In the argument that homosexuality is/is not a choice, is there any way that both sides can be correct?

[Sophia Estelle]

My sister often brings up political debates on her Facebook, typically on the subjects of homosexuality and abortion. In regards to the homosexuality debates, there are two sides. My sister, parents, and a group of their friends argue that homosexuality is a choice. The other side argue that it is not a choice.

Is there any way both of these sides, in their own way, can be equally correct in whether they think it is/is not a choice?

[zellparis]

no, only the choice side is right and a disgusting choice it is

[HoneyLissaBee]

I think there is a way both sides can be correct in their views as to whether homosexuality is a choice or not. The problem is that these groups generally have different views on what defines a person as homosexual.

Most of my liberal friends view homosexuality as the physical attraction to someone of the same sex. If a male is sexually attracted to other males, then he is homosexual. On the other hand, many of my conservative friends believe that this man will have to perform sexual acts with another man to make him homosexual.

In this case, both groups can be correct in saying homosexuality is or is not a choice. The problem is, their views on the definition of homosexuality are different. I do believe that a person cannot help their attraction/feelings towards a person. In that sense, sexual orientation is not a choice. However, if the definition depends on acting upon these attractions, then that is a choice. A person can choose whether they have sex with someone of the same sex.

Basically, these people are arguing- but they aren't even talking about the same thing. There's no common ground to these debates.

[Anony Mous]

no, you cannot choose who you are attracted to - end of - enviromental factors may play a part, eg when i was about 7 i was exposed to lesbian pornography on my brother's laptop when drawing on Paint, whether that had an effect on me I don't know

[Janessa]

No, I think only one side can be correct and most evidence seems to point to it being something a person is born with.

[Hank H.]

Nope because it is not a choice to be homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, or asexual. You can choose not to act on your attractions, or you can choose to try to make it work with someone you're not attracted to, but nobody has any control over what does and does not attract them.

[Olivia Skylar]

It is not a choice.

I don't know the cause of my sexuality,
maybe I was born gay, maybe I have a gay gene, maybe it's something else,
but I do know I did not choose to be gay!

Why would anyone in the right mind choose to be gay? It does not make life easier, it does not make your dating life easier. Why would anyone choose to be treated as a minority?

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What arguments does your sister have? What makes her believe it is a choice?
And how do you feel about it?

It would be great if you could put the answers to these questions in your additional details.. I'm wondering...

[Tony O]

Very few people are exclusively heterosexual or homosexual it depends on were they sit on the Kinsey scale. Some lean more to one end of the scale to the other and then it becomes a choice as to what you prefer.

[Crim Liar]

If you have the ability (whether taken or not) to choose then you are bisexual not homosexual.

I don't think I can distill that any further.

[Bran the Man]

It's hard to say, really.

I'm gay. I've always been homosexual and I've never had even the slightest attraction to someone of the opposite sex. I've been with my boyfriend for five years and we are the most stable couple out of most of the other couples I know (both heterosexual and homosexual). I didn't wake up one day and say, "You know what, I think I'm going to be attracted to men now. I'll also fall in love with one."...the same goes for straight people. They can't "decide" to be attracted to the same sex, and NO ONE can force themselves to fall in love with any random person.

I don't believe anyone chooses it. Someone who is attracted to both men and women is simply bisexual.

The only choice a homosexual person has is whether or not to act on their nature - and yes, it's nature to them, otherwise they'd have been attracted to the opposite sex long before. If a homosexual "chooses" to not pursue a romantic or sexual relationship with the same-sex, that doesn't suddenly make them heterosexual. The feelings are still there.