How to explain homosexuality? Options

[Call911Quick]

OK, so as not to step on any toes, let's assume evolution is how the world came about.

Now, homosexuality goes against every theory of evolution that has been thought up. There are certain lizards somewhere that are all female, but they don't have sex. They lay unfertilized eggs, so essentially they clone themselves.

We're studying how and why sex and sexual reproduction developed and everything. So, obviously, homosexuality isn't "programmed" into us.

So what makes a guy gay? Is it increased levels of estrogen? Decreased levels of testosterone? Is it psychological/self-induced, or can you not help it?

I don't understand how any guy can be gay. Lesbians turn me on, but I mean... Ever take a REALLY big shit? Imagine that, but backwards. And continuous. I mean... it's like watching two porcupines have sex. Wait, that's a bad metaphor, more like... watching gorillas have sex.

[NoSex]

It IS psychological. I agree on that, but what does chemicals in the brain have anything to do with this? That's like saying liking strawberries more than cranberries is a chemical reaction in the brain.

I'll say it: Liking strawberries more than cranberries is a chemical reaction in the brain. f**k, everything is a chemical reaction in the brain. Sure, out taste pallet has a lot to do with this, but only in relation to the illicit response, in our brain and carried out by chemical markers, that is created biologically.

Sure, a lot of things are psychological, but only to the degree that our nature, our biology, permits. Not matter how convinced we are that we can fly, the shit just ain't going to happen. What we do know is that sexual orientation has not been observed to freely change due to external nurture and stimulus in, at least, adult years and sexual maturity. What we do know is that the complex play of hormonal activity, which largely excites sexual thought and behavior, is controlled by proteins, which are genetically released.

So, in short, "chemical reactions in the brain" have a shit load to do with it.

[absinthe]

Fair enough. Then why should the choice between strawberries and cranberries be any different than female and male? It would be a normal chemical reaction, and therefore not worth mentioning.

[Comptine]

The chemical reactions differ for each person. Some people have disorders or something it malfunctioning so certain chemicals get released too much or too little. That's how depression occurs. Not enough seratonin.

I'm not saying anything is wrong about being gay. But there have been other cases where certain bodily reactions reflect a different or abnormal secretion of chemicals.

When there is something that gives you pleasure, dopamine is released. Some people really like relaxing in a bath. So when they think about a bath or look at a bubbly bath ready for them, dopamine is released therefore reinforcing that a bath is pleasurable.

Whose to say that relation in pleasure can't be applied to sexuality?

[fameONE]

The chemical reactions differ for each person. Some people have disorders or something it malfunctioning so certain chemicals get released too much or too little. That's how depression occurs. Not enough seratonin.

I'm not saying anything is wrong about being gay. But there have been other cases where certain bodily reactions reflect a different or abnormal secretion of chemicals.

When there is something that gives you pleasure, dopamine is released. Some people really like relaxing in a bath. So when they think about a bath or look at a bubbly bath ready for them, dopamine is released therefore reinforcing that a bath is pleasurable.

Whose to say that relation in pleasure can't be applied to sexuality?

All you did was explain what happens in someone's brain when they "feel" a certain way, which didn't clarify much.

[Comptine]

^The happy chemicals get released or are stimulated by a certain perceived "pleasure". If someone were to have a differently wired brain, looking at the same sex could stimulate the happy chemicals. Each time someone looks at the same sex, the happy chemicals get released and reinforces the good of the "subject".

[fameONE]

^The happy chemicals get released or are stimulated by a certain perceived "pleasure". If someone were to have a differently wired brain, looking at the same sex could stimulate the happy chemicals. Each time someone looks at the same sex, the happy chemicals get released and reinforces the good of the "subject".

I was able to comprehend it the first time. Thanks.

The better question would be; is a person born with a brain that is "wired" to be gay, based on sound scientific proof?

[Comptine]

^I'm sorry. I thought you thought that the chemicals came before the "pleasure".

Well, sound concrete scientific proof... I'm not sure. But, with MRIs , scientists have seen differences between a straight brain and a homosexual brain. Shrug.

[NoSex]

The better question would be; is a person born with a brain that is "wired" to be gay, based on sound scientific proof?

More proof in that direction than not. At the very least, scientifically, sexual orientation does not appear to be a choice. That's not exactly an explanation, but at least we can rule out kids going gay from catching re-runs of Will & Grace on day-time television.