# If conservatives think being gay is a choice, what do they think are the benefits of being gay?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-conservatives-think-being-gay-is-a-choice-what-do-they-think-are-the-benefits-of-being-gay/1006014>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 21, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-conservatives-think-being-gay-is-a-choice-what-do-they-think-are-the-benefits-of-being-gay/1006014 "2024-08-21T20:39:38Z")\
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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-conservatives-think-being-gay-is-a-choice-what-do-they-think-are-the-benefits-of-being-gay/1006014/44 "2024-08-22T07:52:51Z")

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Yeah. If we can’t characterize a group that has exceptions to the characterization, then we pretty much can’t discuss groups at all. That’s a standard rhetorical trick the Right likes to use to shut down discussion of it, I see it all the time.

Then there’s the issue that we can’t read minds, only judge by actions. Claiming purity of motive is meaningless, both because the rest of us can’t tell and because results are what _matters._

And on top of that since personal attacks will get you into trouble it’s rather disingenuous for someone to defend a group by claiming _themself_ as a counterexample, since nobody is allowed to contradict them (outside of the Pit at least). If it was a third party at least we could have an actual discussion about it.

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