# Future gays/lesbians--will they exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 20, 2001, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-gays-lesbians-will-they-exist/69445 "2001-06-20T07:33:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dixiechiq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@dixiechiq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dixiechiq)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-gays-lesbians-will-they-exist/69445/61 "2001-07-01T17:28:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weird\_AL\_Einstein \* > I don’t think the questions are analagous. In order to “eliminate bigotry, fear, and hatred” of homosexuality, or of anything else for that matter, with some kind of medical “procedure”, you would have to have a policy of forcing people who don’t want the “procedure” to take it, implying some kind of totalitarian government. > > The implication of the first question is, would you _voluntarily_ “take a pill to” etc etc? There’s a difference. > \*\* if we are considering the hypothetical methods to elimiate homosexuality, i don’t see how hypothetical methods to elimiate bigotry, fear, and hatred is any different. if we are discussing eliminating homosexuality without “a policy of forcing people who don’t want the ‘procedure’ to take it”, i offer the counter-option under the same conditions. the real point is, finding a “cure” for homosexuality assumes there is something wrong with it. the actual problem is not homosexuality, it is social reactions to it. that is what needs to be cured. the apa recognized as much when they de-listed homosexuality from the dsm in the 70’s [i think it was the 70’s]. ---
**Author:** ![whitenoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e495f1/32.png) [@whitenoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitenoise)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-gays-lesbians-will-they-exist/69445/62 "2001-07-03T00:41:07Z")
I think most of us can agree that (a) we wouldn’t want to deliberately eliminate diversity of sexual orientation and (b) homosexuality should not be considered a “disease” per se (though I wasn’t offended by the comparison to genes for cancer, etc.) Think of it this way: some deaf people feel such a strong sense of community with other deaf people that they resent any suggestion that deafness is a defect. In this view, research for a cure for deafness is tantamount to genocide–an attempt to eradicate their people from the earth. I can’t logically wrap my brain around this, though. I can’t imagine why someone would prefer to remain deaf, and how the world would not be a better place if all people had full use of five senses. I recognize, though, that this logic, applied to homosexuality would seem quite bigoted. “I can’t imagine why someone would prefer to be gay, and how the world would not be a better place if all people were straight.” Genetic alteration could lead to a very slippery slope; in order to make it work, we would need to reach a consensus as to what is diversity and what is defectiveness. I don’t foresee this happening any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![whitenoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e495f1/32.png) [@whitenoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitenoise)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-gays-lesbians-will-they-exist/69445/63 "2001-07-03T00:56:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lemur866 \* > \*\* > > Even when we look at cultures such as ancient greece where male homosexuality was encouraged, we find that all these gay men who prefered sex with other men/boys also had wives with whom they had children. . > \*\* Ancient Greek homosexual activity, as I understand it, has very little to do with contemporary homosexuality as we know it. (And please, if anyone who knows more about ancient culture than I cares to correct anything I say here, go right ahead.) In those times, there was not one class of men known as “gay;” all men were pretty much expected to have sexual experiences with boys, and to have family-centered relationships with their wives. Therefore, it’s not as though some of them had “the gay gene” and they passed it on. Another, perhaps tangential, difference between ancient homosexuality and modern gayness is the ancient definition of roles. Same-sex behavior took place between an adult male and an adolescent boy, without any exceptions that I know of. The boy was always the passive partner in sexual activity. Any exceptions to this would be unheard of. This sharply contrasts with contemporary gay couples, most of whom (that I know) are more or less of the same age. I think the ancient Greek homosexual traditions tend to contradict most contemporary views of sexuality and genetics. They aren’t all that good to bring up in an argument. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/future-gays-lesbians-will-they-exist/69445.md?page=3)