You asked 'Why would anyone choose a homosexual lifestyle?' Why did you 'choose' a heterosexual lifestyle? Can you honestly give any other answer than it is what 'feels' correct to you...that it is what your body tells you to do? You are correct that sexual lifestyle is not strictly genetic--to the best of my knowledge it is not inheritable. However, the physical and mental sexual development of a fetus is definitely affected by many things (chemical and otherwise) during its development. Many scientists believe that chemical variations at specific times during the pregnancy may have a direct effect on the fetus and the way in which it develops. On rare occasions, an infant is born with both male and female sex organs-- sometimes, neither. The sexual condition of an individual is not purely binary (a '0' or a '1'). It is more like an analog condition. Most people are clumped into one group or the other, but there actually are folks scattered all along the range from the extreme to the middle. They don't 'choose' to be this way--they are born that way.
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Name : Lawrence, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 41, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Sales, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Are you confusing lifestyle with orientation? Yes, I have chosen a homosexual lifestyle, but if you are implying that orientation is a choice for everyone (yourself included), I would ask you to name the time and place that you chose to be straight; if you never faced the choice, why it is that I supposedly had to? In addition, your logic concerning genetics is flawed; homosexuals can indeed reproduce (and sometimes do), only not with one another, which provides for a small but definite ability to pass on a possible 'gay' gene. Because those carrying a gay gene would rarely reproduce, it would be more correct to say that homosexuality would never become common -- from a geneticist's perspective, it would be 'selected' against.
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Name : T.C., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : Phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, Occupation : Web Developer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, One of your basic premises is wrong. Even sterility can be inherited, if it is a recessive trait. There are many inherited conditions that kill children at a very early age. Since your presumption that homosexuality cannot be genetic is wrong, it is quite possible that it is not a matter of choice. I can't imagine anyone deciding to become a homosexual. Not only is it asking for all kinds of trouble in your life, it's hard to see how anyone who is straight could find the idea attractive.
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Name : JerryS, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 52, City : New Britain, State : CT Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, And pray tell, when did you 'decide' that you were straight? I made no choice to be gay- it is who I am and, yes, I was born that way. I did not realize homosexuals could not reproduce! My 'boys' are very active swimmers and 100% capable of producing a child. And, there are such things as recessive genes that do not show in each and every generation. Neither of my parents are blondes yet I am. By your logic, my hair should be brown. My cousin on my mother's side is gay, as is my lover's cousin on his mother's side. The so-called 'gay' gene could be a recessive gene passed from the mother's side of the family. As for my gay life not serving any useful purpose, I happen to be a VP of a large financial institution and definitely feel my life, like the life of every other soul on this planet, has a useful purpose. I am extremely offended by your comments- but then again this is Y Forum and the exact place where these questions are meant to be answered.
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Name : Mike, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 42, City : Ben Lomand, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Why would anyone choose a homosexual lifestyle? It cannot serve any meaningful purpose. By definition, homosexuality cannot be genetic. If homosexuals cannot reproduce, then it is not a genetic trait.
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Name : Michael, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 35, City : denver, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : Marine service, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Where did you get the idea that homosexuals can't reproduce? I know several who have children.
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Name : Lori22581, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, I was watching MTV's 'True Life - I'm Gay' and one Mormon guy was so afraid of coming out and being excommunicated from everyone he knows that he underwent painful shock therapy that included having the current attached to his penis. If that isn't a reason to 'choose' not to be gay, I don't know what is. Just like you can't help being attracted to a girl on the street with a nice figure and big boobs, a gay guy can't help being attracted to another guy with a nice six pack and firm butt.
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Name : Emily, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Some genetic qualities can be passed on from parent to child, without the parent possessing the characteristics of that quality (for example, a mother can have a gene for blue eyes and pass it on to her child, but the mother herself may have brown eyes). If homosexuality is genetic, perhaps this would explain how someone can be homosexual even though they are the product of heterosexual parents. Also, homosexuals do sometimes bear children with the help of a willing heterosexual partner.
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Name : Tracy24223, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Edmond, State : OK Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, If you're saying that sexual intimacy serves only one meaningful purpose based on genetics, then we would have to conclude that sterile people should not engage in sexual relationships because they cannot reproduce. However, science shows that failure to reproduce is often based on genetics. Or do you believe that sterility is a lifestyle choice?
