Homosexuality:
Born or Made?
Controversy
Stirs In Costa
Rica
Homosexuality
has been
practiced for
thousands of
years. Simply
put,
homosexuality is
defined as
sexual relations
between like
genders (i.e.,
two males or two
females). Many
people now
believe that
homosexuality is
part of who a
person really is
from the moment
of conception.
Former
legislator Juan
José Vargas
(left),
psyciatrists
Larisa Escalante
(right) and
Ángelrafael
González (second
from left)
discuss the
homosexuality
issue with Pilar
Cisneros on
Costa Rica's
national
television
The “genetic and
unchangeable”
theory has been
actively
promoted by gay
activists and
the popular
media.
Is homosexuality
really an inborn
and normal
variant of human
natural?
For some people
yes, and for
others no. Some
people do not
have their first
homosexual
feelings or
experience until
they are well
into adulthood.
For that reason
many believe
that homosexuals
are made, not
born. To me
homosexuality is
a chosen,
learned behavior
and former
legislator Juan
José Vargas has
raised
controversy in
assuring that
there is a safe
treatment that
could end with
homosexuality
for those
undergoing
special therapy.
Against Vargas
are Costa Rica's
psychologists
who say that
homosexuality is
not a disease,
and therefore
cannot be cured.
The Pros
In relation to
homosexuality,
the nature
concept explores
the possibility
of a specific
gene or
combination of
genes present at
the time of
birth that
genetically
predispose
people to
homosexuality.
In other words,
some people are
born gay.
Gay advocates
say proving
there is a gay
gene will
provide "wider
social
acceptance and
better
protection
against
discrimination,"
as
Neil Swidey
writes in his
Boston Globe
article, "What
Makes People
Gay?" Proving
that being gay
is not a choice
means that
discrimination
against gays
becomes a matter
of civil rights.
The Cons
We're all
influenced by
our environment,
but to what
extent? The
nurture concept
of homosexuality
argues that
social, parental
and
environmental
variables
influence a
person's
homosexuality. A
nurtured gay
person is one
that is "made"
gay.
For some time,
the notion of an
overbearing
mother or an
absent father or
even sexual
abuse were
thought to be
catalyst of
future gay
people. If the
root of
homosexuality
does not lie
within DNA, then
the nurture
concept implies
people have a
choice whether
to be gay or not
be gay. Many
ex-gay
reparative
therapy groups
believe that
homosexuality
can be reversed
or "repaired".
Some religious
organizations
also believe
that the concept
of Adam and Eve
(or one man, one
woman), provides
an absolute
explanation that
homosexuality is
unnatural.
Resolution
Can the origin
of same gender
loving feelings
be absolute?
Does it lay
within the
complexities of
the beginning of
man or the
development of
society?
If homosexuality
is indeed a
product of a
special genome,
then will that
lead to
predetermination
by expecting
parents at the
time the baby's
sex is revealed?
One can envision
some parents
being excited to
hear the sexual
makeup of their
fetus while
others seek to
"repair" the gay
gene. Lawmakers
would be
obligated to
protect gay
people, just as
any other group
of individuals
with a
predetermined
genetic makeup.
The religious
implications
would be
widespread and
increase the
growing list of
religious
organizations
that welcome gay
members.
The concept of a
homemade gay
person cannot be
ignored either.
Is there a
consistent
pattern between
a person's
parental or
environmental
influences and
their sexuality?
Does the
explanation of
homosexuality
lie within
Paul Ewald's
theory that
homosexuality is
a virus or the
reparative
therapy model
that a traumatic
life situation
planted the seed
of choice? Some
debate that
homosexuality is
not deserving of
natural rights
since it has not
been proven that
being gay is
indeed the same
as any other
born
characteristic.
Or, is it
possible that
being gay is a
combination of
both nature and
nurture? Imagine
a person that is
born gay, but
their same
gender feelings
are either
perpetuated or
(not
perpetuated) by
their
environment. If
this were indeed
the case,
homosexuality
would only be an
issue of if or
when one comes
out of the
closet.
Either scenario,
researchers will
continue to hunt
for the origin
of
homosexuality.
Many avenues
have been
explored, from
isolating DNA to
observing gay
animals, but as
of yet, no one
absolute
explanation of
homosexuality
has been found.
And even if it
were, would
society accept
it?
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