[Sidney Young]

Yes and no. I have had many gay friends who have very difficult relationships with their opposite sex parents. But some have had problems with their same sex parents, and some have had good relationships with both. If your question is wondering if poor relationships with opposite sex parents is the causation of homosexuality, then the evidence is clearly unsubstantiated.

User Detail :  

Name : Sidney Young, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Laguna Beach, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[A.J.]

I am a person who at one time was a practicing gay. Now I am not and this is what I know. There are no two people who are exactly alike. I also know that lesb women and gay men are extremely different. Being Gay is not a matter of physical make up. There is no gay gene. Every gay man I have know has had an issue with his father. Gay men (most often) hate men in general. Yes they like the friendship and warmth and pleasure. But there is an anger deep down that is not being addressed. As far as I can tell, the anger often stems from one of following: absent father, abusive or neglectful enviroment, lack of love in well defined ways from male relatives, and to a varying degree, self hatred which is actually a prideful rejection of ones on limitations. It is a really deep painful anger/void that lashes out in the useing of other men. Many get so used to the feelings they forget they exist.

User Detail :  

Name : A.J., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30s, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Louise22595]

To educate myself about this issue, I read ‘Restoring Sexual Identity’ by Anne Paulk and also saw Sy Rogers story on video. He’s at http://www.Syrogers.com Both of these resources were insightful concerning how childhood relationships affect sexual orientation.

User Detail :  

Name : Louise22595, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 53, City : Plymouth Meeting, State : PA, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Betty]

(Paraphrased from a Discover Magazine article about a long-term study) When a woman is pregnant with a child, she shares her blood supply with him/her. Late in pregnancy or afterwards (this time frame varies), her body creates antibodies against her child’s blood cells. Sometimes this can cause anemia in the child, sometimes nothing happens, and sometimes homosexuality (in males, at any rate) results. These antibodies can lead to a lower birth weight and affect the part of the 3rd interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus, or INAH-3, which controls sexual orientation. The INAH-3 in homosexual men resembles those of straight women. Homosexual men tend to have at least one older brother, which I think could mean that different antibodies are produced in response to different sexes. While this study only accounted for homosexual males, there might be some correlation between its findings and homosexuality in females. It does lend support to the belief that homosexuality is not something that’s determined by one’s upbringing.

User Detail :  

Name : Betty, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Asian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Medford, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Bob Stanley]

Throughout my life I feel that I had a healthy and normal relationship with my parents. I battled my homosexuality for years and didn’t really come out until I was around 35 after being married and having a child and doing life the ‘straight’ way. I strongly believe, and I think this is being more and more supported by genetic science, that homosexuality is not a choice but something that occurs possibly in the womb of the mother prior to giving birth. Perhaps one of these days it can be isolated to a gene or a hormonal influence. I can remember as a toddler noticing and being more responsive socially to men rather than women. I think we humans have about as much influence over our sexual orientation as we do our eye color. I have never felt that the way my parents raised me had anything to do with it. I have a brother four years younger who is as heterosexual as they come and we were basically raised the same way in a very conventional middle class family with two loving parents.

User Detail :  

Name : Bob Stanley, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 61, City : San Diego, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Retired Naval officer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Dennis-M]

If the original presumption were correct, would that imply the bisexual people coouldn’t deal with either parent ?

User Detail :  

Name : Dennis-M, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Disability : Paralyzed, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 59, City : Albany, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Brian]

Its not having problems with the other gender in the family unit, it’s having closer relationships to someone else of the same gender. For example, my late uncle would never say no to spending time with me or be too busy to play games with me unlike my parents who would constantly promise me simple activities (like fishing for an hour or two on a saturday). My late uncle would always follow through with what they promised though; so my mind has wired the feeling of care and the feelings of importance he gave me with what to look for in a significant other. It just so happens my late uncles name was Billy, and my boyfriend has the same name.

