[SIZE="3"]Originally Posted by Maria2004
I think if that were true, we would not be having this conversation and this forum would not even exist. Large numbers of people have been influenced by certain institutions serving their own agenda of repression and control through guilt and fear. I think it's accurate to say that for "them" any efforts by "us" to try and snap other people into reality is an "agenda".
Just my thoughts on this one bit, I'm NOT trying to be confrontational.
I don't think you are being confrontational, nor am I in any of my replies on here.I just feel that it is better to present the ts/tg/cd community without any sexual preferences stated one way or another.
I do believe that yes, you can be influenced to react a particular way when presented with any idea. Society proves that on a daily basis. BUT I disagree that it could actually change your sexual orientation.
In other words, a gay man might act straight in fear of the repercussions from pursuing a gay lifestyle but none the less, he is still gay. A straight woman might be influenced to experiment sexually with another woman, but unless she's attracted to that woman, she would still be straight. Sexual orientation has to do with whom you feel an attraction for or who you could fall in love with, not simply experimenting.
The reason so many in the GLB community still struggle on a regular basis is because our choices are categorized as sexual ones. A great deal of heterosexual people do not understand that its not us trying to be "kinky", we actually completely fall in love with someone of the same gender. That's it. We want to live our lives in the same manner as a heterosexual couple. Its not all about sex and that's what makes statements like those made in this thread painful. As if a night having sex with another person is cause to change your sexual orientation. Like a dress to be taken on and off at will. There are those of us who find love with another person of the same gender just as heartbreaking and compelling as any heterosexual person does in their relationship. That is why it hurts to have it so lightly stated as if we have a choice. Can you choose who you fall in love with? No. But you can choose who you sleep with. That is the difference between someone who is actually gay/bi/hetero and someone who's just "experimenting". [/SIZE]
