A Gallup study conducted in 2015 said 51 percent of Americans now believe people are born gay or lesbian. 40 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and 62 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents believe sexuality is assigned before or at birth.
Though public opinion now leans in favor of the “born this way” narrative, there is still no conclusive science proving homosexuality is assigned before birth. According to the American Psychological Association, most people experience little to no choice over their sexual orientation, but no scientific findings permit scientists to conclude sexual orientation is determined “by any particular factor or factors.”
Brandon Ambrosino, a gay man who believes sexuality is not determined by genetics, brings up the danger of the “born this way” argument. He said though it may seem like the “gay is a choice” argument allows for the most discrimination, the “gay gene” argument can be equally, if not more, open to bigotry.
“Is it not equally true that ‘finding a gay gene’ might inspire the same homophobes to ‘find a cure’ for homosexuals?” Ambrosino asked in an article he wrote for BBC. “It doesn’t take too much creativity to imagine a scenario in which homophobic parents, upon being informed their fetus has ‘the gay gene,’ choose what to them may seem the lesser of two evils: abortion.”
It is a frightening scenario to consider, but since there is no way for scientists to determine homosexuality before or at birth, society must allow gay people to be the defining voices on the topic.
Most people who experience same-sex attraction do not think it is a choice and claiming it to be is insulting because of the unwanted rejection members of the LGBT community often face.
Though many believe their sexuality is innate, some proudly claim their orientation is a choice. “Sex and The City” star Cynthia Nixon is one of the few gay celebrities who said their homosexuality is a choice.
“I understand that for many people it’s not, but for me it’s a choice, and you don’t get to define my gayness for me,” Nixon said in a 2012 interview with New York Times Magazine.
Many criticized Nixon for saying she chose her sexuality. Blogger John Aravosis said what many people in the LGBT community thought about the issue: “Every religious right hate monger is now going to quote this woman every single time they want to deny us our civil rights.”
Aravosis is right. Much of homophobia stems from the idea of gay people choosing their sexuality. However, homophobes should not have the power to define sexual orientation for anyone but themselves. If Nixon believes she chose to be a lesbian, then she chose to be a lesbian, and it is her right to do so. There is nothing wrong with making a choice to live the life you desire.
Though most people do not choose their homosexuality, they should be allowed to love their gayness. The inability to choose sexuality does not mean gay people wouldn’t still want same-sex relationships if given the option. Heterosexual relationships are not the only way to live a happy and fulfilling life, and there is nothing wrong with loving your sexuality.
Conversation around sexuality used to center around the idea of sexual liberation and the ability to choose who you wanted to be with, no matter one’s gender (used to center around sexual liberation). Author Jane Ward said people in the LGBT community used to compare sexuality to religion, arguing that since religion is a choice and still receives government protections, different sexual orientations should be equally respected.
“People aren’t born with their religions,” Ward said. “They’re born into religious cultures, and they can convert if they’d like. But there are still legal protections for them.”
It wasn’t until the AIDS crisis when the community began to change their rhetoric on sexuality. After the crisis, they increasingly used the “born gay” argument and said sexuality was innate to urge the government to serve and protect them. Over time, the community began to advocate for what some would call “gay assimilation,” a lifestyle where same-sex couples do traditionally heterosexual practices like get married and raise a family.
“Then there was a shift,” said Ward, “and the leaders of the movement chose to jump on board with a less nuanced argument that people already understood: just like race, people are born with their homosexuality.”
Even if babies are born with their homosexuality, heteronormativity, the assumption that heterosexuality is the only norm, may make it hard for parents to see their child’s same-sex attraction as anything other than a choice. Parents often project heterosexuality onto their children from birth, and it can be hard to accept their child as anything different.
When a child begins to realize they experience same-sex attraction, heteronormativity often makes them feel out of place and abnormal. Though most gay children do not choose their sexuality, they make the choice to harm themselves or even kill themselves because they feel so isolated from those around them.
It is important society realizes that, no matter the origin or cause of homosexuality, no child should feel worthless because of who they love.
Lynne Bunch is an 18-year-old mass communication freshman from Terrytown, Louisiana.