mjgates said:
I would say most studies results are flawed to some degree. My point was not the accuracy, just that those studies showed more positive results.
These studies shows "more positive results" about <I>
something else</I>: coming out. As I said, they measure the likelihood to tell one's sexual orientation in the open. It tells nothing about the why.
mjgates said:
What would asking the LGBTQ community do to prove some kind of genetic connection?
It's not about genetic connection.
What I am saying is that it is determined before birth.
You are the one who seems determine to pull the argument around whether or not it is genetic. To my knowledge indeed, research hasn't found any <U>
<I>hereditary</I></U> connection between sexual orientation and genetics.
From what I have learned in my studies in Family Life Education, so far, research seems to point at something happening
during the fetus growth, around the 27th week of gestation, possibly as a result of hormonal influence in the womb.
mjgates said:
Why would I tell my kids something I do not even know to be true.
First, if you truly do not know, then shouldn't you tell your children just that - that you don't know?
Right now, even if you don't admit it, your stance is very strongly aimed at seeing homosexuality as <I>
acquired</I> and this has proven to be one of the reasons that perpetrates discrimination and suffering for these people.
Second, if you do not know, then why not ask the LGBTQ community? That is the most fair information you will ever have about is, because nobody can know better than them what they <I>
live</I>.
mjgates said:
That was the whole point of this. How to explain this to kids, not whether this genetic link exists.
Push it one notch further.
What is your goal as a parent, under simply "answering a question" ?
Do you want your children to develop acceptance of a different reality than your own? Or to perpetrate stereotypes and discrimination?
Do you want your child to respect diversity or do you seek to mold your child to believe that homosexuality is abnormal?
Do you want your child to feel free to be true to themselves if one day in a few years they realize they are gay, or do you want them to feel awfule and abnormal and terrible and push them to hide it from you and the rest of the world?
What is your end goal? It seems to me much more important to know than to obtain the definite proof of sexual orientation's origin, either way.
mjgates said:
As of right now, there is no proof it does. Kerry Pacer, British comedienne Jackie Clune (12 years in a lesbian relationship), Michael Glatze have all changed their orientation. Goota love Google. lol. A couple of them were part of the homosexual rights movement in some fashion.
I have no problem with anyone believing that sexual orientation is fluid, providing they also agree that their own heterosexuality would then be fluid too. AND providing they don't try to use that argument to force anyone onto a specific orientation.
This being said, there are millions of gays and lesbians on the planet who were forced and pressured to live a sexuality in which they were not happy or were forced to hide themselves. The vast majority (if not all of them) knew their true orientation from way back in their adolescence, sometimes as early as a few years old, and have never been able to change, despite their intense desire to fit in and be accepted by a heinous society. To dismiss these millions of courageous and meaningful experiences on the basis of the four or five people you can "goggle" to find a different experience is plain disrespectful, IMO.
This is where your hidden agenda seems fairly clear to me, despite you saying that "I claim nothing specific, I only say we don't know". Well, these millions of gays and lesbians, <I>
they know, for themselves.</I>
It is estimated that there are between 20% and 35% people with a sexual orientation that isn't "straight" on the planet.
That's at least 1.4 <I>
billion </I>gays and lesbians. Will you deny all of their experiences?