As much as I enjoyed the dinner conversations of that particular night... there was one topic that left me quite sour. The people around me began to discuss whether homosexuality/bisexuality was a choice or not. Naturally Christy gave her opinion quite bluntly and with an aire of stubbornness or conviction that told you that no matter what you said she was unpersuaded. Her opinion: "Oh, definitely choice! Sexual orientation is something that you can't be born with." Sarah more or less gave out the response dictated by catholic doctrine: "Even if it is genetic, which it is not, one still has a choice whether to act on it or not." Not delivered as unabashedly as Christy's. Catherine, in her usual timid way of a head nod and a semi-mumbled answer, agreed more or less with Sarah. Matt's own opinion was brimming with restraint; earlier that evening he confessed that he constantly gets worked up about things. "It's not so much genetics and choice as it is upbringing. Depending on how you were brought up, you could end up gay or straight." ( keep in mind that this is all paraphrasing )

Meanwhile here I was seething in a continuously building frustration, but I remained quiet to keep myself from letting my mirthful response overflow from the brim. I really wanted to say something along the lines of: "How can you decide if you haven't any experience yourself?! Sexual orientation is compromised of many factors, and to generalize everything to one or two deciding factors is rather short-sighted and far too vague. I say live and let live, otherwise your inexperience with the subject matter and your debates founded on misleading, and often times feigned, information and intimacy will keep us at ends." But I know that part of that pent up frustration was connected to another incident where someone brought up the same question in order to show me "the error of my ways." And that moment, much like a brand upon my skin, left a lasting impression and added suspicion.

Thankfully, Catherine noticed my silence and stopped herself just as she was about to voice her own opinion. Even Matt's pandemic solution to the question, although he has experience, seemed far too much like a final judgement of sorts.

Then again, could just be my reaction to people with strong wills. If I encounter someone with opposing views who remains adamant about their side of the issue, I will not try to change their pursuation. Will tempered like iron will not melt easily, and I've had enough of my time wasted trying to bend others.