Poll: Gays and Lesbians Can't Change, but Can They?

Can gays and lesbians change their sexual orientation? Cnn.com reports that 18yr old Steven Field finally revealed to family and friends that he was gay after being in the closet during his high school years. Field remarked that being gay was natural for him and that he did not choose to be gay. Field believes that sexual orientation is not something that you choose

In fact, how sexuality is acquired has been a hot political issue for quite some time. As time has passed, Americans have begun preferring genetically centered arguments whose main claim is that, just like fingerprints or eye color, sexuality is a permanent part of a person.

Cnn Opinon Research Corp did the poll. The poll revealed that 56 percent of Americans believe that people are unable to change their sexual orientation even if they desired to do so. News.com.au reports that 42 percent of respondents believed that one's sexual orientation was a result of his or her upbringing and environment. Cnn.com reports that this is the first time since the poll was first conducted ten years ago that the majority of people held an "unchangeable" viewpoint on the issue of homosexuality.

Six years ago on 45 percent of the poll participants believed that gays and homosexuals could not change their sexual orientation. In 1998 only 36% believed the same thing. The poll reveals that an attitude shift is taking place on the gay and lesbian issue. Cnn reports that many gays and lesbians are reporting that more people are accepting homosexuality including those of the state legislature that deny gays the right to marry.

Cnn.com quoted Rev. Mel White, founder and president of faith-based gay rights group Soulfource. Thursday, he said, " The poll is such good news. Over half of America thinks we don't have to be healed from a sickness; suddenly we are OK as we are."