Pawlenty Suggests Being Gay Is A Choice, Claims Science “In Dispute”

On Sunday’s Meet The Press with David Gregory, Tim Pawlenty suggested being gay is a choice, and falsely claimed that “the science in that regard is in dispute.” Pawlenty, the former Governor of Minnesota (Michele Bachmann’s home state,) spent the earlier part of the week telling the media that Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” is his favorite song. “Born This Way” has been dubbed a “gay anthem.”

READ: Pawlenty’s Treatment Of His Wife Akin To “Pimping,” Says Former Constituent

Pawlenty also said earlier this week he is “considering” signing extreme-conservative Bob Vander Plaats’ anti-gay, anti-pornography, anti-Islam, anti-women, pro-slavery “Marriage Vow.” (Vander Plaats subsequently removed the pro-slavery references, but only after both Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum had already signed it.)

READ: Tim Pawlenty, Anti-Gay Former GOP Governor, Announces Presidential Run

Pawlenty has firmly come out against all forms of legal recognition including civil unions and marriage, for same-sex couples.

 

GREGORY: Is being gay a choice?

PAWLENTY: Well, the science in that regard is in dispute. I mean, scientists work on that and try to figure out if it’s behavioral or if it’s partly genetic –

GREGORY: What do you think?

PAWLENTY: Well, I defer to the scientists in that regard.

GREGORY: So you think it’s not a choice? That you are, as Lady Gaga says, you’re born that way.

PAWLENTY: There’s no scientific conclusion that it’s genetic. We don’t know that.

 

Think Progress, who also provided the transcript above, and this video clip, writes today,

“In fact, there is no dispute among health professionals. All major medical professional organizations agree that sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be changed, from gay to straight or otherwise. The American Psychological Association, the world’s largest association of psychological professionals, describes sexual orientation as “a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors.” There is considerable evidence to suggest that biology, “including genetic or inborn hormonal factors,” plays a significant role in a person’s sexuality.

“Pawlenty’s comments underscore the reality that promoting ex-gay therapy and the idea that homosexuality can be changed or denied (which it cannot) are at the root of all anti-gay perspectives. The broad consensus of scientists have condemned such notions — and the kinds of discrimination Pawlenty has protected — for decades.

“Pawlenty has previously said that “the science is bad” on whether human activity has had any impact on global warming. When it comes to Pawlenty’s unfamiliarity with science, perhaps he was just “born this way.”