Is gay a choice?

Did anyone ever consider that maybe God created homosexuality as a part of his Master Plan? Maybe he didn't want the population from getting too large, too fast. Think about it. Most experts agree that approximately 10% of us are gay. That's one in every ten people. If this figure is correct, imagine how many more people there would be on this planet today if homosexuality wasn't natural and intended by God. I mean, if every gay person in history was not gay, surely this planet would be a lot more crowded today than we already are.

This is how I reconcile my own homosexuality. For me, I know deep inside that I was born this way. Looking back on my life, I always knew that I liked men. I can remember fantasizing about men, not in a real sexual way, but as sexual as one can get at the age of four or five. Throughout my youth I've gone through crushes on male schoolmates, lusted after the neighborhood boys, and searched for the pictures of men interspersed within the pages of my father's Hustler magazines. With all this in mind, I simply cannot believe that God didn't make me this way.

So, is being gay a choice? The short answer is yes. The real choice, however, lies not in whether one is gay or straight. The real choice one makes is how they are going to live their lives; as a gay person or a hypocrite. Are you going to live your life openly and honestly, or are you going to hide in the shadows, denying your true self? Besides, with all the hatred and prejudice gay people are subjected to, who in their right mind would choose to be gay?

I've been 'out' since I was about nineteen years old. I knew from that age that these natural urges I felt within me could not be denied. I tried dating girls in high school, but eventually came to the realization that I'd rather date guys. From that point on I've lived as openly as I could (in this society) and am so much the happier for it.

Clearly, in both my personal life and in my observations of those in the public eye, there are many out there living double lives. In my personal life, I've been accosted on more than one occasion by married men who were "bi-curious". Look in the personal ads on web sites such as craigslist and you'll see many "straight" guys looking for man on man action. Give me a break!

Within the past several years, gay scandals within the government have cast a light on the the secret lives of Senator Larry Craig, Representative Mark Foley, and White House Correspondent/Gay Male Hustler Jeff Gannon. These most callous of hypocrites deny their true identities because they fear the albatross society has placed upon homosexuality. They instead choose to lead their lives perpetuating the hatred of gays, making them despicable in my eyes.

To those who believe the homosexuality is a choice, I say that we only know from our own experience. If you're not gay, I wouldn't expect you to accept what I say. I ask that you receive my words with an open mind and try to understand. To those who know deep inside that they are sexually attracted to members of their own gender, yet live their lives in secrecy, accepting whatever minimal satisfaction they get from their inner urges, I say, "God made you that way! Make a real choice to live your life honestly and maybe this world would be a better place."