As usual Dinesh D'Souza is wrong. He sees the examples of the ancient Greeks and Romans practicing bisexuality as definitive proof that homosexuality is not innate. His theory is that since current Greeks and Romans don't practice rampant bisexuality (let's assume that's true for the moment being) and the ancient Greeks and Romans did, it must be a cultural thing. Not a genetic one.
What's funny about the Christian right argument is that they admit that they are powerless to stop feelings of homosexuality taking over if society opens up to it. What's going through their minds? Perhaps they're not so different from the ancient Greeks after all.
Of course, as Kinsey showed, the difference between homosexuality and heterosexuality is not a sharp divide (I used to take credit for this idea until I realized Professor Kinsey had written about this before I was even born). It's not a black or white, gay or straight issue. Everyone is somewhere along the gay-straight spectrum.
And the further society opens up to homosexuality as permissible, the more people feel comfortable coming out as bisexual, homosexual, omnisexual or whateversexual.
Let me give a quick and absurdly simplistic example. Let's assume 100 is completely gay and 0 is completely straight on our gay-straight continuum. A person who ranks a 95 on the gay scale is probably going to act out on those innate desires no matter what societal rules there are, even at the risk of being put to death in closed societies.
A person who is a 5 on that scale might never act on any trace bisexual desires he or she might have no matter what the societal norms are. But the more open a society is, the more you will start to draw in people who score an 85, 75, 65, 55, 45, 35, etc. on our fun little gay-straight line.
In a very closed society some one who is "80% gay" might never come out and in a very open society someone who is even "20% gay" might try it. These are gross simplifications, but you get the point. In fact, this is in some ways exactly what the culture warriors on the right have been warning about.
The Christian right (and the religious and cultural conservatives of a great many societies) have been worried about this for a long time. They are right. As society opens up, we will likely be more "gay." Or in reality, be closer to our true nature, wherever that might lie on the bisexuality continuum.
Where the cultural right is wrong is when they make a value judgment on that. Of course, there isn't anything wrong with that all. In fact, since it allows us to be closer to our "real" nature without societal judgments on our natural sexual preferences, there is something very right about it.
As it stands, our current culture doesn't yet appear to be fully comfortable with a truly and widely bisexual society. So, we inch toward progress or slouch toward
Though it must be noted that we have already achieved a great deal of openness on the female side of the equation. Ask around and see if you can find a woman under 25 who hasn't made out with one of their girlfriends.
My informal study on our show indicates about 80% of girls under 25 have at least tried a sexual experience with another woman (I concede that I am no Alfred Kinsey and my so-called evidence is wildly anecdotal, but ask for yourself and you'll see my numbers are shockingly accurate).
D'Souza uses history as his guide. It's ironic because his argument is ultimately against the tide of history and the inevitability of our genes. We know what the future holds, it is our past. The American people are right, our sexuality is innate. We just have to have the courage to own up to it.
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Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 37)
76. our true nature is gay? haha!
hykedoe at 10:01PM on Jun 28th 2007
77. is this guy for real?
hykedoe at 10:02PM on Jun 28th 2007
78. Hi Maria,
You have two moms. interesting. What I was talking about though was that like at school the little chillins, how would the teacher identify the little girl's moms. Kids usually do not know their parents names early on. They do not even know how to spell their name.
I think the divorce rate is high because it is more challenging for a man and woman to agree on things because of their differences. Women naturally understand e/o.
Michelle at 10:15PM on Jun 28th 2007
79. I agree that we are all on the gay/straight continuum somewhere. However, to say that that means we should allow the behavior as purely natural and therefore acceptable is irresponsible. We are all on the violent/non-violent continuum somewhere, as well. Should we therefore also allow violent behavior as natural and therefore acceptable? This is how the statements about pedophilia and beastiality are being brought into the discussion. Any behavior that any human engages in can be argued this way as natural and acceptable. Have we given up on the idea that man's baser nature must be controlled? Have we forgotten the lessons of history showing us that man will find and take any opportunity to cause harm and destruction to himself, his neighbor, and his environment that he can? Yes, it's easy to say that this is behavior between consenting adults behind closed doors, but to use this type of argument to validate it within our society puts our foot on a dangerous path. We already have the means to disapprove of, yet allow, certain behaviors within our society: smoking, infidelity, pornography, prostitution, etc. Homosexuality can be disapproved of, yet allowed, in a similar manner. This will allow those on the gay end of the spectrum to live as they choose, while maintaining a societal view that it's ultimately negative behavior. This is necessary to help stifle other forms of negative behavior as well.
