Homosexuality, Nature or Nurture Essay - 1911 Words

Homosexuality, Nature or Nurture? Homosexuality has become a large issue in our lives today. Gay Rights activists have been making their voices heard; this has attracted the attention of the population making them take notice of their cause. The church has not been able to get away from the powerful political and social pressure of homosexuality. Some churches have accepted homosexuality but many still do not accept homosexuals, saying it is unnatural and not what god intended of man. The church claims that what ever decision has been made, it has been done so on the basis of Christian moral principles. The Old Testament clearly forbids homosexual practices and in Leviticus 20:13 it reads:†¦show more content†¦(Gross, McIlveen, Coolican, Clamp and Russell, 2000) The question that is baffling psychologists is whether homosexuality is genetic or the result of upbringing. If nature or nurture (or both) are involved where does personal choice play a part in adopting this life style? Nature Arguments It is sometimes claimed that people can be naturally homosexual. It is thought that homosexuals possess different hormonal mechanisms, brain structure or genotype. These biological explanations may not be unrelated as genes do lay the blueprint out for hormones which in turn influence the body structure. At one stage in history it was thought that homosexuals were hormonally different. This theory was abandoned when hormone assays became available and accurate measurements could be made. (Saunders and Pickering, 1997) It was then thought that Brain structure was the cause. In 1984 evidence was found for a sexually dimorphic hypothalamic nucleus. However this did not give a link between size and sexual orientation though, so more research was needed. In 1991 it was reported that the hypothalamic nucleus was smaller in women and homosexual men than in heterosexual men. This was highly publicised but came with many criticismsShow MoreRelatedHomosexuality: Nature or Nurture811 Words   |  3 Pageswith development across the human lifespan is the theory of â€Å"Nature versus Nurture†. It is an unsolved debate that has been around for centuries. It covers a broad spectrum of topics from intelligence to emotions, or in this case homosexuality. Although homosexuality is often thought of as a trait that is â€Å"genetically determined†, many others disagree and argue that it is rather a learned behavior (Lathe, pg. 20) Is it nature or nurture that causes this so-called â€Å"abnormalit y†? Or does it depend onRead MoreHomosexuality: Nature or Nurture1209 Words   |  5 Pagestopic in present years. In Ryan D. Johnson’s online research article, Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture, an explanation of homosexuality is broken down so the world has a better understanding of homosexuals. As referred to in the title, the origin of homosexuality has been debated to be because of nature or nurture. Basically, are people gay because it’s their personal choice or is it just who they are? The idea behind nurture is that the way one was raised can eventually affect a child’s sexualRead MoreHomosexuality - Nature or Nurture Essay2535 Words   |  11 PagesHomosexuality Nature or Nurture Have you ever wondered what creates a persons sexual preference? Is it possible that their social influences and environment can lead them to certain sexual practices and same sex relationships or could it be that some people have a genetic makeup that makes it completely natural to be attracted to members of the same sex? These questions lead us to the long-lived debate of nature or nurture. Some scientists believe that people behave as they do accordingRead MoreNature vs. Nurture: Homosexuality2002 Words   |  9 Pagescause of sexuality. The whole subject is hidden in darkness’; this is a quote by Charles Darwin which illustrates the fact that your sexual orientation is unknown- this suggests that homosexuality is evolved through the upbringing and personal experiences. Many Social Theorists agree with this and they argue that Nurture is the main factor when considering the reasons behind human sexuality. They also suspect that upbringing and parental and family dy namics has a direct effect on a child s sexualityRead MoreEssay on Homosexuality as Nature or Nurture1936 Words   |  8 PagesHomosexuality as Nature or Nurture Human sexuality has been one of societys most interesting, controversial, debated, and misunderstood topics. It has been the topic of numerous books, essays, documentaries, websites, and television magazine segments. More specifically, homosexuality is probably the most misunderstood aspect of human sexuality. This is mainly due to lack of education, exposure, or just a general close mindedness. Homosexual tendencies are genetically caused, but actingRead MoreHomosexuality: Nature vs. Nurture Essay1208 Words   |  5 Pagesthat people hear about daily in the news, media, and daily lives of others, especially when it comes to the field of psychology and the nature versus nurture debate. For being as commonly debated and discussed as it is, there are many questions that come along with it: what is sexual orientation, how do people know their sexual orientation, what causes homosexuality, is it normal, is it possible to change, and can wanting LGBT, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and tra nsgender, youth to change lead to suicideRead MoreEssay about Homosexuality: Nature Versus Nurture2099 Words   |  9 PagesHOMOSEXUALITY: NATURE VERSUS NURTURE Nature; all things belong to Mother Nature; the trees, the flowers, insects, the great waters, animals, and even the human race; all following the laws of nature that we are instinctively born with. However somewhere along the line something or someone defies those laws and go against what nature intended. Whether or not this rebellion is fostered by nurture, or if there is an exception to the laws that Mother Nature has set forth is a question that psychologistRead MoreEssay about Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture?1275 Words   |  6 Pages Homosexuality is one of the most hot button issues in America today. Everyone has an opinion, some based on religious views others based on other external factors. People are afraid to talk about it because it’s something we don’t actually fully comprehend. This is because it scares people to admit they don’t know something. We need to find out if being a homosexual is something we are born with, or is it something we learn over time. Review of the Research There have been many research studiesRead MoreHomosexuality : Nature And Nature871 Words   |  4 PagesHomosexuality: Nature or nurture By: Clifnie francois Advance Placement Psychology Mr. Cuetara June 4 2015 Abstract The nature and nature of homosexuality is heavily debated. Some people believe that homosexuality is biologically determined and others believe it’s base on ones environment. This topic can be argue to be base on both nature and nurture. Studies conducted in the past decades support both the biological and environmentalRead MoreDifferences Between Homosexuality and Homosexual Behavior Essay921 Words   |  4 PagesHomosexuality (the tendency to be more sexually attracted to the same sex) is often confused with homosexual behavior (acting on homosexuality by engaging in homosexual acts), but the two are distinctly different. Even though homosexual behavior, especially in more recent years, has become an acceptable standard in our society it is a voluntary act and a sin, but the church has the ongoing responsibility and God-given call to love our neighbors, regardless of their sin because we too are all sinners