User Detail :  

Name : Brian, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Disability : ADHD (According to the marines, its a disability), Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Wiccan, Age : 18, City : Minnetrista, State : MN, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Ice Cream Scooper (part time), Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Conley]

This is an interesting question that I have given much thought. First, I am gay. Second, I was raised in a very religious (non-denominational charismatic) home with a stong mother. Third, I am a middle child. Fourth, I am extremely analytical. Lastly, I have been engaged TWICE (to a female). That said, there are three recognized spheres relating to sexual orientation: biological, envirnmental and personal choice. All three have some impact, and I personally believe, the influence by each is individualized. I believe it would be difficult to argue that any one factor is ‘the’ factor; a higher contributor, quite possibly. I have read many articles including ones showing different brain patterns and connections for gays, different hearing ranges, etc. Therefore, genetics must be a factor. I know people that were raped as children, fit the strong parent/weak parent mold, or the strong religious upbring mold. Therefore, envirnment must be a factor. I know people that choose to get married rather than have a male partner, and I know people that have chosen to have a male partner over the traditional family. Therefore, choice must be a factor. Emperical evidence is starting to show more and more people have a one-time, same-sex event before going back to the ‘straight’ life. Clearly they made a choice. Even someone that is ‘born gay’ makes a choice and has been impacted by his/her envirnment. Bioligical factors overode the others. If you ask 100 people, each will have a different answer. Probably because each person has different genetics, envirnment and choice. Sorry for the lack of brevity, and remember this is MY OPINION. No hate mail from either side, please.

User Detail :  

Name : Conley, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Non-denominational Charismatic, Age : 31, City : Dallas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Finance, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

[Matt T.]

Yes, as gays we often (but not always) have problems with our parents, but I think you have the cause and effect relationship backwards. I’m not gay because I had problems with my parents, I had some problems with my parents because they didn’t want me to be gay. I was an effeminate child which bothered my parents and often caused tension. Through patience and education, they learned that my sexual orientation was as much a part of me as my race, or height, or eye color, or a myriad of other things out of our control that make us who we are.

User Detail :  

Name : Matt T., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 25, City : Valley Village, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Donnybrook26568]

I’d have to disagree with you not in your assertion that homosexuality is an orientation, but instead with your claim that a bad home experience -can’t- be a leading cause in homosexual behavior. Paedophilia ia at heart a sexual orientation (i.e. you can’t help but be attracted to children; this is not in _anyway_ an endorsement of paedophilia), and yet many psychologists would say that paedophilia is (or at least can be)a result of child abuse. To say that a traumatic experience can’t rewire someone is borderline ignorant; the mind has many ways to deal with trauma, and unless you’re a doctor of neuroscience, i don’t think you can make such a definitive claim without citing sources.

User Detail :  

Name : Donnybrook26568, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 20, City : Minneapolis, State : MN, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[C]

Not at all. In fact, I was closer to my father than to my mother.

User Detail :  

Name : C, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 18, City : St. John's, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Social class : Middle class, 

[Andy21942]

Growing up my mom and I actually got a long very well. It wasn’t until I ‘came out’ that things tended to go down hill. Now don’t get me wrong I still love my mom, but at the sametime I’ve grown to accept the fact that we won’t always see eye to eye on things.

User Detail :  

Name : Andy21942, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 21, City : Birmingham, State : AL, Country : United States, 

[Brendan M.]

Generally, no. This is another myth. From what I’ve learned from my psych. course(s) in college so far, sexual orientation is unrelated to parenting and upbringing. I have always had a perfectly normal, healthy relationship with both my parents.

User Detail :  

Name : Brendan M., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 19, City : Seattle, State : WA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[GordonR]

I’m a gay man and I love my mom. And she loves me.

User Detail :  

Name : GordonR, City : Salt Lake City, State : UT, Country : United States, 

[kevinlee]

I love my mother and i mean my mother or father had nothing to do with my sexuality or my sexual preference

User Detail :  

Name : kevinlee, Gender : Male, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 20, City : Murray, State : KY, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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