by Melissa Brummett

Created on: March 09, 2007   Last Updated: March 03, 2011

Amidst America's battle over gay rights, the long-standing controversy of Nature vs. Nurture keeps popping up.

What makes a person gay? Are they born that way or is their environment and how they were raised the answer?

The debate has been around for many years and has been the topic of several studies. There are three main arguments for both sides. People who believe that one is born gay argues that there is a gay gene, gay people have different levels of hormones or that homosexuals and heterosexuals have anatomical differences. Therefore, it is proof that it was not something the person chose. The people who argue that being gay is a choice, however; say that gays have developmental disabilities, had bad relationships with their parents or were victims of sexual abuse.

Now in my opinion, I believe that people who are homosexual are that way because that is how they were born. God made everyone differently and that is how He made him or her.

There have been several scientists that agree with that theory. One of them is Fredrick Whitam Ph. D who is a professor at Arizona State University. Whitam said, "Although all people in all societies with rare exceptions are socialized to be heterosexual, the predictable, universal appearance of homosexual persons, despite socialization into heterosexual patterns of behavior suggest not only that homosexual orientation is biologically based but that sexual orientation itself is also biologically derived."

There are other scientist and doctors who disagree, such as, Jeffery Sattinover M.D. Sattinover said, "There is not any evidence that shows that homosexuality is 'genetic', and none of the research itself claims there is. Only the press and, sadly, certain researchers do - when speaking in sound bites to the public.
"Homosexuality may run in families but you get viruses from your parents, too, and some bad habits. Not everything that is familial is innate or genetic."
So no matter what you believe in the debate of Nature vs. Nurture, I have a feeling that the controversy is going to be around for a long time.

Quotes taken from:

1."A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Homosexuality, Transvestism and Trans-Sexualism"

2."The Gay Gene?" published on the Campus Crusade for Christ International website
2002

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