Comment by Todd on December 5, 2009 at 10:54am

I am used to christians arguing that homosexuality is a "lifestyle choice". This week, I also has the misfortune to hear similar arguments coming from a muslim on twitter.

He started the argument by asking if I had ever raised sheep or goats. When I answered no, he launched in to a long story about homosexual acts among goats. Apparently, if you put a bunch of male goats together without any females, a gay goat orgy will be the result. Once female goats are present however, they will end their wanton ways, and revert to heterosexual goat sex instead.

His next approach was to declare that homosexuality results from a lack of affection as a child. In particular, a lack of affection from a father can cause a male child to seek out this affection from other men as an adult.

The next approach was one I never expected. In order to argue that sexual orientation is not fixed, he made the claim that all men have homosexual urges but do not act on them. Apparently, all of my straight friends have been lying to me and to themselves for years now.

It is pretty much the same types of arguments that the "ex-gay" christians in the US have been making for years. You know, the thoroughly discredited ex-gay movement.

First there is the total emphasis on sexual acts. Sexual orientation is about who you are attracted to. It is not about who you have sex with. Religious people always emphasis the sexual act over all else though.

When they assert that gay people can change, all they really mean is that gay people can stop having gay sex.

Of course, he brings forth all of these theories without the slightest bit of evidence. However, when I assert that sexual attraction is fixed, he immediately demands evidence from me.

Of course, I sent on the article about the American Psychological Association which he simply ignored altogether.

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION CHANGE EFFORTS WORK, ...

What I find interesting is the amount of time that some heterosexuals spend worrying about gay people. Every year some new study comes out that "explains" why people are gay.

Personally, though, I really don't care why people are gay.

What I do care about is the ignorance of people who think that someone's sexual orientation can be changed. This ignorance has caused a massive amount of suffering thanks to the friendly religious morons who keep pushing it.

Can gay people pretend to be straight? Sure. For a while at least. Just like John Paulk, the former leader of Focus on the Family's "Love won out" ex-gay program. He claimed to have completely overcome being gay. He even married an ex-lesbian. Then, in 2000, someone in a Washington D.C. gay bar recognizes him. Oops.

Many gay people, myself included, grew up in a psychotic, ultra-conservative, religious family where being gay was worse than committing murder. I know what it is to hide who you are, and I know first hand the damage it causes.

The failure of the ex-gay movement has led some christians to change their policy on homosexuals. These christians recognize that gay people cannot change their orientation, and they do not see this as a problem. Instead, these christians encourage gay people to simply live a life of celibacy. Like I said, it is always about sex with these people.

Sure, celibacy. The catholics have been doing it for 2000 years, and look what it has done for them.

Okay christians, how about this solution. I will commit myself to celibacy when you provide some hard evidence that your religion is not total bullshit. I don't think I will hold my breath on that one.

Sure. I could pretend to be something I am not in order to please people who believe in talking donkeys, but why would I want to.

I think Mystique said it best in the second X-Men movie.

Nightcrawler: "Excuse me. They say you can imitate anybody?<".

Nightcrawler: "Then why not stay in disgui

Comment by Todd on December 5, 2009 at 11:00am

Hmmm. Apparently comments have a character limit.

Let's try the quote again.

Nightcrawler: "Excuse me. They say you can imitate anybody?".

Nightcrawler: "Then why not stay in disguise all the time? You know, look like everyone else?"

Mystique: "Because we shouldn't have to."

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