The polling institute Angus-Reid recently surveyed 1,001 American voters. Here are some of their findings:
- 46% opposed gay marriage.
- 53% support granting legal rights to same-sex couples.
- 53% had close friends or relatives who were gay.
- 47% thought being gay was a choice (34% said people are born gay and 20% said they were unsure what causes sexual orientation).
Research has found that people who believe that you can't choose your sexual orientation are usually more supportive of gay rights, that are people who believe being gay is a choice.
But what do the professionals have to say on the mater? Most agree that sexual orientation and gender identity are not things that a person can change.
Though we don't know exactly what determines gender identity or sexual orientation, we do know that neither can be attributed to any one, easily adjustable, factor.
Various groups claim to be able to change sexual orientation and gender identity through reparative therapy. There is no scientific basis for these claims, and the success rate is very dubious. Often people in such programs emerge feeling bad about themselves, and experience guilt when they are not able to change.
