hapes experience, experience affects the organization of the brain, and so forth.”The learning theory is also a supporter of environmental factors. According to the learning theory, we were born without a sexual identity. It is through later learning that we become either heterosexual or homosexual. For example, if a person has an unpleasant experience with heterosexual sex, there’s a chance that they might turn homosexual. This theory also derives on the assumption that we are channeled into our sexuality by rewards and punishments imposed on us by our society. “Punishing a young person for engaging in heterosexual sexual behavior may not eliminate the behavior but rather rechannel it in a homosexual direction.” But there are inconsistencies with this assumption because homosexuals are often punished by society, but they have not ceased to exist. After reading the Newsweek article and the hand out, my position is the same as it was before I read them. I truly believe the statement “Nature, not nurture, is the main factor involved in sexual orientation.” I’ve always believed that a person’s sexual orientation is something way more complicated for the environment to be able to tamper with. In my opinion, environmental factors may be able to affect a person into making temporary judgments or to experiment new things. But the person’s true sexuality is defined within one’s self and is permanent. I also believe that many more studies can and will be done on the causes of sexual orientation, but it is unlikely that someone will be able to reach a definite answer. In the words of Evelyn Hooker, “Why do we want to know the cause? It’s a mistake to hope that we will be able to modify or change homosexuality…If we understand its nature and accept it as a given, then we come much closer to the kind of attitudes which will make it possible for homosexuals to...
