Being Gay Is A Choice

For as long as I can remember I have been gay. It is not something that I picked up on or learned at a young age. A lot of people argue that being gay is a learned behavior or is something that can be reversed or “cured”. As a young gay man, I do not agree with this statement. If being gay is a choice, does that mean that being straight is a choice too? Does that mean it can be learned, reversed or with a little bit of prayer “cured”? Could you choose to be aroused by someone of the same sex? If being straight is natural, then why would anyone go out of their way to be judged, bullied, or have their rights infringed on?

Millions of LGBTQ people around the world have taken their own lives specifically for problems they dealt with related to being gay. Being gay is not a decision that you make, but a realization. Never once has either of my parents told me that they wanted me to be gay. I have yet to meet a parent who wanted their child to turn out gay. Being gay is not something you learn from your parents. While most parents may endorse their child to be themselves, they do not encourage them to be gay. I’ve witnessed parents in fact yell at their children for doing things they felt were gay. It’s crazy how some adults believe a child is too young to know their own sexuality, unless the child is straight. Many children know they are gay, before they even know what gay is.

While some heterosexuals may feel they know more about gay lives than actual homosexuals themselves, I am here to tell you that it is indeed possible to be born gay. It is not a choice, just like being straight is not a choice. We can not choose who we find to be attractive. Just like we can not choose to successfully change our sexual orientation on queue. We are who we are and no reversal or “cure” is available for that.