# Becoming straight **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2000, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478 "2000-09-17T07:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/61 "2000-09-22T02:48:48Z")
I personally think that all people are probably SOMEWHAT bisexual, but only a tiny bit. But see, I agree with Matt in some ways. Even if it WAS a choice, would that make it wrong? No, of course not! Why is it wrong? It doesn’t hurt anyone! So go Matt! It IS an interesting original question though, and not with nasty intent. See, to me, I could never understand being attracted to women and NOT to men. And I would not choose to be gay, because I LIKE men, and don’t want to lose that. If I were gay, I wouldn’t want to lose being attracted to women. So I guess that’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/62 "2000-09-22T03:25:12Z")
\*\*Satan wrote: Well, you guys are saying that even if it was POSSIBLE for you to change that you are against the idea.\*\* Hrm…tough question. The best way for me to answer it is to say that being a gay man is so much a part of my personality, changing that one aspect of my life would so completely alter the rest of my personality, I wouldn’t be the same after taking the chemical/drug. I would have grown up with such a different view of the world, it’s hard for me to image it. A bit of personal history; both sides of my family come from the Deep South, specifically Georgia. My folks are very much of that rural south culture. My dad still sprinkles his speech with the word _nigger_ and mother still thinks that blacks are more closely related to gorillas than humans. _sigh_ My two younger brothers are pretty much the same. I point this out because, if it wasn’t for my homosexuality, there’s a good chance I’d be just like them. I shudder at that thought. My homosexuality forced me to look at prejudice squarely and realise just what a terrible thing it is. For that reason, homosexuality is a blessing and that’s why I wouldn’t give it up. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/63 "2000-09-22T07:50:21Z")
Kupek, obviously a very subtle and complex epistemological argument is going over one of our heads. You go educate bigots however you like, hon. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/64 "2000-09-22T08:01:26Z")
Uh, I didn’t mean that quite the way it sounded. What I meant was, obviously our complex epistemological arguments are going in different directions to the result that we seem to be going in circles. That being the case, go ahead and educate bigots however you like with the understanding that it’s all good. Hon. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/65 "2000-09-22T14:12:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > Apparently, to some folks, their religion is more important than accepting what they are, or who they are, as it were. Well, if you believe your religion is the one way to salvation, you’re going to see what’s inside you on its terms. > [@](#): > > So what religions accept Homosexuals? > I’m talking truly accept them, not trying to convert them or make them celibate. I’m not sure **any** Christian denomination genuinely accepts them, although some denominations are more gay-friendly than others. (By ‘genuine acceptance,’ I’d have to include things like blessing gay unions, freely admitting them into the ministry/priesthood, etc., as necessary conditions, and work from there.) I understand the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church are among the closest to full acceptance of gays; I say this based on offhand bits of stuff read here and there, rather than on any close knowledge of either denomination, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/66 "2000-09-22T16:29:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*matt, apparently there are many people who Would want to stop being gay. > Does this bother you so much? > SHould we Force them to be gay? Would that be the healthiest for them, psychologically? > \*\* Well, if you want to think of it that way, many people are forced to be straight against their will every day. It is enculturated in our society that heterosexuality is the default and homosexuality is against the norm. Everyday, people across the world act straight or try to be straight to fit in and be like everyone else. Is that the healthiest thing? Should this bother those who suffer under it so much? _cough_ Um… duh. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/67 "2000-09-22T17:05:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTFirefly \* > **I’m not sure any Christian denomination genuinely accepts them, although some denominations are more gay-friendly than others. (By ‘genuine acceptance,’ I’d have to include things like blessing gay unions, freely admitting them into the ministry/priesthood, etc., as necessary conditions, and work from there.)** The United Church of Canada does these things (in most areas). ---
**Author:** ![Eyke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Eyke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyke)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/68 "2000-09-22T17:22:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\* > So what religions accept Homosexuals? > I’m talking truly accept them, not trying to convert them or make them celibate. \*\* Interestingly the Brethren/Mennonite church has a group that supports gays and lesbians. It strives for the inclusions of gays in all churches. I can’t think of the name of the committee at this time. I would never have thought such a traditional Protestant church would have such a group. My partner belongs to a Brethren church and gets the newsletter. Then there’s the Metropoliton Community Church which is a church for gays. ---
**Author:** ![Iolanthe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7bcc69/32.png) [@Iolanthe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iolanthe)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/69 "2000-09-22T20:37:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*So what religions accept Homosexuals? > I’m talking truly accept them, not trying to convert them or make them celibate. \*\* Reform Judaism. For a more detailed summary, take a look at this section of the Soc.Culture.Jewish newsgroups website: [http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-index.html](http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/18-index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Spider\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Spider\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spider_Woman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/70 "2000-09-22T21:03:13Z")
Our previous minister at the local UU church here was openly lesbian. The gay men’s group met Tuesday evenings. I don’t know how much more accepting than that anyone would wish for. I was amazed to find such a group here in Central Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2000, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478/71 "2000-09-23T06:40:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*So what religions accept Homosexuals? > I’m talking truly accept them, not trying to convert them or make them celibate. \*\* Most of Neo-Paganism, “for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/becoming-straight/33478.md?page=3)