1. Brian Newell
There is evidence to suggest that genetic and hormonal factors play a key role in shaping a
person's sexuality. People do not choose to be either gay or straight. Although people can choose to act
out their feelings, sexual behavior is not the same as sexual orientation. Sexual behavior can be
changed. Sexual orientation is not a sensible choice one can voluntarily change. Past studies of gay,
lesbian, and bisexual people involved only those in therapy (thereby biasing study results) that
homosexuality was thought to be a mental illness. When researchers examined data of gays, lesbians,
and bisexuals not in therapy, the idea of homosexuality as a mental illness was soon proven untrue. As
for being straight or a homosexual is can sometimes come from the people you are raised around or
conditions you are in.