Texas Gov. Rick Perry has drawn some attention to himself after comparing being a homosexual to being an alcoholic at an appearance in San Francisco on Wednesday.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Perry was speaking in front of the Commonwealth Club of California when he was asked if he thought homosexuality is a disorder.

"Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle or not, you have the ability to decide not to do that," the governor responded while being broadcast by a local CBS affiliate. "I may have the genetic coding that I'm inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way."

According to the CBS report, some "gasps from the crowd" followed Perry's statement, and San Francisco Chronicle reported a subsequent "murmur of disbelief."

As expected, the Internet is publicly gasping over Perry's comments as well.

"Rick Perry, an enormous moron, compares gay people to alcoholics," Gawker tweeted.

"What we don't know CAN and DOES hurt us and those around us. #YouAreNotTexas," Brene Brown, who works for University of Houston, said via Twitter.

Perry is under consideration to be the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, Reuters reports. Last week, the Texas Republican Party endorsed "reparative therapy" for homosexuals who wish to be counseled into being heterosexual. On Wednesday, Perry said that he does not know if this actually works, the newspaper reports.

Perry also shared his views on climate change, saying he does not support the fight against global warming because it would "strangle" the United States economy. According to Perry, those who do believe in global warming have a stance of "You either believe this all the way, or you're a Neanderthal." Perry stated his support of fracking, which he said helped Texas' economy grow, and encouraged California to develop the Monterey Shale.

"It's up to you to determine the course of this state, to decide whether you live in a regulatory state or one that emphasizes freedom and growth, whether you tap into your energy potential or develop only certain forms of clean energy," Perry said. "Those decisions should be yours, but I do know this: the fastest way to rev up the economy is for America to develop all forms of energy."

Gov. Perry also talked about the defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the Virginia Republican primary.

"Having been involved in elected office for 30 years now, it's pretty simple: Spend plenty of time in your home district," he said.

Check out a video of the interview below:

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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