Homosexuality

[Ned]

Dr. Strangelove, well if the point about "the pill" and lack of cause and effect, either we don't understand the mechanism very well, or perhaps the whole theory is bunk.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
Man, I would LOVE to be a lesbian.

You know you don't get to have a penis anymore, and you have to screw ugly fat chicks.

[Lancer]

[Ben Kenobi]

Yes, clearly those people who decapitate themselves will be unable to get much further use out of their brain.

I nominate a few Christian and Muslim fundamentalists to test this hypothesis....

What if the tests show that we have better function after becoming a Christian?

[Dr Strangelove]

There haven't been any well designed histological studies of gay and straight cadaver brains, so the data from the studies done in the past is suspect. They compared the size of certain cell clusters in the brains of cadavers of straight men and gay men. There were several probelems in the study, among which were the very small number of subjects studied (less than ten), and the disparities between the two groups. The straight group tended to be much older introducing the possibility that some of them might have suffered from degenerative brain diseases. A large portion of the gay group died of AIDS, which we know now infects the brain in addition to the immune systema and other organ systems. The thing is AFAIK the study was never repeated, which is often a sign that the result was not repeatable because it was based on errors of technique or design.

[Ben Kenobi]

There were several probelems in the study, among which were the very small number of subjects studied (less than ten),

Interesting. I didn't know that Dr. Strangelove.

[MrFun]

There used to be an era when whites held unquestionable faith in scientific racism.

[chequita guevara]

What's your point?

[Pekka]

Your med-student daughter?? Wait.. I thought you were about my age? Jeesh, you're an old fart!

But that's ok.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
What's your point?

That maybe the theories on brain differences between gays and straights is bogus, just as theories on brain differences between races has been shown to be bogus.

[chequita guevara]

It was a gay researcher who first noticed the differences between gay and straight brains. Gays immediately jumped upon this as proof that they were naturally gay, since if they were naturally gay, then it was unfair to persecute them for something that wasn't their fault (as if it would be okay to persecutate gays if they had made a choice to be gay--but unfortunately some people do think that way).

[MrFun]

We do not have to rely on the "it's not a choice" argument to advocate for equal rights.


Peope choose their religious beliefs, for example, yet we affirm that people should have equal rights regardless of one's religion.



I am weary of relying too heavily on the "it's not a choice" argument for advocacy of equal rights regardless of sexual orientation. Yes, I believe that sexual orientation is NOT a choice, but until we know exactly how it develops . . . . . .

[Agathon]

I want to know the genetic cause of the gay predilection for musical theatre.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by MrFun
Peope choose their religious beliefs, for example, yet we affirm that people should have equal rights regardless of one's religion.

The difference is more people respect religion than homosexuality. In a better world, there'd be more gay people than religionists, and far more respect for the former than the latter.

[MrFun]

Until I know for certain how sexual orientation develops, I'm not going to rely exclusively on the argument, "it's not a choice" because there are other, and perhaps, even more effective, ways to advocate for equal rights.