Being Gay: Defect or undiscovered natural relevance?

[ashleybeach]

I've always wondered this; homosexuality is the result of two, heterosexual people reproducing. So why does this 'phenomenon' keep occuring? Is it truely a unwanted defect? Or do we have a undiscovered relevance to the natural order? I hope this doesn't offend anyone, just guess I'm looking for a higher meaning for things we have no control of.

 

[Seasoned]

All aspects of humanity are the result of men and women having sex. The causes and reasons for homosexuality are still being studied. Since it's also found in the animal community at large perhaps it's a built in mechanism to have members of a community free from needing to raise children.

 

[Dude U Gay]

I've seen a few threads around like this surprisingly enough.

Homosexuality is observed in a whole lot of animal species, if it was just humanity you could better argue defect but as it stands its a natural phenomenon, while the reasons it exists are still up for debate you can be assured its natural and normal.

 

[SonOfSlobone]

It sounds like you're assuming that homosexuality is completely explained by genetics, that there must be a gay gene that determines your sexual orientation. A lot of people believe this, but in fact it's never been proven.

There have been some studies that suggest that genetics does play a significant, but not determining, part in sexual orientation. However the whole field is in its infancy, and we have a long way to go before we get definitive answers.

 

[thefishinthesea23]

Just because homosexuals don't have sex with the goal to reproduce does not make it a defect. Sexual relief is separate from that and anyway that says otherwise is an idiot. Honestly who only has sex when they are trying to have children?

Then we have the emotional part. Is it truly so strange for two man and two woman to fall in love with one another? Of course not! People assume because they are incapable of it then it must be wrong. Then we have all the religion and social aspects molding the general opinion and things start to get really complicated.

 

[KaraBulut]

So why does this 'phenomenon' keep occuring?

Because, like albinism, left-handedness, savants and red-headedness- being gay is a natural variation.

 

[TX-Beau]

A lot of people think that evolution is survival of the fittest, but that's wrong actually.

Evolution works by throwing up a bunch of genetic variants all at the same time, some persist, some don't.

Obviously there is a genetic component to sexuality including homosexuality, it's simply seen consistently in all cultures at all times in history for it to be culturally or environmentally determined.

Why? Probably because sexual behavior has a lot more to it than strict reproduction. It serves more functions than that, and homosexuality is part of that palette.

 

[perfectionist]

Even if it IS a defect, we can't change it.

 

[Smitho]

I have thought about this, why gay men keep turning up, though not very hard, I actually agree with seasoned, I think it is a mechanism to allow a certain percentage of a group to be free of child rearing and therefore extra productive for the group, rather than family. If you had a tribe, a few gay men free on other duties would be very useful addition. It also can't be a coincidence that so many men in the arts are gay.

This topic is actually rarely discussed here, which in actually seems strange!

 

[bankside]

A lot of people think that evolution is survival of the fittest, but that's wrong actually.

Evolution works by throwing up a bunch of genetic variants all at the same time, some persist, some don't.

Obviously there is a genetic component to sexuality including homosexuality, it's simply seen consistently in all cultures at all times in history for it to be culturally or environmentally determined.

Why? Probably because sexual behavior has a lot more to it than strict reproduction. It serves more functions than that, and homosexuality is part of that palette.

So we could be inefficient genetic variants…but the species keeps producing us. Over time, you'd expect a few random gays, but fewer and fewer, because it is more efficient.

…unless of course we're good for something…

and there are evolutionary biologists who theorise that we are good for something: our tendency to have fewer genetic offspring is more than made up for by the higher survival rates of our nieces and nephews, who benefit from our extra attention, who help out when their parents stumble, etc.

Also, our ability to conduct science in the field is probably highly limited by the fact that you'd pretty much get accused of being a satanist if you did research into sexuality more than 60 years ago. We have based an entire field of academic enquiry on precious few ideas of a very few gifted and insightful researchers, but there are bound to be gaps.

One certain gap is the idea that you can divide the world up into binary opposites of gay and straight. I am willing to accept that perhaps only 10% are gay, but I do not accept that 90% are straight. Sexuality is much more fluid than that, and the results is children!

 

[Rolyo85]

I'm a huge fan of the "definitely not just nurture" school of thought.