Dan Savage to Ben Carson: If It's Your Choice, Come and Get It

After retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson made headlines last week, saying that homosexuality is a choice, citing prisoners who "go to prison straight -- and when they come out, they're gay," writer and LGBT activist Dan Savage is calling out the possible 2016 GOP presidential candidate.

Carson may have somewhat apologized for his controversial remarks, but that appears not to be enough for Savage. The 50-year-old writer fired back in his column in The Stranger this weekend.

"If being gay is a choice, prove it. Choose it. Choose to be gay yourself. Show America how that's done, Ben, show us how a man can choose to be gay. Suck my dick," Savage wrote.

Salon points out Savage received some heat for his comments when he spoke with CNN's Brain Stelter, who asked why Savage decided to "lower himself to that level" with his remarks.

"Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire," he said. "Sometimes to get the attention of someone like that -- to really make it clear to them -- how low and disgusting they're being, how vile they're being, you have to meet them on the field that they're doing battle. "

He continued: "What religious conservatives and Republicans are really saying when they say that being gay is a choice is that gay or lesbian -- queer people -- shouldn't be covered by civil rights laws, we shouldn't be protected under the 14th Amendment, that the Bill of Rights doesn't apply to us because being gay is not an immutable characteristic, it's a choice that we've made."

In his original comments, Carson appeared on CNN's "New Day" last week and said:

"Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight -- and when they come out, they're gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question."

In a statement, Carson apologized Wednesday.

"I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended," he said.

But after appearing on CNN he spoke on Sean Hannity's radio show and blamed the media for the controversy.

"It was a 25 minute interview they chopped, and you see what part they emphasized," he said. "I did learn something very important: For certain networks, never do a pre-taped interview. Always do it live."

Watch Savage speak with Stelter below: