homosexuality and evolution

dubcitycentre

Hi guys,

I just raised an issue on another thread and it got me thinking. So i just wanna put it out there and see what others think.

Do you think you are born gay or is it a choice/lifestyle?

If we are born gay, where does it fit in regarding evolution? Why did we evolve to be non-procreating in an existence which is doomed without it? Theories i have read include: we have evolved to be gay to reduce competition for suitable mates....ie survival of the fittest (darwinian theory). Indeed if this is right, it is doing a good job. If it is true 10% are gay, then that means about 500 million people in the world are gay in 2009...or 250 million procreating couples (assuming both are fertile and 50% male and female demographics). If 250 million families have 2 kids, that is 500 million more people for competition every 20 or 30 years...if u extrapolte that over the centuries (past and future)...that would leave our popultaion at a much much much higher number than it is now, or would be in say, 1000 years. So then, are gays saving the world from extinction by overpopulation and depletion of resources?

Maybe we are gay so that we can practice sex with other males (or females) so that we are good at it when the suitable member of the opposite sex comes along. I heard that particular theory on a documentary on homosexuality in other species. But if this were true, then wouldnt all lads be doing lads until they get married, and same with girls? Or Maybe they would if society told them it was ok. In certain countries in the world, it is widespread practice for adolescent boys to engage in sexual activity with their male friends, and when they mature, to marry off and "become" straight.

Anyway, just a few thoughts. Id like to hear some of your views, especially from scientists, philosophers and academics, although all comments appreciated.

Also, please keep your homophobic, religious, or bigotted views to yourself. Serious, open minded, scientific, intelligent posts only

Thanks

starbelgrade

Yt either born gay or straight or both... it's a question of finding out which one you are & statistics have no part in the process.

Turtwig

Sometimes things just are. Perfection is just an ideology of the mind -we are all just variations of human beings. Gays are just a variation from what some people see as the norm, when in fact there is no norm - just people:)


If I was to guess a theory though, it could actually be for providing a contingency survival variation.
For example, imagine a world where males have lost their reproductive 'skills', then female reproduction would most likely have to evolve to be asexual, and of course homosexuality would have helping hand towards that process.
Or perhaps, homosexuals could be the first step in evolution towards asexual human beings of BOTH sexes.
Just speculating.

DuPLeX

Jernal wrote: »

For example, imagine a world where males have lost their reproductive 'skills',

Why would that happen ?

then female reproduction would most likely have to evolve to be asexual, and of course homosexuality would have helping hand towards that process.

How would that work exactly ?

RobFowl

starbelgrade wrote: »

Yt either born gay or straight or both... it's a question of finding out which one you are & statistics have no part in the process.

+1
Uncomfortable with this sort of discussion tbh . Too much scope for the homophobes to get their bigotry out there is a pseudo scientific format.

AndrewJD

dubcitycentre wrote: »

If we are born gay, where does it fit in regarding evolution? Why did we evolve to be non-procreating in an existence which is doomed without it?

Evolution doesn't have an end goal, just because something is present in an organism doesn't mean it was intended (or not intended) to be there. It's random, that's the point. Equally bearing in mind homosexuality has no clear hereditary component, selection pressures for or against it would be weak at best.

Also this clearly isn't about Health Science, just saying.

sam34

no idea why this is in this forum. plus its a zombie thread.

closed