Contrary to what many confused homophobes and numerous post-structuralist theory classes might tell you, being gay is not a choice -- or so says UC Davis social psychologist/researcher Gregory Herek. During today's federal gay marriage trial, according to KTVU, "Herek said leading mental health groups also take a dim view of therapies aimed at making people heterosexual." The is crucial because it helps the plaintiffs' effort "to show that gays deserve the same judicial protection as racial and ethnic minorities."

Most interesting, however, was this:

Herek said he recently conducted a survey asking people if they decided to be gay, lesbian or bisexual. Eighty-eight percent of the gay men who responded said they had no choice at all about their sexual orientation. The figure was 68 percent for lesbians.

What about you, readers? Gay, straight or lurking somewhere in between, did you choose your sexual orientation? If yes, reveal to the world how you managed to do it.

Anyway, Howard Nielson Jr., one of the lawyers for anti-gay Proposition 8 sponsors, cross-examined Herek, bringing up some of the researcher's own writings that claim "some people who regularly engage in sex with people of the same gender do not necessarily identify as gay, while others may have same-sex attractions they never act on."