The Influence of Herd Mentality on Sexual and Gender Identity
A recent Gallup study (2024) found that 30% of U.S. women aged 18–26 identify as LGBTQ. At elite Ivy League schools, the numbers are even higher: a 2023 Brown University survey revealed that 40% of students identified as LGBTQ. Beyond this, 3 million Americans identify as transgender, and nearly a million claim to be “furries,” identifying as animals. How did these phenomena arise? How did beliefs about being “born a different gender” or “born gay” gain such widespread acceptance? And what guidance does the Torah provide on this cultural shift?
Mass Formation and the Power of Herd Mentality
Mathias Desmet, a leading scholar on “mass formation” (often referred to as herd mentality), argues that highly intelligent individuals may be even more susceptible to groupthink due to their strong desire to conform. Herd mentality has driven everything from fashion trends to Wall Street panics, and it has enabled destructive ideologies like Nazism and Communism. According to Desmet, loneliness and the search for meaning are often the roots of why individuals join the herd.
Importantly, herd mentality does not require scientific evidence to gain traction. For example, a large 2019 study of 477,000 participants found no genetic basis for claims of being “born gay.” Despite this, much of Western society has embraced the idea of innate gay or transgender identities as fact. In contrast, there is clear genetic evidence for left-handedness, but not for sexual orientation or gender identity. Nevertheless, concepts such as being gay, trans, or even furry have entered the mainstream, often equated with immutable characteristics like skin color.
The internet amplifies these beliefs. Even respected platforms like WebMD feature articles encouraging acceptance of “furries”—individuals who claim animal identities and engage in animal-like behaviors, including sexual activity. Facts are rendered secondary to the pervasive influence of the herd.
The Social Cost of Speaking Out
Critics of the herd mentality face significant backlash. Therapists who work with clients to explore traditional lifestyles or address underlying causes of sexual and gender identity issues are often vilified. Simply having these conversations can lead to professional and social ostracism.
The Bible’s account of the Tower of Babel offers insight into the dangers of unchecked herd mentality. According to Biblical commentators, God separated humanity into different languages to disrupt the destructive conformity that had emerged. The Torah emphasizes the nuclear family as the cornerstone of human civilization, a principle foundational to Judaism and other Abrahamic faiths. In Jewish communities, one of the first structures built is a mikveh (ritual bath), underscoring the sanctity of marital relations between men and women.
The Roots of Sexual and Gender Identity
There is no evidence that people are biologically “born gay,” “trans,” or “furry.” Instead, these identities often stem from underlying issues that individuals can choose to address or manage. Psychologists like Dr. Koby Frances argue that many people mistake involuntary arousal or emotional triggers for immutable traits. For example, someone may interpret a powerful but momentary sexual response as a sign of being inherently gay, when in reality, these reactions are manageable.
Dr. Frances also highlights how LGBTQ identities can offer young people with anxiety or loneliness a sense of belonging, attention, and purpose. These social rewards can be deeply compelling for individuals who feel disconnected or unsupported in their communities.
Sexual energy, as researchers and cultural historians have noted, is inherently directionless. It is shaped by cultural and social norms. Historical evidence, such as the permissive attitudes toward homosexuality in ancient Greek society, illustrates how cultural frameworks influence sexual behavior. Modern Western societies, much like ancient Greece, have normalized behaviors that stray from traditional religious teachings.
The Role of Religion and Socializatio
Some point to examples of homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom as justification for human sexual identities. Yet this argument only underscores the lack of inherent direction in sexual behavior. Left unguided by religion or cultural norms, both animals and humans gravitate toward relationships of convenience, often disregarding broader implications.
Rabbi Manis Friedman explains that “natural” behavior—acting without rules—can lead to destructive outcomes. Biblical teachings provide a moral framework designed to steer individuals away from harmful impulses and guide them toward meaningful, purposeful lives. Without these boundaries, herd mentality prevails, promoting ideas that contradict divine principles and encouraging behaviors that undermine societal stability.
The Consequences of Herd Mentality
The collapse of sexual morality, amplified by herd mentality, has led to a proliferation of beliefs like transgenderism and animal identification. These ideas often infiltrate even observant religious communities, challenging foundational principles. The herd insists that such identities are immutable and deserving of unconditional acceptance. However, this narrative can mislead vulnerable individuals, convincing them that they cannot change or address their struggles.
Compassion and Truth
It is essential to approach these issues with compassion. Many who identify as LGBTQ or transgender are grappling with genuine pain and confusion. Yet the truth remains: change and growth are possible for those who seek it. The path to the life God envisions is open to everyone, but it requires strength, guidance, and the courage to resist the herd.
Herd mentality has the power to obscure truth and distort values, but it cannot erase the divine principles that have guided humanity for millennia. By returning to these principles, individuals and societies can rediscover a path of meaning, stability, and integrity.