Sexuality, mice and medication What if medication can control sexuality?

[Moromillas]

There are already treatments to maintain functionality for either low or hyperactive libido. But the answer to this one is no, as it alters that functionality into an abnormal state, crossing a clear ethical boundary.

Do you feel an ethical boundary is crossed when they allow sex changes? What about when they treat ADHD? Autism?
Where exactly is the ethical boundary drawn?

No. No. No. Here's your other answer:
In the medical field the role of the doctor and the scientist should always be to improve lives. For example, you compared this to the treatment of ADHD. The treatment of ADHD is not to alter them into someone else, but to improve their lives, their functionality, their ability to cope and manage ADHD. This experimental drug does not fall into that category of treatment, does not improve the life of another, does not give them functionality where there was nothing, and may even have the opposite effect to this.

 

[sora91111]

Yeah I would kind of not like to take a pill that makes me gay. I don't have anything against gay people, but I'm straight, and I know that for sure.

 

[Hristo Tzonkov]

This could be potentially good?Imagine a person who is straight but falls for someone his same sex.He/She could potentially skip all the internal turmoil and accepting of the self by taking a "gay pill" this wouldn't be that...

 

[Bobzer77]

If all heterosexual people became gay, human life would be destroyed in a generation.

If all homosexual people became straight, no adverse effects would be had.

Not soapboxing here, just pointing it out.

Something in innately wrong about changing something someone was born with that does no harm to them and provides healthy living. No one will ever tell me my parents (2 lesbians) are diseased. The idea to me is the same as saying black people are diseased with too much melanin.

He didn't say there was anything wrong with it or that homosexuals are "diseased"...

He just pointed out that if everyone was into the same sex the world would end.

No need to be so defensive....

 

[dietrichrieper]

I have nothing against homosexuals, transsexuals, or anything along those lines but....
if humanity could "cure" pedophilia I would consider that a good thing...

And I can imagine there are people who are gay, but don't want to be, if they where allowed a choice.... I see no harm in that.

 

[Vault Citizen]

Fucking disgusting. When will humanity quit playing God?

I'm going to go with never.

As for the question of a pill, I really, really, really, really hope that a pill that can truly alter sexuality is never made. If it was then I imagine it would be a free gift to the homophobes of the world and I wouldn't be surprised if some communities made calls for the "straight pill" to be made compulsory.

 

[mike1921]

If all heterosexual people became gay, human life would be destroyed in a generation.

If all homosexual people became straight, no adverse effects would be had.

Not soapboxing here, just pointing it out.

I don't see why anyone cares if human life is destroyed just by the people that are still alive not breeding and dying normally. Why does it matter if no humans are born to keep a legacy going?

Also, if all homosexual people become straight that means more overpopulation. A terrible thing that neither the humans that are alive now or the ones that will be alive should have increased.

 

[Findlebob]

Fucking disgusting. When will humanity quit playing God?

We dont play god, we correct his horible horible mistakes.

In all seriousness this kind of thing should never have been relised. Find it intresting that their is a drug that makes you a gamberler though.

 

[Hagi]

I feel like I'm one of the only ones to actually read the article so let me point a few things out:

1. The chemicals don't alter your sexuality. They merely alter your brain slightly so that the 'smells' of the sex you're not attracted to don't register as off-limits anymore. It doesn't turn heterosexual men gay. It doesn't turn gay men heterosexual. It just makes it possible for people of the sex you're not attracted to to 'smell' sexual.

2. It only works on mice. It doesn't work on people. Serotonin, the chemical in question, is already used on humans. It doesn't alter sexuality. The only sexual known effect is a decrease in libido. And seeing that, according to wikipedia, most prescribed drugs in many parts of the world are drugs that alter serotonin levels I think we'd have noticed by now if it turned gay men straight or straight men gay.

3. The human brain is a thing of insane complexity. 95% of what it does we have absolutely no clue about whatsoever. The 5% we do have a clue about are mostly educated guesses. Thinking that, at this point, things like a 'wonder' pill can exist that change your entire sexuality is just downright naive. We'll get sexuality altering pills right after we get pills that increase your IQ to 150 ( and not a point less or more ).

 

[LCP]

Well that's interesting. It would make some gays far happier. And piss some people off whose arguments have been brought down....

But I'm still skeptic over here.

 

[ReaperzXIII]

If Westboro Baptist Church actually found out about a pill that can turn gay people straight then I'm guessing they will dump it in the water like the retards they are.

Best to hide something like that, or you will hear a lot of stories about people changing each others sexualities.

 

[Hawgh]

Fucking disgusting. When will humanity quit playing God?

Probably when god actually says not to. People DO hold themselves as the highest authority in the world...which can get pretty sad at times.

We ARE the highest authority in the world.

Gravity notwithstanding.

 

[A Free Man]

snip

I think it should definitly be an option for people but the problem is that by phrasing it as you have you are suggesting that homosexuality is a mental condition that can be "fixed", implying that hetrosexuality is better. Now what I am saying here is that although homosexuality might be different from the normal it doesn't make it any less of a lifestyle. Let me put it to you this way.

If they discover that having blonde hair is caused by the mutation of a certain gene, and find a way to reverse that process thus giving you brown hair. That makes blonde hair a differentiation from the norm, but doesn't make it any less of a hair colour. Should that pill be offered to those who want it, sure, but that doesn't change the fact that people who choose to remain how they are are any less then anyone else. It is merely a choice they have made.

