There are usually two sides to every debate, but in the case of whether people are born or decide to be gay, John Corvino thinks both are ill-formed positions.
“In moral debate, there is often a lot of weight put on whether homosexuality is ‘natural’ in some sense or another, and the nature/nurture debate is supposed to shed light on this issue,” he said. “I don’t think it does, in fact.”
Corvino, a writer, speaker, gay rights activist and associate philosophy professor at Wayne State University, will address this issue at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Union.
For the past 15 years, Corvino has traveled the country speaking on behalf of gay rights.
He is also the recipient of a 2004 Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council.
When he began speaking on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender issues 15 years ago, Corvino said there was a lot of discussion on “the gay gene.” The debate about the research tends to resurface every few years.
The point of the lecture is to move students beyond the categories that dominate the debate and counteract many of the myths and misunderstandings that are out there, he said.
“Usually, two sides form: One side argues gays are born that way; therefore it’s natural and right, and the other side argues, no, it’s a choice; therefore it’s unnatural and wrong,” Corvino said. “So I’m critical of people from various sides of the debate, including my fellow (LGBT) activists.”
The lecture is hosted by the University Activities Board and Respecting Individuals on Neutral Ground, or RING.
David Jaques, president of RING, said he was excited to hear Corvino lecture because he has a reputation for being an open and funny speaker.
Whether people are born or made gay has some relevance, Jaques said. But for him, Corvino will be at MSU to address different issues, he said.
Megan Tobin, UAB’s director of leadership and education and co-chairwoman of the event, said they scheduled Corvino to speak on campus before he decided to address Ryan Sorba’s lecture on his forthcoming book, “The Born Gay Hoax,” that took place at MSU this fall.
The upcoming lecture offers another viewpoint on a controversial issue.
Tobin said UAB sponsors lectures on a variety of issues. The next lecture will address body image, she said.
“It’s about understanding and tolerance of everybody for a diverse campus,” she said.
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