As usual Dinesh D'Souza is wrong. He sees the examples of the ancient Greeks and Romans practicing bisexuality as definitive proof that homosexuality is not innate. His theory is that since current Greeks and Romans don't practice rampant bisexuality (let's assume that's true for the moment being) and the ancient Greeks and Romans did, it must be a cultural thing. Not a genetic one.
What's funny about the Christian right argument is that they admit that they are powerless to stop feelings of homosexuality taking over if society opens up to it. What's going through their minds? Perhaps they're not so different from the ancient Greeks after all.
Of course, as Kinsey showed, the difference between homosexuality and heterosexuality is not a sharp divide (I used to take credit for this idea until I realized Professor Kinsey had written about this before I was even born). It's not a black or white, gay or straight issue. Everyone is somewhere along the gay-straight spectrum.
And the further society opens up to homosexuality as permissible, the more people feel comfortable coming out as bisexual, homosexual, omnisexual or whateversexual.
Let me give a quick and absurdly simplistic example. Let's assume 100 is completely gay and 0 is completely straight on our gay-straight continuum. A person who ranks a 95 on the gay scale is probably going to act out on those innate desires no matter what societal rules there are, even at the risk of being put to death in closed societies.
A person who is a 5 on that scale might never act on any trace bisexual desires he or she might have no matter what the societal norms are. But the more open a society is, the more you will start to draw in people who score an 85, 75, 65, 55, 45, 35, etc. on our fun little gay-straight line.
In a very closed society some one who is "80% gay" might never come out and in a very open society someone who is even "20% gay" might try it. These are gross simplifications, but you get the point. In fact, this is in some ways exactly what the culture warriors on the right have been warning about.
The Christian right (and the religious and cultural conservatives of a great many societies) have been worried about this for a long time. They are right. As society opens up, we will likely be more "gay." Or in reality, be closer to our true nature, wherever that might lie on the bisexuality continuum.
Where the cultural right is wrong is when they make a value judgment on that. Of course, there isn't anything wrong with that all. In fact, since it allows us to be closer to our "real" nature without societal judgments on our natural sexual preferences, there is something very right about it.
As it stands, our current culture doesn't yet appear to be fully comfortable with a truly and widely bisexual society. So, we inch toward progress or slouch toward
Though it must be noted that we have already achieved a great deal of openness on the female side of the equation. Ask around and see if you can find a woman under 25 who hasn't made out with one of their girlfriends.
My informal study on our show indicates about 80% of girls under 25 have at least tried a sexual experience with another woman (I concede that I am no Alfred Kinsey and my so-called evidence is wildly anecdotal, but ask for yourself and you'll see my numbers are shockingly accurate).
D'Souza uses history as his guide. It's ironic because his argument is ultimately against the tide of history and the inevitability of our genes. We know what the future holds, it is our past. The American people are right, our sexuality is innate. We just have to have the courage to own up to it.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 37)
1. Finally someone who has something reasonable to say, rather than disseminating hate in order that they may hold onto whatever safe little view of the world they've concocted for themsleves.
nimoeheart at 3:58PM on Jun 28th 2007
2. What next ? Are the sickos going to tell us that pedophilia is alright ? With Michael Jackson walking free it is not that far off .
d.wood at 4:05PM on Jun 28th 2007
3. Sure, lets all go back to the days of the Roman empire. We see what happened to that society.
Lori at 4:38PM on Jun 28th 2007
4. There you go. #2 is a perfect example of what #1 describes. The true sicko is you d.
Where do you get off equating pedophilia with homosexuality? One has nothing to do with the other. You, d., are the truly lost little lamb in our society, with pedophilia on your mind.
bananastand at 4:39PM on Jun 28th 2007
5. Once again, people continue to make excuses. The problem with homosexuality is that it is wrong. Take God out of the equation. If everyone was gay, our species would die out. We are designed (either by God or nature) to be heterosexual. And until the invention of condoms, homosexuality was incredible dangerous to one's health.
Furthermore, the men in our culture are getting increasingly more metrosexual. It's pathetic. When the crap hits the fan, this newest generation will not even be able to fend for itself. Our culture is so obsessed with image. When are you gonna wake up and realize that as we continue to make excuses for our lack or morals (homosexuality, drug usage, adultery, greed, etc.) or in other words, make dumb choices, the closer we get to the same fate as the greek and Roman kingdoms...extinction.
The fact of the matter is that your statistics are biased because straight people don't want to talk about gay stuff, it's gross. Most girls only like other girls because guys (and our culture) encourage it.
The only real relationship is a monogamous one between a man and a woman as God/Nature intended. Y'all need Jesus.
Peace, CJ
Chris at 4:41PM on Jun 28th 2007
6. Oooooh! Now it's bestiality! You idiots are having a field day, aren't you? I think you're jealous because we, on the other side, are richer, smarter, and more enlightened than you.
bananastand at 4:41PM on Jun 28th 2007
7. Look! Gay people have been around just as long as straight people have. We've walked the earth just as long as you have and more and more of us are born everyday in what is the mystery known as creation. We're not going away and your sad, little, closed minds won't realize this into you pass into the light, yourselves, and realize your blind hatred was all just a sham. You were told or taught by someone else that being gay is a "bad" thing. You were not told by any "divine authority." You can quote scriptures all you want (there is only Leviticus, anyway) but Jesus didn't hate gay people. He loved everyone - no matter what. Some of the apostles were likely gay. So what? So, GET OVER IT, already!!
bananastand at 4:51PM on Jun 28th 2007
8. You idiots, pedophilia , and beastiality are not even close to the same thing as, homosexuality......lol stupid stupid people....
Ryan at 4:55PM on Jun 28th 2007
9. banana, please supply any evidence whatsoever that some of the apostles were gay. Yes, Jesus loves everyone, but he was quite clear about his stand on sin. And you yourself admit that there is scripture that is clear on homosexuality being sin in Leviticus. In fact, I think he was so clear about the consequence of sin that he died for it. Thats pretty clear.
Lori at 5:02PM on Jun 28th 2007
10. Jesus said: "All are welcome at my fathers table." It was the pharasees who had a problem with homosexuals. The were bigots, like most christians for that matter, who worship the book of Paul and Constantine, not Christ.
Phoenix at 5:22PM on Jun 28th 2007
11. Where in Cenk's well written article did he condone beastilaity and pedophilia? He did not.
D. Wood Post # 2...you are a moron. Another idiot comparing homosexuality to pedophilia. Hate to burst your bubble, but most pedophiles are heterosexual.
David Steffen at 5:32PM on Jun 28th 2007
12. Excellent post, C. U.
Joe Bob at 5:32PM on Jun 28th 2007
13. Phoenix, the pasage you quote.. "all are welcome at my fathers table", where did that come from? The book of Paul and Constintine or the book of Christ. Please tell us what exactly is the book of Christ? Enlighten me here.. thanks.
Lori at 5:43PM on Jun 28th 2007
14. they may have more money but that's because they don't have child rearing responsibilities which covers a huge spectrum..........they're gay because they choose to be. www.narth.com
jana at 5:49PM on Jun 28th 2007
15. figure this one out if you can; if you all thought that a woman should be with a woman and a man should be with a man, humanity would cease to exist and you would have singlehandedly ended the world, goofy. God made a man to fit together perfectly with a woman; you others have to "make do".........gross and you know it.
jana at 5:49PM on Jun 28th 2007