PS: My example is merely a metaphor and is completely hypothetical and despite the obvious difference between the two you can still see the connection between scenarios.

 

[AnkaraTheFallen]

I'm tired all all these people thinking that homosexuality is wrong, people are born like that, so no I don't think medication should be made available to people to make them straight, if they do feel like that then they should get counsiling not change who they are. There's nothing wrong with them and they need to understand that.
And if they were made, then the people who will take them will in all likelihood will, be gay children from families that are against homosexuality, and personally I think that them taking the drug wont make them happy because they are still lieing about who they really are.

As for the question of a pill, I really, really, really, really hope that a pill that can truly alter sexuality is never made. If it was then I imagine it would be a free gift to the homophobes of the world and I wouldn't be surprised if some communities made calls for the "straight pill" to be made compulsory.

Sadly I can very much see this happening if the pill was made. Bit of a stretch of the imagination, but I'd foresee a future like in the x men films where it's started as being voluntary and then people are forced to take this 'cure'. (before people take this the wrong way I'm NOT saying homosexuality is like a mutation, it's just an example).

 

[Caliostro]

Being sexually attracted to someone is separate than love.
What if a person is heterosexual, but "in love" with somone of the same sex, like they feel they are their soul mate, the only problem is, they are not sexually attracted to them? Do you think they should have the right to a medication that would allow them to enjoy sex better with the person they are in love with or vice versa?

You would still have the option to "opt out" . It would just be allowing others to the choice of determining their sexual attraction.

As for "asthetic" most medications on the market today are not for "asthetic" reasons. This would be no different for those choosing to take it.

Doesn't happen. If you're honestly in love with someone you won't care about their gender. Despite how we romanticize the whole issue, sexual attraction is part of a relationship, and it IS part of our selection of a partner. If you're not sexually attracted to someone, simply taking a pill to be attracted to their gender won't make you attracted to THAT specific person. You know, gay people don't feel attracted to EVERY person of their own gender. I know that might sound obvious, but there's still the odd misconception that being gay means you're instantly horny for anything that shares your type of gonads.

What CAN happen, however, is that you see in someone a lot of qualities you like, but some you don't (for instances, their physique), and think that it's such a shame they don't fill that extra requirement, or they'd be just perfect for you. But even if you liked the same gender, you still wouldn't like them...

Another thing that can happen are people who ARE gay, but can't admit it, so they find themselves attracted to someone of their own gender, but unable to accept it as such, so they revert to "Oh I'd totally do him/her!...if only I was gay!". Those wouldn't take the drugs (nor would the drugs do anything) anyways.

And yes, we use drugs to threat medical conditions. Like asthma, migraines, infections. Things that put your life or health in danger. The only negative effect of being gay are the people that discriminate against you for it. Gays don't need medicine for that, the other people do. Hell, if you tell me about a pill that can make people more tolerant of things that never affect their lives anyways, I'd be the first to support it.

 

[Frankster]

Several things trigger my warming alarms:

1) We are relying on pharmaceutical companies. They never do anything out of the kindness of their hearts and have no real desire to cure you, rather their ideal is to cure you but make you dependent on their products. They favor brute force applications when sometimes all that's needed is natural remedies with minima impact on the human body, not that they would ever admit it openly as that it would make their very expensively developped medecines worthless.

2)Guiding sexuality just seems wrong to me. Especially from a more...Cynical perspective, the planet is overpopulated as it is, gay people are doing us a massive favor by not having any kids and adopting kids of other couples.

3) Reallys its the pharmaceutical companies I don't trust here. They will ALWAYS look for ways to screw you over.

 

[The Almighty Grigard]

If someone does find a way to make these pills, I hope the person burns his/her harddrives and denies any involvement. This shit can NOT go public.

This would make sexuality a choice and I can't see any way it would work out just fine. Society is NOT ready for something like that. To the people saying that some gays would be happier as straight, do you know why? Because of guilt and pressure to conform, which stems from our fucked up society where people need to be a certain way to be accepted.

This is the same crap that makes people go through completely pointless plastic surgery like breast enlargement and abdomen muscle sculpting. Low self esteem, brought on by our fucked up culture and society. This is the same thing. And it scares me, it really does.

Think of all the hate campaigns, hate related violence etc that would most certainly increase since then it would be a choice not to "cure" your homosexuality. Now I live in Sweden, we are pretty damn accepting of LGBT people and culture and there is certainly less pressure to be a certain way, but I still say that this is not something that I want to see made.

 

[Shannon Matchett]

If they made a tablet to suppress sexual urges 100%, I'd take one daily. Life would just be so much easier/you can accomplish more, without thinking with your member.

 

[Anchupom]

If there will be an "anti-gay pill" it'll be forced upon children by their bigot parents.
And all those people who refer to sexuality as a choice will be technically right. Can you imagine this scenario with homophobes in a bar?

Bigot:Fuck off, bender.
Homosexual:I didn't choose to be gay, you know.
Bigot:Yes you did. You chose not to take the anti-gay pill.

The idea of this makes me sick to my stomach. A person's sexuality isn't a choice, and it should never be reduced to one. If this ever gets drafted as a possibility, I will quite happily campaign against it publicly.
I genuinely will not stand for this. Those scientists, as far as I'm concerned, are a disgrace. We should not be messing with nature the way we are now, so why should we start messing with the nature of sexuality?

 

[Mr. Socky]

If people want to, I don't see a problem. The choices that other people make don't bother me, and this is just extending those choices to your brain chemically.