Evolution and Homosexuality

[FoxLocke]

Why does natural selection seem to favor homosexuality?

In biology class I learned that practically every species of animal indulges in same sex activity at some point or another(although animals tend to mainly be bisexual)...

In addition to that, why do human beings seem to be the only species that favor one sex over the other? Obviously, people have to get together to have kids, thus perpetuating the species...

Like people who are born strictly oriented to the same gender?

So, what is the purpose of gay people(who obviously have a reason, or else homosexuality would have gone the way of the dodo bird ages ago.)?

[darkblue]

why do human beings seem to be the only species that favor one sex over the other?

It is mostly a 'normality' to favour one gender over another.

Males and females come together to reproduce. Men and men cannot, and female and female cannot.

thereforeeee, it makes logical sense to mate with the opposite gender.

 

I don't know if people are born predisposed to being gay/bisexual.

[FoxLocke]

I don't know if people are born predisposed to being gay/bisexual.

 

I believe, as a gay person, I was born this way. So I often wonder why does it occur in certain people.

Because I have no desire to procreate with a female...

[LostInMyThoughts]

So, what is the purpose of gay people(who obviously have a reason, or else homosexuality would have gone the way of the dodo bird ages ago.)?

 

I don't know about you; but my only purpose in life isn't have children.

 

Perhaps thats what mother nature wants us to do, but as a human being born with the gift of thought, I know that I am more than the sum of these biologial urges.

 

I think gay people and straight people have the same purposes in life. Finding out what that is, is part of living.

[FoxLocke]

Oh that's not what I meant...I guess I should have worded myself more clearly, sorry.

I know we are not the sum of our "parts" I just wonder why some people are geared differently is all. Is there a specific purpose for being born loving the same gender?

What does everyone think?

[LostInMyThoughts]

I personally don't believe there is a purpose for being born the way we are.

 

Is there a purpose why someone is born retarded?

 

I am in no way, shape, or form, suggesting that homosexuality is anything akin to being retarded. I'm just saying that what we are when we are born, doesn't dictate our purpose in life.

 

Perhaps i'm missing your point.

[FoxLocke]

Perhaps i'm missing your point.

 

Yes, you are.

 

I'm not asking a philosophical question, I'm asking a scientific one. Is there are particular reason that nature has homosexuals in it? That is what I was curious about. Seeing as it happens among animals and humans there must be reason why it occurs.

[fiddler]

I'm not sure if homosexuality actually has to do with a persons genetics.

 

It may be needed to prevent overpopulation or in cases where there is no access to opposite sex.

 

These are only my guesses. I don't think anybody had definite answers about that.....but a very interesting question.

[redandblack]

You cannot directly compare the actions, beliefs and tendencies of humans to that of animals. With the exception of apes, humans are the only animals that have culture (but even ape culture does not compare to ours). When animals "have sex" they do so to reproduce. When humans have sex and choose partners (in most western societies) it is done for romantic purposes. thereforeeee, one cannot truly compare the sexual practices of anumals and humans. If we are going to do that, we should all take off our clothes because animals do not wear them.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Bye

[pianoguy]

FoxLocke, the short answer to your question is, "We don't know." As a scientifically minded homosexual this is something I have pondered quite a bit. It would seem sensible to think that homosexuality should be bred out of a population, after all, homosexuals do not reproduce, thereforeeee the trait should not appear in succeeding generations.

 

The long answer: there has been some research on this but not nearly enough. The 3 theories I know are the male aggression theory, the saboteur (sp.?) gene theory, and the caretaker theory. Before I explain these, two things:

 

1) As a general rule the more highly evolved species, the more variety of sexual behavior and modes of sexual expression. Bugs are pretty indescriminate about who/when/where they have sex, some species of birds mate for life, humans have sexual orientation.

 

2) Lesbianism is a uniquely human trait and seems to occur only at a very late stage in evolution. (A philosopher could say this is the highest form of love, perhaps?) There is almost no research on lesbianism, which is a crying shame. The three theories I mentioned above deal with male homosexuality.

