homosexuality, which is described as,1,2."Of, relating to, or showing sexual desire or behavior directed toward one's own sex"
In other words, 5–10% of people exhibit same-sex sexual desire or conduct; naturally, this is unrelated to the question of what constitutes homosexuality. Nobody is gay for particular reasons, but it's currently believed that being gay is not a choice. (Read: Gays are Curable Gay Conversion Therapy – Real or Hoax?) The reasons people are gay are both physiological and psychological.
Why Are People Gay? – Physiology
Modern science is working to show that genetics is one of the causes of being gay, although some science conflicts in this area. According to Psychology Today,3
"In recent years, evidence has accumulated that a homosexual orientation is inherited.
Study of family history reveals that homosexual men have more homosexuals in their family tree than do heterosexuals."
The precise genes involved in the causes of being gay have not yet been identified but they appear to come from the mother.
Additionally, some studies have found that the brains from homosexuals differ from the brains of heterosexuals. The connections in the amygdala and the corpus callosum have both been shown to be different depending on the sexual orientation of the individual.4
Why Are People Gay? – Psycho-Social Reasons
Psychological reasons also appear to be part of why a person is gay. According to Avert.org, what makes people gay may include:5
A female-dominated upbringing in a gay man's past, with an absence of a male role model
Adherence or deviance from conformity to gender roles
Family environment
Individual experiences
An individual's sense of self
While psychological factors may increase the likelihood that someone is gay, no single factor is known to cause homosexuality.
Is Being Gay a Choice?
Considering whether people choose to be gay is complex. It very much appears that same-sex sexual attraction is not a choice but acting on it is; so if you define gay as the mere presence of same-sex attraction, then from everything we understand, being gay is not a choice.
If, on the other hand, you consider someone to be gay only if they act on their same-sex attraction then being gay can be considered a choice depending on an individual's behavior.
But the real question is, does this really matter?
If a person is an adult, is it anyone's business whom he or she is attracted to or has sexual relations with? Whether science can ultimately prove the biology of being gay or not, it's important to support all adults in their choices no matter how they identify.
I work in the field of psychiatry. I don’t bring this up when meeting people unless specifically asked, because very often people get a bit nervous if I do.
There are doubtless many reasons for this, but one recurring paranoia among many I’ve met (all of whom were men, out of interest) is that I’m going to tell them that they’re gay. Because being gay is bad, apparently.
I’m not sure how these guys think homosexuality works or how you end up being gay, but one thing I can confirm is that it’s not my decision. I can’t go around dictating people’s sexual orientations because I’ve got some knowledge of mental and neurological processes.
That would be classed as a very sinister superpower.
Besides, even if I did think they were gay, it’s certainly not something I’m going to bring up when first meeting someone, given how it’s a) irrelevant, and b) none of my damn business.
Others don’t feel the same though. Homosexual members of society can unfortunately expect to regularly be challenged, scrutinised and condemned by belligerent type who are seemingly convinced that homosexuality is a “lifestyle choice”.
This issue has come up again (for what is possibly the 12,456,987,332nd time) for several reasons. There was a recent study that suggests homosexuality is linked to the X chromosome, so is therefore genetic, ie inherent, not a choice.
Also, UK prime minister David Cameron recently made comments that suggest he considers homosexuality the aforementioned “lifestyle choice” (although this could easily have been poorly chosen wording). On top of this, Stephen Fry has recently revealed his engagement to partner Elliot Spencer.
A high-profile homosexual person doing this (or pretty much anything) is certain to get objections from those who “don’t approve”.
Debate around these things is inevitable, and so is the whole “being gay is a choice” accusation. But why is this so persistent? Those saying it seemingly believe it with all sincerity, but what’s the rationale?
Basically, why would someone “choose” homosexuality, like you’d choose a new car or tattoo? As an aside, many point out that sexuality is actually a spectrum with many possible manifestations (eg bisexuality), but that doesn’t seem to be something considered in the “choice” argument.
Firstly, what makes people think homosexuality is a choice in the first place? Most cite religious beliefs, although the notion that religion is flat-out opposed to homosexuality is far from accurate, and getting more uncertain as time progresses. Old style prejudice and paranoia seem to be more involved here.
You could also blame the media, and there may be some validity in this. The mainstream media has always been somewhat blunt or ham-fisted in its portrayal of even heterosexual relationships (for evidence of this, see pretty much any married couple in an advert), so it was a long shot that they’d show homosexuals accurately.
There’s far too much of this to go into here, but one blatant example is the media’s use of lesbianism (which straight men find arousing) to drum up attention.
Normally heterosexual characters suddenly displaying homosexual leanings when a boost in viewing figures are needed is a common trope these days, so you can sort of see how this might make some people think it’s a “choice”, if they lack more realistic examples.
While saying that sexuality is set in stone from birth is also not quite right, the main emphasis of those using the choice argument is that homosexuals have weighed up their options and consciously decided “I am going to be gay from now on”. Assuming this is true (which it clearly isn’t), WHY would they do this?