[Colofornian]

Would 10% of even 5% of the population choose to be a hated, despised & feared minority

I'm not Mormon, but I'm the descendent of a polygamous (3 wives, 19 kids) Mormon bishop...especially @ that time, Mormons were looked down upon & certainly the govt. frowned upon polygamy, refusing to give the Utah Territory statehood until it dealt w/that issue. So am I thereby to conclude that these men "chose" to have a multiple partnership orientation? Or do you argue on their behalf that it was innate/genetic? (Why would they "choose" to have multiple wives w/different sex partners every night when they were a hated, despised & feared minority in part because of that?). Dumb question, eh? (Yes, Lust ruled the day among that religious group then just as it rules the day in homosexual & heterosexual circles alike!).

[freemind2]

So am I thereby to conclude that these men "chose" to have a multiple partnership orientation?

An interesting analogy. I will stick to my guns and argue that yes, in the case of Mormon polygomists, this is a choice, where in the case of gay people it is not a choice.

Those Mormon's becoming polygomists did so in the context of numerous examples and a geographic community that included some support. The typical gay teenager assumes that he/she is the only gay kid in their entire school and has no examples to follow, yet they know that they are gay. Their only choice is to accept themselves or not.

I doubt there is much evidence that the overwhelming majority of polygomists report knowing that they were polygamists when they were very young. Almost all gay people can report memories of non-sexual, yet homosexual thoughts and feelings often at pre-pubescent ages.