"Born This Way," or "Brought Up This Way?" | Teen Ink

"Born This Way," or "Brought Up This Way?"

March 18, 2011
By Anonymous

In the world, today, homosexuality is a common thing to come across. It is far from “weird” for us to see. However, there are still people out there who are “homophobes.” This term translates to people to who have a fear of homosexuals. Sadly, these people are living in the past. One of the large debates linked to homosexuality is: are humans born homosexual or is it something that is picked up as one grows older?

Scientists are finding more and more evidence that homosexuality is indeed genetic. Scientists believe that a female or male could be born with more of the steroid hormones of the opposite sex; males would be born with more estrogen than testosterone and females would be born with more testosterone than estrogen. According to “A report of Odenwald and Zhang's findings, to be published in this weeks in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to the mounting evidence that homosexuality has genetic origins…” Rightly debated by many scientists, there is some evidence that homosexuality is genetic even though it could be possible that as one grows older; it can be influenced by the persons surroundings
On the contrary, There have been arguments made in the past that insist that humans become homosexual based upon their childhood; either from neglect from their mother or father, or from sexual abuse at a young age. For a young boy, a father’s neglect or the absence of a father figure is thought to be a pushing point for boys to turn to their mother for their every move. In theory, the young man would become so close with his mother that he begins to get a taste for her feelings and would begin to pick up on them. As the boy and mother grow closer together, the boy would start to copy his mother’s feelings. This is the argument that features that homosexuality is caused by environmental reasons. Rick Nauert, a Senior News Editor at psychcentral.com, states, “Environmental factors are specific to an individual, and may include biological processes such as different hormone exposure in the womb.”

The idea that human sexuality is something that can be changed by ones environment is unreliable. Although a boy can be feminine because he spends the majority of his time with his mother, and a young girl follows the footsteps of her father, our sexuality is not something that we choose. As the famous Lady Gaga states in her song, Born This Way, “NO MATTER GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BI, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDERED LIFE, I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY, I WAS BORN TO SURVIVE.” As rightly stated by Lady Gaga, no matter what sexuality you are, you are going to survive.

The author's comments:
This is an op-ed piece

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This article has 9 comments.


katy said...
on May. 25 2011 at 12:57 pm
YOUR WELCOME!!!!!!!!A

lcs096 said...
on May. 17 2011 at 11:30 am
lcs096, Roslyn, New York
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
thanks everyone!!!! glad to get some feedback!

BurgerKing said...
on May. 13 2011 at 12:38 pm
I believe you can be whatever you desire. Have it your way ;)

McDonald's said...
on May. 13 2011 at 12:34 pm
mm mm mm I'm lovin' it ;)

on May. 13 2011 at 12:30 pm
soo goood!

on Apr. 1 2011 at 3:08 pm
peace_love_beauty PLATINUM, Florien, Louisiana
22 articles 35 photos 121 comments

Favorite Quote:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you, HisPurePrincess. Why would someone choose a lifestyle that included being bullied and shunned by most of society? I don't belive homosexual people choose who they are attracted to.

on Mar. 30 2011 at 3:50 pm
EmoToboe BRONZE, Kemp, Texas
1 article 0 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
When you've lost it all.......That's when you finally realize.....That life is BEAUTIFUL

Hm... I also read an article that made a very interesting point. If gay people actually made the choice to be gay...then why? Why would they choose their sex over the other if the found both of them equally attractive? Why would one choose to be persucuted by hundreds, maybe thousands of ignorant people who don't even consider taking a single step in the shoes of another.

Think of it this way...did you choose your sexuallity? I don't know about you, but it just kinda hit me. I didn't choose to be attracted to women, it just happened? If one could make that choice, why would they choose the option that would cause them to be harrased by people with a complete lack of empathy or understanding.

Saying that you choose to be gay, is like saying that you choose to be black, or that you choose to have a small nose, that you chose to have curly hair. It just happens, some are born finding members of their own sex to be more appealing, just as most of us find members of the opposite gender to be appealing.

Maybe you should try taking a step in another person's shoes...