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Name : Johnny29345, Gender : M, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, You say, 'Why would anyone choose a homosexual lifestyle? ' No one chooses to be gay (no matter what the church will tell you), you are indeed BORN with it. And you also say, 'homosexuality cannot be genetic', Actually, it IS genetic. Scientists have indeed found that the 'X' chromosome has, for lack of a better term, a mutation that causes homosexulality. Your question is indeed backwards, it should read 'Why would a homosexual choose a straight lifestyle? It cannot serve any meangingful purpose to deny who you really are'. Also, homosexuals can reproduce, just not with the same sex, so using the genetic argument is a moot point. There are many species on earth which are a-sexual, which means they can reproduce with themselves and is simply a different genetic trait. Good luck with your redneck research on genetics.
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Name : MurrayC, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Age : 33, City : Halifax, Nova Scotia, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Draftsman, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Upper middle class, First, homosexuals no more choose to be gay than heterosexuals choose to be straight. Sexual orientation is a morally neutral indication of whether one is inclined toward romantic relationships with members of the opposite sex (heterosexual), same sex (homosexual) or either sex (bisexual). It is a naturally occurring variation of sexual inclinations, just as being left-handed is a naturally occurring variation of manual dexterity. It has nothing to do with parenting, as most gay children are born to heterosexual parents. As for the 'meaningful purpose' of homosexuality, ask any gay couple how meaningful their relationship is. My partner, Greg, and I are both gay and have been together for almost four years, and I can tell you that the love and commitment we have for each other is just as meaningful, valuable and profound as within any married, heterosexual couple. Such love and commitment are meaning enough when two people are building a life together. If you'd take the time to get to know some gay couples, you might come to realize that.
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Name : Chuck A., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 41, City : Spring Hill, State : WV Country : United States, Occupation : AIDS Educator/Part-time radio announcer, Unlike your religious preference, homosexuality is not a choice. I know you like to think it is, as this allows you your prejudice to go unchecked. Your lack of knowlegde of genetics is apparent by your comment, so I won't even address this ignorance. I tire of non-gay people stating as fact that homosexuality is a choice. Did you choose your straightness? And do you constantly remind yourself not to look at guys and desire them? No, because you are constantly reminding yourself of your dogma (religious belief) and how to be a bigot.
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Name : Matthew, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, I'm sure this will get a lot of answers from the gay community but perhaps a response from a straight person will lend some balance. Michael, your question answers itself. On the most basic level, why indeed would anyone choose to be gay (I of course mean lesbian as well)? Gays are considered sinners or worse by most religions, discriminated against by the government in regards to benefits, and face violence by the public. You think someone would choose to go through that? What is the possible upside to make it worth going through that? The fact that homosexuality does not lead to procreation doesn't mean that it's not genetic. By that standard, men born with low sperm counts, or women born without ovaries, chose to be that way as well. Just because homosexuality resides in the brain - the most complex organ of all - and we can't 'see' its roots does not mean it's not genetic. A more germane question would be is homosexuality an anomoly? Perhaps, but so what? It doesn't shorten one's lifespan {from a purely physiological standpoint) so it doesn't need a cure.
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Name : Pedro, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 33, City : Easton, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : Telecommunications, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, If sexual orientation cannot be genetic, why are you heterosexual? When did you 'choose' to be straight? If a straight man cannot father a child because his sperm count is too low, does that mean he's really gay? You said homosexuals can't reproduce...
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Name : Alma-J31446, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 49, City : Kempner, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : government employee, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Unlike you, I do not claim to have the definite answer. However, my studies lead me to believe a different theory than yours: homosexuality is very probably genetic, because the human species has reproduced way beyond its means throughout history, and mother nature always finds a way to limit population growth and therefore rid the world of whatever parasitical species happens to be going over the limit - in this case, human beings. Also, human beings are not genetically set up to only have sex in order to reproduce; we, like certain sea mammals, have sex for pleasure that has nothing to do with reproduction. That is a genetic trait. Finally, in answer to your actual question, I am bisexual, which is not a choice for me, but I do choose to act upon my sexuality, because it gives me much pleasure. If I have the choice, I also would rather be around a gay or bisexual person any day vs. a straight person, because in the gay and bisexual community I am less likely to encounter bigotry and ignorance concerning sexuality.
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Name : Jessica, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Huntsville, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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