From: mudge@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (MUDGE BRIAN WAYNE)
Subject: Re: Oprah 11/19
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 16:08:48 GMT

In article <1992Nov20.040700.26375@col.hp.com> smithw@col.hp.com (Walter Smith) writes:
>(This is from my wife, using my account...it's her first time using
>USENET, so cut her some slack...)
>1) I believe that whether a person is gay or straight depends on genetics.
>Therefore, when a person is born, it has already been determined...being
>gay is not "learned behavior that one can change" as the religious fanatics
>would have us believe.  Is this belief correct?

  Sorry, the jury is still out on this one.  One study has shown that, in
identical twins raised separately (same genes, different environment), if
one twin is gay, the other twin has a MORE THAN AVERAGE chance of being
gay as well.  (someone posted the bibliography on this in motss.FAQ awhile
back)  This has been used by some researchers who propose that homosexuality
has a genetic link, but is not genetically predetermined. (if genes alone
dictated sexual orientation, identical twins would have identical sexual
orientations.)
  One significant hole in this theory is that twins also share the same
in utero environment.  That is to say, they are not *quite* brought up
in separate environments.
  Studies with mice have indicated that sexual orientation may be affected
by hormone fluxuations in the in utero environment.  Mice aren't people,
and the exact analogy between mice and men isn't exactly clear.


>2) During the Oprah episode,
>several "straight" individuals accused a couple of lesbians on the show of
>really wanting to be men since they chose to dress or "act" like most people
>think men should behave.  My question then is:  Like a heterosexual relation-
>ship, do homosexual relationships generally have male and female roles...the
>more dominant individual portraying a male role?

  As with any relationship with two people, there are three basic possibilities
that are likely to occurr: 
  1.) dominance of one over the other (one takes the aggressive "male" role,
            while one assumes a submissive, stereotypical "female" role)
  2.) equality of both partners:  self explanitory
  3.) codominance ( the partners trade off dominant roles, depending on skill
            levels, and individual tastes)
(BTW, if your question was meant to be sexual in nature, tastes vary so
 widely amongst people that I hesitate to guess.  I think that most settle
for some variation of the above in the bedroom as well as in their private
lives.)

>Before I get crucified, I would like to explain that I was brought up in a

  'ts ok, I'm friendly. :)

>religious cult-type environment where I was taught that being homosexual was
>evil and that God hated this behavior.  Luckily, I broke away from this
>situation about five years ago, when I was thirty.  I have never really
>felt that God would hate someone who is different.  In fact, Jesus said we

  Good for you.  And thanks.

>should love everyone and professed Christians should learn from Jesus'
>example that it is wrong to hate...we are all brothers (and sisters).  I
>continue to defend anyone who is looked down upon for being different than
>society dictates.  What I am getting at is that I really want to understand.
>I know that being gay is far more than a sexual preference....heterosexuals
>will say the same thing.  It is who they are; it is their life.  I really
>don't have any gay friends (or maybe I do, but just aren't aware).
>
>If anyone would like to respond to my questions, I would appreciate it.
>Again, my questions (though probably ignorant) are sincere.  By the way,
>my family and I have lived in Colorado Springs for just a few months.  I
>can't believe how intolerant people are here of others.  We are from the
>East coast where people seem to be more open-minded.  The religious
>influence here (with all the "Christians" groups who seem to be rather
>self-righteous) is a little hard to take.  Since being involved with that
>cult I mentioned above, I still haven't found any group that I wish to be
>part of.  I do believe in God -- a God who loves everyone for the person
>he/she is...what they believe in their hearts and how they treat others.
>If you know of a group who subscribes to this belief, please do let me know.

  Good luck.  I know there are very tolerant branches of christianity out
there.  Unfortunately, being an atheist, I don't keep track.

                            Bri......