Why are there gay people?

Answer 1

Gay people could theoretically be born with that particular sexual orientation through genetics and prenatal conditions. If you are asking about what physically causes you to be born gay (as in chemical make up and the birthing process), that is not known. Other theories suggest that it is result of the way that a child is brought up, as his or her brain develops during their experiences. This is known as the nature versus nurture debate. In either case, it is not a 'choice', and once someone has realised their homosexuality they can't just turn it off. It's an intrinsic part of their personality and can't be forced out, regardless of what some people would have you believe.

Opinion: Technically being gay is unnatural due to most animals needing a male and female to reproduce. If everyone was gay, we would all die within a generation because no children would be produced. So technically speaking, being gay serves little purpose, but some people don't think it is unnatural or wrong. Even if being gay were wrong, it doesn't mean that you should be discriminatory towards them. Now maybe if mammals, birds, fish and reptiles (well maybe some fish and reptiles do) could reproduce asexually, being gay would be fine.

Opinion: Homosexuality is natural in that it is a phenomenon that occurs throughout the living world without human intervention (the definition of natural), in a wide range of species. Granted, from the perspective of the person or animal in question it is evolutionarily disadvantageous, but that does not make it wrong. Variation within a population is one of the founding principles of natural selection, and homosexuality is merely another way of expressing this variation.

Another Answer:

There are many theories behind this. It is possible there are many etiologies and the exact cause depends on the specific gay or lesbian person involved. Even the far-fetched is included for completion.

1. The most prevalent theory is that people are born that way. It could be nature's way of helping to prevent overpopulation. There are several genetic theories, such as the allergy theory where the mother becomes more sensitized to male-specific antigens produced, or the one where there is a gene that increases attraction to men (in any gender with this gene). Adrenal hyperplasia could be a contributing factor to butch lesbianism.

2. Some LGBT persons actually claim they chose to be LGBT. That is not politically correct to say, but there are members and former members of the LGBT who say that. They usually claim it was a partial choice, and the ones who knowingly made a choice tend to have more constructionist viewpoints. They explain away choosing it despite the suffering by calling it a noble choice, like being persecuted for a religion or fighting in an unpopular war.

3. Some ex-gay folks claim they were sexually abused as children.

4. Some people believe that developmental dynamics are at least partly responsible. They may mention things like divorced parents, rebellion, and not feeling loved by the same-sex parent(s).

5. There are about 3 case histories where someone suffered brain trauma and had a shift in sexual orientation or level of sexual interest.

6. More unusual theories that are not widely accepted relate to spiritual causes, such as past-life trauma, Karma, or spirit possession. Some transplant patients end up having shifts or changes in sexual orientation or gender identity after surgery, often corresponding to the orientation or gender identity of the donor. Of course, there are many possible explanations for those cases, such as brain trauma during surgery from lack of oxygen, to subconscious suggestions accidentally implanted during surgery by a chatty medical team, to the person simply being so close to death that they decide to not hide their true sexual orientation. But the more esoteric crowd believes that part of the donor's soul remains with the patient. One lesbian woman became heterosexual after a heart transplant, while a man became somewhat transgender after receiving a straight woman's heart.
There are lesbians and gays because some people are born being attracted to the same sex or both and there is nothing wrong with that.

To be more specific, it appears that sexual attraction is an inborn biological trait, not a "learned" or "chosen" one. Your brain is wired in a specific pattern to find certain types of people attractive, which appears to be the result of a combination genetics and in-utero hormones.

Answer 2

There are many theories behind this. It is possible there are many etiologies and the exact cause depends on the specific gay or lesbian person involved. Even the far-fetched is included for completion.

1. The most prevalent theory is that people are born that way. It could be nature's way of helping to prevent overpopulation. There are several genetic theories, such as the allergy theory where the mother becomes more sensitized to male-specific antigens produced, or the one where there is a gene that increases attraction to men (in any gender with this gene). Adrenal hyperplasia could be a contributing factor to butch lesbianism.

2. Some LGBT persons actually claim they chose to be LGBT. That is not politically correct to say, but there are members and former members of the LGBT who say that. They usually claim it was a partial choice, and the ones who knowingly made a choice tend to have more constructionist viewpoints. They explain away choosing it despite the suffering by calling it a noble choice, like being persecuted for a religion or fighting in an unpopular war.

3. Some ex-gay folks claim they were sexually abused as children.

4. Some people believe that developmental dynamics are at least partly responsible. They may mention things like divorced parents, rebellion, and not feeling loved by the same-sex parent(s).

5. There are about 3 case histories where someone suffered brain trauma and had a shift in sexual orientation or level of sexual interest.

6. More unusual theories that are not widely accepted relate to spiritual causes, such as past-life trauma, Karma, or spirit possession. Some transplant patients end up having shifts or changes in sexual orientation or gender identity after surgery, often corresponding to the orientation or gender identity of the donor. Of course, there are many possible explanations for those cases, such as brain trauma during surgery from lack of oxygen, to subconscious suggestions accidentally implanted during surgery by a chatty medical team, to the person simply being so close to death that they decide to not hide their true sexual orientation. But the more esoteric crowd believes that part of the donor's soul remains with the patient. One lesbian woman became heterosexual after a heart transplant, while a man became somewhat transgender after receiving a straight woman's heart.