 

The first theory, the male aggression theory as I call it, says that homosexuality developed as a means to lessen aggression between the males of a population. Obviously a more harmonious male population means a healthier community in general since the males spend less time killing each other and more time defending the community from predators. An extreme form of male-bonding, if you would.

 

The second theory, the saboteur gene theory, is the one I understand the least. Apparently males have a genetic weakness on the XY chromosome whereby they will transmit a trait to their male offspring even though the trait can be very harmful to the success of the species. I remember reading about an experiment on a community of flies where some trait caused nearly the entire male community to go extinct. The theory is that a gene is interested in perpetuating itself, not the species. Homosexuality could be such a trait.

 

The third theory, the caretaker theory, is my personal favorite. It states that homosexuals are involved in the raising of nephews and nieces, enabling mom and dad more time to hunt and gather for the rest of the community. This behavior has been observed in different species of animals and has contributed greatly to the survival of the community.

 

I know you said you didn't want a philosophical discussion, but you of course raise the issue "Why am I here." I know a ton of straight people that feel a large part of their existence fulfilled when they reproduce, and it seems to be a basic need as a species. Perhaps homosexual's job is to show straight people purposes in life beyond reproduction- I don't think it is a freak coincidence that there is a very high number of homosexuals in various artistic fields.

[UT]

A short answer to your question would be “diversity.”

 

Does nature have to have a reason? Of course! There is a reason to everything. The reason is (almost) always the same. Why do we evolve? To survive. Why do we reproduce? To survive. That is also the answer to your question. We need to be happy to survive and some finds that happiness in people of their own gender.

 

We are an animal that lives in a community. In this community everyone have different tasks. Everyone doesn’t have to reproduce. Everyone contributes with what they can, what they are best at. Think of it as a colony of ants. There is only one who reproduces, the queen. Why? She is best fitted to do so. In a community we work together as a team. You do that you are bets fitted to do.

 

For most other animals there is this “the strongest one will survive” mentality. In that world it’s more essential that everyone can reproduce. We don’t need that in communities.

[FoxLocke]

You cannot directly compare the actions, beliefs and tendencies of humans to that of animals. With the exception of apes, humans are the only animals that have culture (but even ape culture does not compare to ours). When animals "have sex" they do so to reproduce. When humans have sex and choose partners (in most western societies) it is done for romantic purposes. thereforeeee, one cannot truly compare the sexual practices of anumals and humans. If we are going to do that, we should all take off our clothes because animals do not wear them.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Bye

 

Actually, Romanticism in human sexual relations was a creation during the 17th or 18th century(I believe)...So being romantic is not an evolutionary trait.

Your theory that hummanity's need to reproduce is based on romantic love is incorrect. Human beings have sex to reproduce, and I think the reason sex has pleasure is so that we will WANT to procreate. Just because our culture is highly evolved doesn't mean we still lack our animal instincts. We just have the capacity--as the highest level of the animal kingdom--to love. And who is to say that lower species can't love?

And if sex is based ONLY on procreation, then why do human beings do it solely based on the pleasure aspect?

My question asked WHY do homosexuals feel biologically driven to pursue the same gender, and what role does it play in the grand scheme...

 

Your comment didn't really help, but thank you anyway...

[darkblue]

I believe, as a gay person, I was born this way. So I often wonder why does it occur in certain people.

Because I have no desire to procreate with a female...

 

I don't necessarily agree.

Homosexuality would be the preference of the same gender, over the other - not a predisposal to be attracted to the same sex...

[FoxLocke]

I don't necessarily agree.

Homosexuality would be the preference of the same gender, over the other - not a predisposal to be attracted to the same sex...

 

But how do you know it isn't predisposal? That is the question that prompted this entire question...

If it isn't predisposal then it would, more than likely, be a choice...Which makes me wonder why such a choice would be found in nature and throughout the centuries...

 

Basically, I was wondering if anyone had a real concrete theory as to why it does occur...I tend to agree with some of Pianoguy's theories the most, and with the "population control" one as well.

 

Anyway, thank you everyone for all of your replies...I guess we'll never totally know for certain. Or maybe we will?

[darkblue]

concrete theory

That's somewhat an oxymoron...