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Well, maybe not exactly, but according to Gallup more Americans are identifying as LGBT than ever before. In their survey, 4.1% of people identified as LGBT, up from 3.5% in 2012. Even more interesting, 7.3% of millennials identified as LGBT, suggesting that as acceptance of the LGBT community grows even more people will explore and accept their own feelings and come out.

To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if a generation or two from now upwards of 20% or more are open to the idea that they are LGBT...in my own personal experience, there are a lot of guys that identify as straight but are more than capable of being close to or enjoying an experience with another guy. In fact, I suspect that most people are capable of being in a fulfilling relationship with someone of the same gender, it's just that there's still a stigma to it...blatant in some places, more subtle in others, but it's there. Particularly, if you look at the actual survey notes, you can see that all the gains were among people who do not consider themselves religious.

Still, this is great news...with the recent election there's a lot of uncertainty in the LGBT community in America, but there's power in numbers, and this is proof that no matter what the religious right wishes would happen, LGBT acceptance, rights, and support are not going back in the closet. This is a growing trend that's here to stay.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

Also, Wintermoot, some of the stuff you're saying might be coming across a little wonky because I'm seeing some implication that Homosexuality is a choice.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

But even you have mentioned the difficulty of being bi and growing up in a Catholic school with devout family members.

I'm not disputing that there may be more tolerant and accepting religious sects out there, I'm just pointing out that according to perhaps the most legitimate polling organization in the United States, fewer people who identify as religious also identify as LGBT. I tend to doubt that being religious makes you less likely to have attractions to the same gender or feel that your gender identity is wrong, just less likely to acknowledge it, perhaps even to themselves, but especially to others conducting a poll.

Also, Wintermoot, some of the stuff you're saying might be coming across a little wonky because I'm seeing some implication that Homosexuality is a choice.

Well, I often come off as wonky in general.

I think that the labels of gay, straight, and bi are too simplistic...undoubtedly there are groups of people that are almost exclusively attracted to the same gender as well as groups that are almost exclusively attracted to the opposite gender, but I do think that there is a third group that's capable of being attracted to both, and I think it's a much larger group than most people would think. I recall reading another survey awhile back that concluded that while the number of people who indicated they were had only had sexual experiences with the same gender had remained steady, the number that had had experiences with both sexes had skyrocketed.

Interestingly enough, according to a YouGov UK survey, 89% of Britons surveyed indicated that they were straight when asked if they were straight, gay, or bisexual, but when it was broken down on the Kinsey scale only 72% responded that they were level 0, or completely heterosexual. And out of those that indicated they were a level 1, 23% had actually had a sexual experience with someone of the same gender. As indicated on the other poll, this trend was even stronger with younger generations that had grown up with less stigma attached to sexual preference.

So I don't exactly think that it's a choice, but I do think it's possible for a significant portion of people to have sexual and emotional feelings for people of both genders under the right circumstances with the right people...aside from surveys and polls, I speak from my own experience there.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

I, ahh, I hate to break it to you, my friend, but I'm not from Western Europe, I'm from Singapore.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

But even you have mentioned the difficulty of being bi and growing up in a Catholic school with devout family members.

I'm not disputing that there may be more tolerant and accepting religious sects out there, I'm just pointing out that according to perhaps the most legitimate polling organization in the United States, fewer people who identify as religious also identify as LGBT. I tend to doubt that being religious makes you less likely to have attractions to the same gender or feel that your gender identity is wrong, just less likely to acknowledge it, perhaps even to themselves, but especially to others conducting a poll.

Oh, christ, that's a blast from the past :]

And I suppose your right, I've just always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder about stuff like that.

Oh, christ, that's a blast from the past :]

And I suppose your right, I've just always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder about stuff like that.

I try to remember when someone opens up about themselves, cause it's important.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

I, ahh, I hate to break it to you, my friend, but I'm not from Western Europe, I'm from Singapore.

Singapore has Catholics?

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

I, ahh, I hate to break it to you, my friend, but I'm not from Western Europe, I'm from Singapore.

Singapore has Catholics?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah... I cant tell if you're serious or not

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

I, ahh, I hate to break it to you, my friend, but I'm not from Western Europe, I'm from Singapore.

Singapore has Catholics?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah... I cant tell if you're serious or not

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Singapore#Statistics_and_demographics

As of 2015, 6.7% of Singaporeans are Catholic.

I've always had a problem with people associating a few crazies, like the Westboro Baptist Church, or a large group of far more conservative and fundamental than the majority sect, like the American Catholic Church (FYI, from the view point of a Catholic, most non-American Catholics view the American Catholic Church as something akin to the Taliban. Also, given how militant they are becoming and how a Schism seems more and more likely, it may soon be that the American Catholic Church splits from mainstream Catholicism) with how EVERYONE in that religion views something. Most Catholics I know are fine with someone being gay or bisexual. Ironically, same goes for Muslims. Its just the loudest people everyone hears.

I don't know where the hell you're getting your information from. American Catholics are more liberal than Protestants generally. Maybe from the viewpoint of a Western European they're more conservative, but EVERYWHERE is more conservative than Western Europe.

I, ahh, I hate to break it to you, my friend, but I'm not from Western Europe, I'm from Singapore.

Singapore has Catholics?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah... I cant tell if you're serious or not

Considering its history I would imagine most christians there are Protestant. Since Taulover put catholic numbers as 7% of the population I don't think it's a very illogical thing to ask semi-ironically.

Ah come on, there are Catholics everywhere, even in my tiny neck of the woods :]

And I kinda figured you were kidding.

While Catholicism is indeed still a massive part of Christianity...that doesn't necessarily mean that they're everywhere in the world.  It's actually a pretty valid question, since you really can't assume what religion someone is.

And I think in some ways, sexual nature in general is a choice...mixed with circumstance and other factors.  Let's be honest here, I sleep with men and have never slept with the opposite sex before (let alone done anything physical with one), but I will never close myself off completely to them.  I say this because I think under with the right circumstance with the right person, really anyone can fall for a sex they didn't think they'd be able to.

But that's because I really don't believe in complete homosexuality or heterosexuality.  Like gender (aka that whole spectrum of Masculinity vs. Femininity), I think it's more of a fluid concept that's only become strictly one or the other side because of social stigma/expectations.  I don't believe that anyone is strictly 100% homosexual nor heterosexual...but because of the stigma attached to such concepts, they identify as such.

The only reason I even identify as more of the homosexual side than the latter is because I haven't met the right woman that ticks any of those boxes on the sexual side (whereas I have with guys)...but that doesn't mean I never will.

It's almost as if there were a word for people attracted to both genders that begins with a B.
(I'm just busting balls but seriously guys no need for the 5 paragraph essays)