If medical science could "correct" homosexuality...

A question arose in my mind while reading this thread.

Say that in the future, it's possible to determine whether or not your child (in utero) would be homosexual, and a procedure or treatment existed which could "correct" the homosexuality. Would it be wrong to give parents the choice to determine the sexuality of their child? If medical science ever discovers this ability, should it be made illegal?

Naturally, we have to consider the opposite scenario. Let's assume that in the future, a heterosexual fetus could be made homosexual as well. Should it be a choice for the parents? Should it be legal, or illegal?

 

This is a tough one......On one hand, a kid's parents should be allowed to make choices based on what they feel is in the child's best interests. But I personally would never do it. On the other hand, perhaps the child would be happier being born without such treatment.

I would say let them do what they want, as long as they keep their noses out of my business. It does not effect me. so I have no right to interfere in it.

 

Indeed, I'm not sure how to answer my own poll.

 

I agree

 

...We would have more stupid people, more people on welfare, more conservatives defending the welfare state of Israel etc. etc.

 

Interesting. Not sure why I didn't think of this as a poll option.

 

I think it's important that this not be done to minors. There's no telling whether the 13-year-old coming in for therapy is there because he wants to be straight or because his parents and community are homophobic bigots. In the latter case, he's not the one needing correcting. In general though, I'd support it being legal both ways, if it was shown to, you know, actually work.

 

If it happens, Republicans would lose a huge part of their constituency - the closeted gay.

 

How abort aborting fetuses if testing shows the child would grow up homosexual. If the parents decided they didn't want to raise a gay kid and wanted to abort, would that be cool?

 

Another interesting element to this scenario...

 

Making a child homosexual in utero would be ghastly and highly immoral.

 

I have no idea.

 

many pro-lifers may actually become pro-choice if that were the case is my guess

 

Correct? Was that necessary? I think the thread title should be corrected to say: "If medical science could change sexuality..."

Now moving on, the parents have no right to interfere with the child's future lifestyle choices before birth. Widespread use of Genetic Engineering, ect. WOULD manifest from this and would almost certainly lead to widespread discrimination. Homosexuality is NOT a disease, it is perfectly normal, and such medical testing should be banned by the government. In course with the freedoms of our society today, the child has no obligation to share his/her sexuality with any other person.

Parents have no right to make such significant lifestyle decisions for their child, ever. That supposed "therapy" for homosexuals is wrong and only a backwards government like that of the United States would allow it.

 

Are you pro-life, or pro-choice?

 

Pro-Choice. Or am I getting the entire point of the thread confused?

 

IYO, it's okay to abort a healthy fetus 'just because' (or do you support abortion for certain reasons only?), but you could not support the sexuality of a fetus being altered in utero?

BTW, my use of the term "correct" was not intended to show bias, as I have no bias against homosexuals, hence the quotations. While homosexuality is likely of natural origin, it's still an anomaly, and anyone who wished to alter their child's sexuality would likely view it as something which needs correcting.

 

I'm happy to hear that the use of "correct" was not bias, thankyou for clarifying that.

Basically, yes. I believe abortion should be legal, though restricted to a time-window after birth before the fetus develops to a later stage. This is similar to legislation we currently have here in Victoria, Australia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Australia#State-by-State_legal_situation

A number of reasons for this:
- Whilst the fetus is developing there is a period when it is unconscious, to my understanding. Abortions can be permitted for much of that period.
- It would be too difficult to enforce the law; illegal abortions that would almost certainly occur could endanger the life of both the unborn and the mother.
- A woman has a right to control her own body, in my opinion.

But I don't want to argue about that, because I don't endorse abortion, only the choice to abort. Anyone who would abort a child because of it's sexuality doesn't deserve to be a parent.

The ramifications of altering children before they are born would probably result in wide scale use of genetic engineering without the child's consent. This would almost certainly lead to discrimination between those not genetically modified and those who are.

 

So would you consider making all of us people who don’t want kid’s child happy to be correcting us to?

And what’s to correct with the homosexuals who have kids of their own?

I kind of figure this is about breeding with you and that your focusing on homosexuals perhaps unwisely because you don’t like homosexuality

 

Why would anyone but a retarded and homophobic bigot (probably a right-wing Christian), want to do this in the first place? What is it about homosexuality and/or lesbianism which frightens people so much?

 

The movie GATTACA comes to mind.

 

It is not possible, and even were it so, I would find it akin to experminents conducted by the NS, on homosexuals.

 

Yeah and judging from ArtificialImagination's confused replies, many pro-choicers will become pro-life!

 

It's good to know that the majority of pro-choice folks at least insist that the fetus not be viable, though some extremist support what amounts to infanticide. I don't really care to turn this into an abortion debater either, but do you see how it's a bit inconsistent to support the right to abort a healthy fetus, but not support the right to alter the fetus's sexuality?

That's a fair and good point. It's hard to say what manner of alterations will be possible in the future. One thing is certain though, genetic modifications which enhance people, would make the class divisions of today seem laughable.

 

I'm just asking if parents should have the right to alter the sexuality of their fetus if it were possible to do so.

Can two men or two women procreate by combining their genetic material?

I have no problem with homosexuality.