theamaingchris at 10:28PM on Jun 28th 2007
80. Obviously Mr. Uygur lives the old saying "ignorance is bliss". Such a twisted and confused society. Sigh....
B at 10:33PM on Jun 28th 2007
81. All of you are stupid for spending so much time badmouthing each other. If society spent half as much time worrying about more important issues then we'd have a better world to live in. When the time comes for every individual to be judged it wont be based on who you loved, it'll be based on how you treated those that you did love and what you did to make the world a better place.
steve at 10:35PM on Jun 28th 2007
82. I can choose to be gay just like everyone telling me that it's wrong and disgusting can choose to be straight.
Kiley at 10:35PM on Jun 28th 2007
83. As a bisexual man I must say your post is right on target as far as I am concerned. I have been in both types of relationships and have three children with my exwife and six children with my life partner of 20 years. I prefer a gay relationship over a hetero because men understand men better. And some people need to wake up. Sexuality doesn't even mater anymore. Pedophiles are 98% heterosexuals NOT homosexuals! Peace-out!!
Robbie at 10:36PM on Jun 28th 2007
84.
I doubt that 80% of women under 25 have made out with another woman, and for those who say they have, Hollywood, not budding homosexuality is motivated it.
LKC at 10:55PM on Jun 28th 2007
85. This just more of the typical "do anything you want to hell with everyone else, no personal responsibility, no morality" agenda of the left. I caught a bit of a show on E! where they made disgraced former governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey out to be some kind of hero and icon for "gay rights" in America, praising his new happy life with his partner...not a word about the fact that he used his wife and children for his own political and personal gain then tossed them aside like so much trash and destroyed their lives. That is the liberal view of a happy ending, McGreevey's homosexual and happy so to hell with all the lives he destroyed. The people Uygur refers to as "the right" is in reality most of America (but they don't want you to know that), most Americans believe in personal responsibility, morality, and respecting the rights of others. The left, aided by the mainstream media, wishes to bring everyone to their way of thinking by simply doing away with all morality and personal responsibility through legislation and when that fails through litigation in liberal courts. This nuts claim that "everyone is gay" is just one more example of an absurd leftist agenda.
Robert Byngham at 11:07PM on Jun 28th 2007
86. I am sick of morons mentioning the Romans and Greeks in relation to homosexuality. Their cultural and personal practices had absolutely nothing to do with their downfall. Rome fell because of weak leaders against strong barbarian attacks over a course of a couple hundred years. Don't use something you dont understand as an argument.
And responder #6 Chris: condoms have been around in some form since the Egyptian civilization, so when exactly are you referring to? Anyway, STDs are spread by heterosexuals too and if you're suggesting, as I assume that you are, that AIDS came from the gay community, that is an unfair stereotype, since that is also spread by the heterosexual community.
Lastly, if you're suggesting the metrosexual men are wusses and girly so the human race is doomed since they can't defend themselves, remind yourself that women are perfectly capable of fighting, so any perceived shortcomings about this generation of men is irrelevant.
E.R. at 11:14PM on Jun 28th 2007
87. People need to give it a rest. I don't run around shoving the fact I am straight down people's throats. For some reason gay people feel they need to exploit themselves to get attention. We are all human in this world and everyone has their own preferences and likes. You have to appreciate the posts that "assume" something must be a certain way because their brain perceives it that way. No, not everyone is a little bit gay. Maybe just the person who wrote the article is and they are in denial ;)
Willow at 11:14PM on Jun 28th 2007
88. Umm, somehow, I don't see the relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia. Can anyone hear me on this???!!!!
anyway, everyone should check this out:
http://www.fakebuddy.com/
Jackie at 11:16PM on Jun 28th 2007
89. The authors title is: 'We're all Gay...' In his long semi historical diatribe, he says not one word which supports or proves his title (or charge) that the world is gay. Being gay has been around forever, but that fact does not prove that the world is gay by degrees. To the author, I say, speak for yourself fella!
Richard Harrid Sr at 11:52PM on Jun 28th 2007
90. I concur with Leilani 100%. 2 all datz n denial: It is against the Bible to be gay. Read yo Bible!!!
Kilah at 11:54PM on Jun 28th 2007