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From: rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Biological basis for homosexuality?
Message-ID: <1198@bbncca.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 12:53:03 EST
Article-I.D.: bbncca.1198
Posted: Mon Dec 10 12:53:03 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 03:49:31 EST
References: <390@ptsfa.UUCP>
Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma.
Lines: 37

Well said, Rob!  I think sexual orientation is a complex matter,
which goes far beyond matters of biological gender or cultural
gender role.  This is not to deny that sexual orientation is a
profound facet of personality, perhaps as permanent as any other
facet (any personal trait can be changed; after all, torture
works), & as valid.  This is also not to ignore a lot of data
which suggest that most people are predominantly gay or straight
in North America, with a smaller middle group of bisexuals, or
to rule out in advance biological factors which may at least 
partly underlie this fact.  However, much of the discussion of
candidate biological factors that I've seen is mired in gender
stereotypes often peculiar to North America.

Sexual orientation is problematic, in all its variety.  Eg, why
are there heterosexuals at all?  The darwinian sketches of an
explanation I've heard seem meager, ad hoc, & not very confid-
ently advanced.

I think it's time (is net.motss the place?) to open a possible
pandora's box by making the case for homosexuality (& hetero-
sexuality, too?  I see "procreation" lingering like a ghost
around most people's attitudes toward it) as a matter of totally
voluntary choice.  I should seek out not only sexual but emotional
relationships with people of the same sex (or the opposite sex)
simply because I WANT TO, FEEL LIKE DOING SO, & to HELL with any
other justification!  & society, law, etc. should SUPPORT these
choices as they have those of hetero-not-too-sexual monogamy cum
marriage.

(I assume most readers of net.motss understand "orientation vs.
preference" and don't entertain the silly notions of homosexuality
implicit in American homophobia -- that it's temporary, a result
of peculiar formative influences, pseudo-feminity/masculinity etc.
I also assume readers don't regard heterosexuality as god-given,
natural, more valuable, etc.)

					Ron Rizzo