Poll: If you could know your baby's sexual orientation...

[faceless chick]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

 

[chronobreak]

Also: People do not choose to be gay.
People may choose to stop pretending to be straight, or choose to explore desires and feelings that they already have, but they do not choose to have those desires and feelings in the first place.

Right, I didn't know you had a ticket into every homosexual person's mind in the world. For all you know plenty of people have chosen to be gay. Also, what right do you have to tell anyone that they can't make that choice? If I choose tomorrow that I am only going to have sex with men for the rest of my life, and follow through on it, I am the definition of gay.

 

[Triskadancer]

Maybe you could prove this to all of us by becoming a homosexual then.

So, somebody that chooses to be gay is less gay then someone born that way? That's a real bigoted position you have there. If I chose tomorrow, like some people I have known have done, to be gay, I would go through the same adversity that all other gay people would go through. -snip-

I agree with your point of view here, but if I may, I'd like to shed some light on why "spontaneous gayness" is looked on skeptically by members of the gay community.

Sometimes, people don't know their sexuality for sure, and they may decide to experiment- but this experimentation can be announced as becoming gay. And if, perhaps, they decide same-sex relations weren't for them, they go back to being straight. Which is all well and good on its own- however, when this happens, it can cause some bystanders to assume that being gay is a careless, probably incorrect choice, or a phase that kids will grow out of universally, thus damaging the reputation and legitimacy of the gay community as a whole. This is also why the gay community occasionally has a poor view of bisexual individuals- they lump the bi kids in with the indecisive, experimental ones (even though bisexuality is not always a phase, just like homosexuality).

Anyway, aside from that explanation, I also do not think being gay is a choice. I think that pretending to be is definitely a choice, or deluding yourself into thinking you are what you are not. This can happen to gay people as well as straight. Like what's been said, I think the people spontaneously "deciding" to be gay is really deciding to COME OUT as gay (or to try experimenting). It's a different thing.

 

[Dr.Sean]

I don't want to have to worry about grandchildren so I will make my baby g-- then again, that would make me feel like a dick, so I'd let it be a surprise like it should be.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Ok, I'd love to know how they'd be able to determine that. If I'm not mistaken it has to do with brain chemistry, which doesn't become apparent till puberty. However for the sake of argument I'll go along with this and say I'd leave my kid as is.

 

[Skeleon]

I'm straight and I would like to think I wouldn't change the child's genes.
That's my current position, though. Who knows how I'd feel about it if I lived in a Gattaca-like world for a long enough period of time?

 

[Novandor]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

Being gay doesn't mean that you will get a sexual disease. Anyone could, not just gay people.

 

[piratessfifi]

I think I would have to change it. I don't have a single thing against gay people, it's just that I've know so many who have struggled with it. One of my gay friends commited suicide, and several others are avoided like they have a contagious disease. They've told me that they hate being bullied and discriminated against, and I would not wish that confusion and mess on my child no matter how much I would celebrate their individuality.

 

[Maynia]

I also think that being gay is a choice and you are not born with it.

HA! That... that was a joke, right? Because if it wasn't, I detect that the proponents of this viewpoint have no idea. Allow me to fill some detail in here. I spent the better part of four years attempting to convince myself that I was straight, and dragged a poor boy through a lot of crap he probably didn't deserve due to my being utterly, suicidally miserable the entire time. If there exists a level of willpower that allows a person to delude themselves to the degree such denial would require, they should really put it towards something productive.

I stopped trying to force that delusion on myself when I actually found someone to talk to about it who wasn't my bigoted and abusive mother - that woman eventually became, how you say, more than a friend, in the manner of one thing leading to another, and here I am now - happily involved with what most people would call a girlfriend - and you know what? It feels indubitably and totally right in a very deep way, in exactly the same way that trying to force myself to be straight felt utterly and completely wrong in a way that upset my entire life.

Whether it's something in our genes or hormones or whatever I don't know exactly (not a scientist) but I can be pretty damn sure it's no choice.

Aaaanyway, kind of went off on one there, apologies. To answer the actual topic-question - wouldn't want to know, wouldn't mind any way it turned out. Far as I see it, in the hilariously unlikely event I ever have kids (the whole non-straight thing combined with the fact that I really don't get along well with small children), my role would be to accept and nurture whatever they feel is best for them and certainly not to dictate to them that they should deny who and what they are as my dear mother attempted to do to me.

 

[DannyBoy451]

Right, I didn't know you had a ticket into every homosexual person's mind in the world. For all you know plenty of people have chosen to be gay. Also, what right do you have to tell anyone that they can't make that choice? If I choose tomorrow that I am only going to have sex with men for the rest of my life, and follow through on it, I am the definition of gay.

Oh, I'm sure that a heterosexual person could choose to engage in homosexual activity, for whatever reason. But my point is that they'd be choosing to engage in homosexual activity, they wouldn't be choosing to suddenly find members of the same sex genuinely attractive, that's a very important distinction.

Also: She probably puts it better than I could.

Anyway, aside from that explanation, I also do not think being gay is a choice. I think that pretending to be is definitely a choice, or deluding yourself into thinking you are what you are not. This can happen to gay people as well as straight. Like what's been said, I think the people spontaneously "deciding" to be gay is really deciding to COME OUT as gay (or to try experimenting). It's a different thing.

 

[faceless chick]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

Being gay doesn't mean that you will get a sexual disease. Anyone could, not just gay people.

I meant, you're more open to sexual diseases since anal sex is more dirty and spreads viruses more easily -like Freddy Mercury.

In ancient times, most gay men died of syphilis.
Well, we can prevent it nowadays, but it's still more risky than straight sex (under the same conditions, i'm not counting hookers)

 

[Wadders]

I suppose I wouldn't mind, but I do have this really old fashioned fixation of carrying on my family name/ line, so I would like at least 1 straight son to do that

Other than that, I couldn't care less. I'd love them, gay or not. Unless they were a complete asshole, but that would have nothing to do with them being homosexual.

 

[Altorin]

I for one think eugenics is a really really bad idea.

 

[Xanadu84]

Just to make a boring, scientific point, the scientific literature has established that Homosexuality is likely not genetic. Oh, it's in no way, shape, or form a choice, in the same way straight people don't choose to be straight. That's just bigoted propaganda. Homosexuality looks to be caused by conditions in the womb altering brain makeup and chemistry. This is why people are born with there sexuality, yet there is no selective pressure against Homosexuality. It also is a continuum, not a discrete choice of gay, straight, or bi.

As for the question, I at first thought that maybe I would change them to straight. After all, there's no important difference except that a straight person will have to deal with less bigotry. Both being equal, why not go for the choice that will make life easier for the child? But then I realized that any change whatsoever could potentially have negative effects, and there is always some risk. Even the tiniest negative means that I wouldn't do it. So no, I wouldn't change them.

 

[Captain_Caveman]

I can kind of understand someone wanting a heterosexual child so they wouldn't have to live with the discrimination that comes with homosexuality, or if you wanted to have grandchildren who were directly related to you (Although with surrogacy that wouldn't be an issue if your child was male)

and with donor sperm it wouldn't be an issue if your child was female.

or a surrogate mother.

However, remember that even w/ donor sperm or a surrogate mother; a gay couple still can only have 1 partner who's genes the baby will inherit. So that effectively halves the chances of having your genes passed on.

I'm straight & i wouldn't want to change the baby's genes just because i'm a luddite & paranoid he or she might end up w/ 3 eyes and 5 ears.

But i can see why it might be easier to raise a child of the same sexual orientation because since you went through the same stages you can relate more & give better advice. Also the higher probability of passing on genes thing. I wouldn't care about the whole society accepting issue though. that would all just build character.

 

[Noone From Nowhere]

If I'm going to change my baby's genes, it would be to make him or her (or 'hir') more interesting. Perhaps some green skin, glowing eyes and maybe just a pinch of sandcrab could mix things up in a big way.
That way, s/he could pinch the bullies into submission.

As I've said before, if I'd try to give a child a dysfunction, I'd rather it be a unique one that's at least a mixed blessing/curse.

Gay or straight? How passe`. You didn't even include bi-sexual or asexual options. For shame.

 

[RanD00M]

I would be proud of my child as long as he doesn't get into drugs or just has a bad life.No matter if he like the same sex as he is.

 

[Novandor]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

Being gay doesn't mean that you will get a sexual disease. Anyone could, not just gay people.

I meant, you're more open to sexual diseases since anal sex is more dirty and spreads viruses more easily -like Freddy Mercury.

In ancient times, most gay men died of syphilis.
Well, we can prevent it nowadays, but it's still more risky than straight sex (under the same conditions, i'm not counting hookers)

Not necessarily. It's all a matter of protection, and knowing the sexual history of your partner. In the past, it was difficult for anyone because of the lack of knowledge for STDs. But moving along to the present, we know the symptoms for STDs, and even have cures for some of them, but all have treatments to help people that have an incurable disease. Just like the gay community, there are people that are straight, and have anal sex.

 

[DannyBoy451]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

Being gay doesn't mean that you will get a sexual disease. Anyone could, not just gay people.

I meant, you're more open to sexual diseases since anal sex is more dirty and spreads viruses more easily -like Freddy Mercury.

In ancient times, most gay men died of syphilis.
Well, we can prevent it nowadays, but it's still more risky than straight sex (under the same conditions, i'm not counting hookers)

I don't really see what point you're making there; Gay men arn't the only people who practice anal sex, and the fact that wearing a condom will protect you anyway invalidates your whole post.

Besides, the fastest growing group of HIV infected people is young heterosexual men.

 

[seidlet]

I don't really care. I would prefer if my kid was straight, yes, since homosexuality brings a lot of problems- social, biological, sexual diseases etc.- but I wouldn't change them.

If that's how they were meant to be, then I wouldn't make a fuss.

I don't think my (future) husband will have the same opinion though. Men are usually (meaning, not always) less open-minded about homosexuality.

Being gay doesn't mean that you will get a sexual disease. Anyone could, not just gay people.

I meant, you're more open to sexual diseases since anal sex is more dirty and spreads viruses more easily -like Freddy Mercury.

In ancient times, most gay men died of syphilis.
Well, we can prevent it nowadays, but it's still more risky than straight sex (under the same conditions, i'm not counting hookers)

I don't really see what point you're making there; Gay men arn't the only people who practice anal sex, and the fact that wearing a condom will protect you anyway invalidates your whole post.

Besides, the fastest growing group of HIV infected people is young heterosexual men.

yes, this. if you type anal sex into google, i virtually guarantee the percentage of straight porn will vastly outweigh the percentage of gay porn.