if Homosexuality could be Genetically prevented, the fundies would love it

[mopaul]

[skypilot]

1. Just imagine how many MORE fundies there would be.

In fact, just think of all the unsavory families that would have quite a few extra members if homosexuality were prevented: Dick Cheney's, Alan Keyes', Randall Terry's, etc.

[coloradodem2005]

2. Sounds like they want to purge the population.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

3. Our culture would lose so much. I really believe that.

Think of all the contributions, not just to the arts, interior design, cosmetology,etc., but to the "regular" occupations too. I have known and do know some amazing and talented gay and lesbian people.

[Spacemom]

4. What if the research to prevent homosexuality

could only be done through stem-cell research?

Imagine the quandry that would pose for the rw'ers? :eyes:

[mopaul]

5. and what if it was federally funded?

[Zorra]

6. Gay genes are possibly critical for species survival.

So given the fundy tendencies regarding supporting policies that cause disease, death, destruction, and possible total species annihilation, you may be more on the mark than you realize.

[kliljedahl]

7. Plant a story?

"Stem Cell Researchers Close to Cure for Homosexuality"

It'd get funded right quick.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[rock]

8. But suppose it could be prevented or installed

Wouldn't they (the fundies) love that! They've been claiming it's a choice all along. What if it were?

[forgethell]

9. How would the

discovery of a 'gay' gene affect the abortion debate? An interesting question. Would the "fundies" abandon their pro-life stance? Would the gays then adopt it and they foresaw the death of their sub-culture? Or would they try to get laws passed forbidding discrimination against 'gay' fetuses from parents that didn't want gay sons? What would that do to freedom of choice? Who would get to decide? Would every such abortion have to go to court? Interesting to speculate about.

[Xithras]

15. Ouch, that would make the fundies heads spin all right.

If there really is a "gay gene", then it's only a matter of time until it's isolated and a test is developed for it. When that test is developed, the fundies will have a choice...abort or have a gay child. They're heads will explode trying to work that one out.

As for its effect on abortion rights, I don't think it should have one. Abortion rights supporters have always been adamant that women should be free to abort for any reason. Whether it's convenience, health, or selective, the fact remains that it's her body and her choice. If a woman wants a girl, she can abort the fetus today if it's a boy because that's her preference. This is really no different...if a woman wants a straight child, she should have the right to abort it if it is gay. Her womb, her choice.

Ultimately though, I think it's a moot point because I don't believe that there's a "gay gene". Genetics only effects a small part of our personalities and preferences, and a LOT of our "self" is actually the result of developmental and chemical influences on the brain. I honestly believe that homosexuality is a developmental difference, not a genetic one.

[forgethell]

19. Actually,

my bet would be that the 'fundies' would keep their pro-life positions with no head spinning whatsoever. As I understand their world-view (and I could be wrong, of course), this is the more important position to them. However, I agree to a great extent about the possible existence of a gay gene, and if we are right, the situation will never arise to check our respective hypotheses.

However, I disagree with this statement, "Abortion rights supporters have always been adamant that women should be free to abort for any reason. Whether it's convenience, health, or selective, the fact remains that it's her body and her choice. If a woman wants a girl, she can abort the fetus today if it's a boy because that's her preference. ".

this came up a year or so ago when some feminists leaders were very upset about the preference of Indian and Chinese women to abort female fetuses because of the preference in their cultures for sons. obviously a lot depends on whose ox is being gored, which is one reason I don't believe political movements of either the left or the right are "idealistic". Call me a cynic, if you will.

[The Revolution]

10. I'm not so sure they would love it.

If it can be genetically prevented, that means that people really are born homosexuals, and they don't choose it (which is what the fundies are always saying). And according to fundie beliefs, if they were born that way, wouldn't that mean God created them that way? It would seem to create quite the problem. Of course, these people seem to be able to ignore anything that doesn't fit their agenda of hate (whether its science, common sense, or their own religious scripture).

[Bluerthanblue]

11. agree- it would cause them much grief-

because either they'd have to admit it wasn't a 'choice'-
and/or have to alter thier stance on abortion-

Watch this movie- "The Twilight of the Golds"-
if you can, i did a few years ago, and it REALLY opened my eyes-
<http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=154556>

and broke my heart- why is human'kind' so mean?

[XemaSab]

13. My thoughts exactly

what's "sinful" about a God-given medical condition?

If it was genetic, then there'd be nobody to bash. They could still say it was a sickness, but not a sinful "choice," like anyone would choose to be gay and risk familial and social ostracism from the selfsame fundy bigots.

[Momgonepostal]

17. That's exactly what I thought

The acknowledgement that a gay gene exists would completely refute the arguement that being gay is a (deviant) lifestyle choice. How could they acknowledge such a thing exists without admitting they were wrong all along?

[ck4829]

12. They'd rather want to burn the genitalia of GLBT people

Yes, the 'christian' Right considers that a treatment for GLBT people.

[Coexist]

14. I worked with a fundie once who had four children

when someone left the office (a man who had a lisp) she claimed that he was "queer" and the he would burn in hell.

I asked her how she could say that, knowing that one of her children might grow up and tell her one day that he/she was gay. How would she feel about how people treated homosexuals then.

Her response -
"I'd beat it out of them."

Seriously.

[Terran]

16. Did this just occur to you today?

Don't mean to sound snide, but, speaking for the tribe, a lot of us have been thinking about this possibility for a long long time.

[mopaul]

18. precisely 79 and 1/3 hours ago

and i thought i had an original thought there for a minute

[Terran]

22. That's okay...

All your other thoughts are original. I'm a great admirer. :toast: :hi:

[Justin54B20L]

20. If homosexuality is genetic, wouldn't that almost immediately invalidate

all of the anti-gay marriage amendments? Due to the fact that all levels of government are prohibited from discriminating based on genetic makeup?

It would certainly automatically invalidate the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy of the military as it applies to governmental employment.

[Xithras]

21. I'm not aware of any such laws

AFAIK, there are no laws in the US that prohibit the government or employers from discriminating based on genetics. Race, ancestry, and sex are all genetically derived, but the law addresses those traits specifically.

There are other laws that prohibit genetic testing as a requirement for being hired, but I don't think they'd be applicable. They would certainly stop the government or employers from testing you to SEE if you're gay and from discriminating against you based on the result, but they don't address discrimination based on genetically derived traits.

The only current law that MIGHT successfully be argued is the ADA, but to make that work you'd have to define homosexuality as a genetic disability. Even if there's legal ground for that argument to succeed, I honestly doubt any activists want to go down that road.

[NMMNG]

23. This is the thing that makes me fear science finally finding

the biological determinant for homosexuality.

I've always known once that happened that the bigots would immediately turn to finding ways to eradicating it in future populations, as if it were a disease to be wiped out. :scared: