Simple question. Pretty good discussion in the gay marriage thread, but that's gay marriage.

What are your thoughts on homosexuality?

Is homosexuality something only people with high sex drives, or sex addiction partake in?

Is homosexuality caused by the Social/Psychological environment you grew up in? (e.g. Your mom cheated on your father and broke the family apart, and now you can't trust women)

Is homosexuality a randomly occuring genetic defect, like autism or schizophrenia?

Is homosexuality a defect caused during pregnancy?

Is homosexuality a genetic trait, like blue eyes?

Is homosexuality caused because of hormonal issues? Maybe an imbalance of sex steroids? (like estrogen or testosterone)

Is homosexuality a decision people make because of curiosity?

Is homosexuality a non harmful mutation, no different from people being born albino, or as twins?

If I missed any reasons let me know.

Currently it is believed that homosexuality occurs because of some biological factors while fetus's are in early uterine environments. It's an error which is produced at some point of pregnancy, but some argue that it could be as basic as a genetic defect in DNA replication. However there is no concensus, the only thing scientists agree on is that it's a biological issue, and that gay people don't become or choose to be gay. I just want to know how many people know this

Why do you list all those questions if you know the current scientific thinking? If people don't base their views on homosexuality on evidence then no thread like this will convince them. Therefore there isn't much of a discussion to be had on causes.

You should, however, stop referring to it as an error or defect, except in the very specific context that it disfavours reproduction.

I want to know what people think. You don't have to agree with scientists, and it's unsure the biological source of homosexuality. It makes a difference if homosexuality is caused because of alcohol consumption or other factors causing errors during pregnancy, or if it's just a hormonal imbalance. If it's a hormonal imbalance, then could overdosing on steroids turn a heterosexual gay?

Not trying to convince people, I will spoiler that out.

Maybe I should ask if Homosexuality should be "cured?"

wat

some are born like that and some are effected by the environment the live in somehow when they are young

First of all, not everyone beleives that homosexuality is caused by biological factors. Many beleive it's the way you grew up, some christians even think it's a decision and can be blocked out with enough prayer.

Second it could be caused by various different biological factors. DNA replication errors (like autism), chemical imbalances (like schizophenia), substance abuse during pregnancy, or random errors during pregnancy. Many think it's just a normal outcome, no different from having twins, or an albino child. I'm curious what the reason people think is.

So you think people can become gay because of the type of parenting they received? What environment specifically do you think would make a person gay? Would it be an individual tramatic event, or is repeated exposure to some sort of harmful behaviour?

In the classic battle of Nature vs. Nurture I will have to side with Nature. Homosexuality should be viewed as a completely acceptable way of life because it is something I believe people are born as.

I consider sexual orientation no different than any sexual preference/attraction. Some people have foot fetishes, some like red-heads, others like certain races or accents. My point is that somewhere when we are developing we pick up on things and our minds build up a model of what we find attractive. Genes may have something to do with it, but I don't think there is a "gay" gene. If there was I don't see any way to look at it as anything other than a defective gene. We have a lot of genes to push us to have sex purely for procreation. All the things that attracts us to each other is based on procreation. Boy parts fit into girl parts, that's what we are naturally built for. If there was a gay gene it would be doing the opposite of what our sexual organs are for. If homosexuality was found to be caused by a gay gene should humanity correct it like other defective genes? I don't know, but like I said I think digging red-heads is no different than digging on your same sex. Who knows my some guys like red-heads and others like blondes and some like brunettes? I don't think a gene controls that so I don't think evolution would mutate a gene to do the opposite of procreation when the only thing genes want to do is keep us alive long enough to pass on our genes as much as possible.

The question isn't if homosexuality is an acceptable way of life, of course it is. The question is what is the origin?

Is there even a difference when saying it's a random mutation caused during pregnancy, and a random non-harmful mutation?

Some of the answers do overlap.