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What's the general consensus on sexuality being a choice?

submitted by SexualityCritical from self.GenderCritical

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[–]usehername 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

genes compel a person to experience sexual lust

Yes, good. Sexual lust is the biological mechanism that drives humans to reproduce. Some people feel that attraction for the same sex, which they are obviously incapable of reproducing with, but that's fine.

If choice isn't involved in such experiences, sensual or internally artistic, it would mean that someone is frequently being psychologically attacked, that they feel the way they do due to their genetics compelling them to, even if they don't like it whatsoever.

This is the way the vast majority of same-sex attracted people feel about their same-sex attraction when they first start feeling it (puberty) and sometimes their entire lives.

rather, their genitals are moving in accordance with a certain, specific, OCD fixing arrangement of things, which causes blood to be pumped to such genitals?

Sounds like a fetish to me.

[–]SexualityCritical[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Well, I should clarify on what I meant here.

Same-sex attracted people do, of course, experience psychological distress arising from anti-gay sentiment. And, obviously, this is bad, and shouldn't occur. What I'm talking about, however, is not this phenomenon, but the fact that if someone experiences sexual arousal, it might not at all be a positive thing for them. The claim that sexuality isn't a choice, it would mean that experience feelings one experiences, which they have no control over, wouldn't be derived from ideological beliefs, and, therefore, must be a distressing thing for the subject. It is quite possible that since one no has beliefs surrounding this sexual arousal, they might not like it, and might not want to engage it. This would imply that asexuality is something people cannot choose, that they are forced to be sexually aroused, and to be inherently sexual creatures. We're not talking about sexual intercourse, but merely sexual arousal.

What if someone never wants to look at erotica or pornography? What if they don't want to masturbate, or look at sexually exciting images? So, they, supposedly, have these genes residing inside of them, but they don't want to act on their attraction, not even privately. How are they sexual? Additionally, what if someone doesn't have the genes, but looks at erotica of one sex, and masturbates to that sex. Are they not sexual?

In relation to my genitalia movement comment, all sexual feelings are derived from having fetishes, whether consciously or otherwise. One can have an unconscious fetish, but it's still derived from societal phenomena, and doesn't exist due to any biology.

[–]usehername 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

if someone experiences sexual arousal, it might not at all be a positive thing for them. The claim that sexuality isn't a choice, it would mean that experience feelings one experiences, which they have no control over, wouldn't be derived from ideological beliefs, and, therefore, must be a distressing thing for the subject.

Sometimes it is distressing, yes. But in general, there's nothing wrong with two adults consenting to have sex with each other, and sex is pleasurable (biologically, sex is pleasurable to encourage animals to reproduce, similar to the way that eating is pleasurable to keep animals alive). So your claim that all sexual arousal is negative because it isn't a choice doesn't hold up. People feel unwanted arousal all the time. Any man will tell you about unwanted boners, but for women, arousal isn't visible like that when clothed, so it's not that bad.

Also, are you saying every single emotion you experience is distressing because you can't control it? Or that every event that happens to you is distressing because you can't control it? The desire to eat is distressing because you can't control it? In general, no. There are a lot of things we can't control in this world, and it would be very painful to experience distress over every single event or feeling you have because you can't control everything.

What if someone never wants to look at erotica or pornography? What if they don't want to masturbate, or look at sexually exciting images?

They don't have to, but not masturbating usually results in sexual dreams, and they will still experience sexual arousal. Even if someone chooses to be celibate, they still experience sexual arousal. In that case, especially if they have chosen to be celibate for religious reasons, they will likely experience distress when they feel sexually aroused.

asexuality is something people cannot choose

This is true. One can choose to be celibate (choosing not to engage in sexual intercourse regardless of sexual arousal), however.

that they are forced to be sexually aroused, and to be inherently sexual creatures. We're not talking about sexual intercourse, but merely sexual arousal.

Yes, every animal that reproduces sexually is an inherently sexual creature. Sexual intercourse requires sexual arousal. The only time sexual intercourse doesn't include sexual arousal is rape.

all sexual feelings are derived from having fetishes, whether consciously or otherwise. One can have an unconscious fetish, but it's still derived from societal phenomena, and doesn't exist due to any biology.

So you're convinced that animals that reproduce sexually don't have a biological drive to do so? That cats just fuck each other because cat society?

Sexual orientation describes the sexes a person is physically capable of being attracted to: same (homosexual), opposite (heterosexual), or both (bisexual). It can't be chosen. Here's a challenge, and don't involve fetishes:

Choose to be attracted to women and masturbate to the thought of the ideal one until orgasm right now.

Choose to be attracted to men and masturbate to the thought of the ideal one until orgasm right now.

Follow-up questions:

Were you able to orgasm to the thought of the opposite sex? Hold up one finger on your left hand.

Were you able to orgasm to the thought of the same sex? Hold up one finger on your right hand.

Results:

If you are holding up two fingers, you are bisexual.

If you are holding up one finger on your left hand, you are heterosexual.

If you are holding up one finger on your right hand, you are homosexual.

Sexuality isn't based on ideology. It's based on the material reality of sexual arousal.

[–]SexualityCritical[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

When I spoke of 'unwanted arousal,' what was being referred to was thoughts which contradict an individual's ideology. They don't want to be attracted to women/men, and, therefore, find distress in their genital movement (also, I mean, pedophilia is a shameful, depraved thing, so of course it causes mental issues. But, one can stop being a podophile, since sexual orientation is a choice). However, there are two things worth noting here.

First, genitals hardening or opening up doesn't imply arousal, since one literally doesn't enjoy what's happening, hates such activity, and is, in fact, distressed by it. But, additionally, erect genitalia is inherently uncomfortable. Why do you think people (often) masturbate? To get rid of that undesirable feeling.

Second, someone who likes the same sex - in this case, political lesbians - is someone who's gay/lesbian. They gravitate toward sexual material featuring the sex they want eroticised. If a woman calls herself a lesbian, doesn't partner with a man, likes the female form, she is, by all means, as created by all ideological intent, a lesbian.

I don't believe people have sexual dreams unless they actively engage themselves in sexual matters, whether through intercourse, pornography, or a variety of others fabrics which relate to eroticisation.

Cats fuck each other because of the sensual pleasure derived from it. But, I don't believe cats have a natural preference for having sex with cats only of one sex. Considering how widespread, in a variety of animal species, having sex with both sexes of a species is, it would be reasonable to assert that sexual arousal plays no role in it. When genitals make contact with one another, or when genitals make connect with a butt or a piece of flesh, usually a penis involved, ejaculation occurs from physical contact alone (sooner or later).

I would hold up both fingers, but I'm only actually upholding up the finger on my right hand, since I have no ideological interest in being sexually attracted to women. I am not sexually attracted to women, but only to men. However, I can be sexually attracted to women, for it would be a choice, and a choice I could make at any moment. Anyone's genitalia can move about as a result of viewing something which has culturally been fetishized.