Man claims Glaxo drug made him 'gay sex addict'

No I want to refute it because it's making it seem like having gay sex is a bad thing. Now ok, sex addiction yes it's bad, gay or straight, but it just to me sounds like he's saying being gay is bad. I'll give the addiction thing sucks though. And the gambling thing is horrible. It's only the gay thing I just don't understand how a medication can turn someone on to gay sex....though same time it could be used as proof that being gay is something to do with the brain not nurturing.

 

Neither he nor anyone else involved in these articles implies either directly or indirectly that gay sex is a bad thing. Extreme uncontrollable promiscuity (along with other compulsions) is what has destroyed his life, not the fact that that promiscuous sex happened to be with other men, that's just incidental. He and these articles have been matter-of-fact in describing what happened to him, i can't see anyone trying to colour homosexuality as being bad, just this drug as being potentially dangerous and (at the time) lacking a warning.

If i all of a sudden found myself behaving promiscuously to the point of becoming a victim victim of rape, and gambling away my life savings, after having lived a whole life of frugality and fidelity, i'd be humiliated too. There's no basis to think he or anybody else involved is using homosexuality as some kind of scape goat.

And as for being gay, it's absolutely 100% to do with the brain. As with everything else, there will be many contributing factors (genes, womb, culture etc) but all of them directly affect the brain. Other things affecting the brain (tumours, drugs, strokes, injuries) have been shown to radically change many, many aspects of peoples' personalities (including sexuality), i don't see the rationality behind the assumption that sexual identity is immune to this kind of alteration, especially when there is plenty of direct evidence to the contrary.

 

OMG, this thread was so dead... the drug also revives the Dead...

 

What is everyone arguing about in this thread?

Do we not all agree that sexuality is biological in nature, having its basis in the structure and chemistry of the brain? If so, isn't it plausible that a drug that effects the brain, as one intended to treat Parkinson's Disease must do, could have an effect on sexuality? In fact, to me, that would support the notion that sexuality has a neurological basis. So, I think it's plausible that a drug could have an effect on sexuality. I don't actually think that has necessarily even been asserted here, however.

Impulse control is definitely regulated by the brain. I personally know someone whose brain injury negatively effected his impulse control. If the drug impairs the part of the brain responsible for this, it would cause the kinds of behaviors described, in terms of sex and gambling addiction. From the three articles cited, it certainly looks like this drug is likely to have this effect, at least.

The original article linked to does not actually make any claim about the man's sexuality before taking the drug, or after stopping. It says that the drug made him addicted to gay sex, and apparently also cross-dressing and gambling. It does not actually say that he was straight before, only that he is married and has children. Everyone is merely inferring from this that he is straight. He may of course be gay, or bisexual, as many gay and bisexual men are married to women.

The change in his behavior apparently involved exposing himself over the Internet, and hooking up with random guys (committing adultery), as well as cross dressing.

Apparently, his reckless and compulsive sexual encounters under the drugs influence led to his being raped, which is good enough reason for him to sue as far as I'm concerned. And, since he is suing, it makes sense to apply pressure in the media, which requires him to tell about his actual behavioral changes caused by the drug. If nothing else, it's beneficial to get the word out that this drug has some unpleasant neurological effects.

We don't even know the wording used by the man or his lawyers, since they are French. The article says the man is claiming the drug made him a "gay sex addict." That phrase can be interpreted in two different ways: as a gay person who is addicted to sex, or as a person who is addicted to gay sex. The difference is subtle, but real, and in this context, while the first interpretation might appear to mean that the drug made him gay, the second interpretation only means that the drug made him addicted, (or, more accurately, removed his impulse control so that his behavior became compulsive).

 

I come from a background that asserts being gay is a choice and uses the same distinction used here about pedophiles: you can't control what turns you on, but you can control what you do about it. Another theory is that people turn gay because of sexual abuse or other events in their past (domineering mothers anyone?).

Until joining EC, I thought the gay position was that you are born with whatever sexual preference. Now I am reading a lot about fluidity.

I can't claim to know anything- haven't figured myself out yet so how can I speak for anyone else? But I think... that if sexuality is predetermined/genetic that it probably has a lot to do with hormones and other brain chemicals. And anything that screws with the chemical balance of your brain could screw with any function affected by it. And I know the 'abused as a child' theory will offend some people (though the same theory is being proffered on this thread regarding pedophiles)... but stress alters our chemicals too. And prolonged stress can alter them permanently. So there may be something in that theory too. I am skeptical when people take sides as if one theory/position holds all the answers.

 

well this drug would probably not be good for any anti gay parties you know might be like a spy from the inside (sorry took an espianage side kind of view lol)

 

Well there you go

 

Good on him, that should cover some of the dent in his life savings