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More Say 'Nature' Than 'Nurture' Explains Sexual Orientation
Gallup ^ | May 24nd 2018 | Lydia Saad

Posted on 05/31/2018 2:38:55 PM PDT by Ennis85

Half of Americans in Gallup's 2018 Values and Beliefs poll say that being gay or lesbian is a trait from birth, easily eclipsing the 30% who believe it is a product of upbringing and environment. This is consistent with findings over the past few years. Another 10% say both explanations play a role, while 4% attribute being gay to something else and 6% are unsure.

When Gallup first asked this "nature vs. nurture" question in 1977, a majority of U.S. adults (56%) said being gay or lesbian was due to people's upbringing and environment, and only 13% saw it as a birth trait. Attitudes didn't shift markedly until after 1989. Between 1989 and Gallup's next update in 1996, the percentage believing sexual orientation is determined at birth jumped from 19% to 31%, and reached 40% by 2001. Opinion remained steady for the next 12 years, as Americans were roughly split between the two positions. Since 2012, the percentage assigning sexual orientation to nature rather than nurture has inched up another 10 percentage points.

This year's Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 1-10, also shows 67% of Americans in favor of same-sex marriages being legal -- a new high for that viewpoint. Separately, Gallup recently reported that the percentage of Americans identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has increased a full point since 2012 and is now 4.5%.

The perception that a person is born gay rather than it being the result of upbringing or other factors has increased among all demographic and political groups. But, according to a comparison of aggregated data from 2001 to 2003 vs. 2015 to 2018, the change in beliefs has been most pronounced among politically left-leaning groups, including young adults (aged 18 to 34), college graduates, Democrats, liberals and those who seldom or never

(Excerpt) Read more at news.gallup.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: gay; genetics; homosexualagenda; homosexuality; lgtb; poll; psychology
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1 posted on 05/31/2018 2:38:55 PM PDT by Ennis85
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To: Ennis85

Since when has the public ever gotten an award for ability to think clearly?


2 posted on 05/31/2018 2:40:27 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Leftism is an elaborate system for hiding shame behind a cheap mash of virtue. -Klavan.)
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To: Ennis85

They may be onto something. Maybe we should submit the mysteries of particle physics and cosmology to polling as well. The answers are out there.


3 posted on 05/31/2018 2:40:53 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy
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To: Ennis85

“Half of Americans in Gallup’s 2018 Values and Beliefs poll ...”

Well, I guess that settles it. The masses are never wrong about anything...


4 posted on 05/31/2018 2:41:39 PM PDT by Dr. Pritchett
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To: Ennis85

Yeah, and 50% of the population is, by definition, below average intelligence. So, I could see where they might think it’s nature, instead of environment.


5 posted on 05/31/2018 2:42:47 PM PDT by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: Ennis85
I thought sexual abuse in childhood played a big role.

6 posted on 05/31/2018 2:43:28 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: Ennis85

When “nature” means molestation in childhood.


7 posted on 05/31/2018 2:45:28 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (My "White Privilege" is my work ethic.)
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To: Ennis85

I say (as if anyone cares) that the demarcation isn’t sharp.

For some people, nature takes over. But, there may be some lisping betas for whom some sort of sexual confusion was biologically almost certain.


8 posted on 05/31/2018 2:46:11 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine ("Married with children.")
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To: Ennis85

Yes, it’s called the sin nature.


9 posted on 05/31/2018 2:46:23 PM PDT by Cecily
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To: Ennis85
Was it the Hawaiian/Indonesian/Pakistani Nature or the Frank Marshall Davis Nurture?


10 posted on 05/31/2018 2:47:16 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: IYAS9YAS

Yeah, I have to admit that a lot of the public isn’t very bright.


11 posted on 05/31/2018 2:47:25 PM PDT by Morpheus2009
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To: Ennis85

And they say propaganda doesn’t work on Americans.


12 posted on 05/31/2018 2:47:27 PM PDT by itsahoot (Welcome to the New USA where Islam is a religion of peace and Christianity is a mental disorder.)
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To: itsahoot

The earth is flat.


13 posted on 05/31/2018 2:48:43 PM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: gibsonguy

Know a guy pushing that. Not sure if he’s really gone over the edge or just wants to see if you’ll follow him down the rabbit-hole.


14 posted on 05/31/2018 2:50:00 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Ennis85
"... More Say 'Nature' Than 'Nurture' Explains Sexual Orientation...

.... Any chance some could be "Nature" ..... some could be "Nurture" ..... Some could be "Nature and Nurture" or do they all have to fit neatly into one single package?

15 posted on 05/31/2018 2:51:08 PM PDT by R_Kangel ( "A Nation of Sheep ..... Will Beget ..... a Nation Ruled by Wolves.")
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To: itsahoot

If anyone says that, he’s a fool.


16 posted on 05/31/2018 2:51:19 PM PDT by Tax-chick (I have the easiest life in the history of the world.)
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To: rightwingcrazy

> Maybe we should submit the mysteries of particle physics and cosmology to polling as well.

if it’s government funded, that’s basically what is happening in the here and now


17 posted on 05/31/2018 2:51:22 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Number of arrested coup conspirators to date: 0)
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To: rightwingcrazy

Yep. Let’s do a poll on whether the Earth rotates around the Sun. What we need on this issue (and many other issues for that matter) is science that is not politicized. That used to be normal but now its hard to get.


18 posted on 05/31/2018 2:52:43 PM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard (When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.)
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To: gibsonguy
The earth is flat.

A read that before.

19 posted on 05/31/2018 2:56:08 PM PDT by itsahoot (Welcome to the New USA where Islam is a religion of peace and Christianity is a mental disorder.)
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To: Ennis85

More important than nature or nurture is free will. I have been attracted to quite a few women in my life, including after my marriage. Nature/nurture may say “go for it”, but free will says “I took a vow”. Free will always wins.


20 posted on 05/31/2018 2:56:16 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed")
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