- Myth 1: Homosexuality can be ‘cured’
Homosexuality isn’t a disease, so it can’t be cured. Although there isn’t conclusive research about the driving factors behind sexual orientation, scientific research points to several reasons – genetics, biology and environment. So being gay isn’t someone’s ‘choice’, it’s just who they are.
There’s no evidence to suggest that people who claim they can help gay people ‘turn straight’ have ever really succeeded. People can choose to stop having sex with people of the same gender, but their feelings don’t change. Professional organisations like the American Psychological Association stress that gay people aren’t mentally ill and don’t need treatment.
- Myth 2: Gay and lesbian couples aren’t fit to be parents
Those who don’t support same-sex marriages or gay and lesbian adoption rights claim that homosexual parents just aren’t as good as heterosexual parents for children’s upbringing. But a study conducted couple of years ago suggests that gay and lesbian couples are as good at parenting as heterosexual couples.
- Myth 3: Paedophiles are most likely to be gay
There is no correlation between sexual orientation and sexual attraction to children. Research has shown that 90 percent of children are sexually abused by close relatives or family members, gay or straight.
- Myth 4: Gay people are more promiscuous that straight people
There’s no real evidence to prove that gays and lesbians are more promiscuous than straight people. You will find monogamous homosexual couples in committed relationships as well as those with multiple partners. But if you look around, you’ll find enough heterosexuals with multiple partners too.
- Myth 5: AIDS is a homosexual disease
AIDS is caused by the HIV virus, which can be transmitted from one infected person to another irrespective of his or her sexual orientation. So an infected straight person is as likely to spread the disease as an infected gay person. In fact there are more heterosexuals with HIV/AIDS than homosexuals.
- Myth 6: Homosexuality is ‘unnatural’ because all animals are straight
Oh, no animals have gay sex too! Recent research has shown that animals like penguins, giraffes and some lizards show homosexual behaviour. What’s more, gay or lesbian behaviour has been tracked in about 450 species in the animal kingdom. In both humans and animals, it's natural that sex isn't only about making babies.
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Gayatri Parameswaran is a multi-award winning writer, director and producer of immersive media works. She was born and raised in India and is currently based in Berlin, where she co-founded NowHere Media - a storytelling studio that views contemporary issues through a critical lens. She also edited the Love Matters website in its initial years. Check out more about her here.