CNN Poll: Do you think gays and lesbians could change their sexual orientation if they wanted to?

CNN ^ | 6-27-07 | CNN

[joseph2]

I’m not comfortable with using the term “gay” as an inclination. Although people no doubt don’t choose their inclinations, those inclinations may well have a psychological basis. It seems to be that the idea of labelling someone by their inclinations is meant to imply something innate, but that has never been proven regarding homosexuality.

Also, while I would never compare homosexuality to pedophilia, I’ve never heard of pedophilia defined as an “orienation,” nor have I ever heard of a person being defined as a pedophile simply because of their inclinations. I feel that this is political: There’s no poltical reason to define pedophilia as an innate characteristic, but there is one regarding homosexuality (promoting civil rights), and that’s why gay activists have attempted to make no distinction between the inclination and the behavior.

[JerriBlank]

“I’m not comfortable with using the term “gay” as an inclination.”

Well, I pretty much am.

“It seems to be that the idea of labelling someone by their inclinations is meant to imply something innate, but that has never been proven regarding homosexuality.”

Well nothing has ever been proven regarding the origin of homosexuality. It’s not proven to be the result of abuse, or playing with dolls, or because your mom was overbearing or your father was distant or you watched a lot of Rainbow Brite as a kid.

We just don’t know.

I will say that if your sexual fantasies run primarily down the “gay” side... you’re pretty much gay in my book.

“I’ve never heard of pedophilia defined as an “orienation,” “

So that means it isn’t possible?

“nor have I ever heard of a person being defined as a pedophile simply because of their inclinations.”

Well, I think that if someone’s sexual fantasies are geared towards children, they’re inherently a pedophile. And probably can be “cured” in similar numbers to homosexuals. In other words, not so successfully.

The political motivations for terminology aside, you’re dealing with pretty set inclinations, only one of which actually bothers me.