Having homosexual thoughts 'is an essential part of human evolution' study suggests

[n2doc]

In evolutionary terms, homosexuality presents something of a paradox. According to Darwin, any trait that makes an animal less likely to reproduce will die out in a few generations, yet the percentage of people born gay or lesbian remains more or less constant.

Now researchers at the University of Portsmouth believe they may have found the evolutionary reason for homosexual behaviour: it helps us bond with people of the same sex.

A study of predominantly heterosexual men and women found that people with higher levels of the hormone progesterone are more likely to have homoerotic thoughts.

Because progesterone, which is produced by both men and women, is associated with affiliation, the researchers concluded that homosexual thoughts can go hand in hand with the need to forge same-sex alliances, which can be traced back to the teamwork of the earliest hunter-gatherers.

more

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/11251206/Having-homosexual-thoughts-is-an-essential-part-of-human-evolution-study-suggests.html

[Prophet 451]

1. Also, it represents a natural break on population growth

Interesting article, thanks

[DetlefK]

4. That would only be true if we turn gay when the environment is too hostile to have kids.

[Prophet 451]

7. Well,

I actually thought that through a bit more and it would require some kind of gestalt human morphology to work.

[DetlefK]

8. Are we going into esoterics here???

[Prophet 451]

10. Dunno, what's esoterics?

[pscot]

9. Pheromones?

Scent and physical attraction are closely tied. That could change in response to population density.

[Prophet 451]

11. Maybe

I was heavily influenced by Jung's theories about a collective unconscious, if that helps.

[pscot]

12. What's the mechanism

by which the collective unconscious could turn people gay? I guess I'm a determinist at heart.

[Prophet 451]

13. Well

Jung's theory was that there were certain "archetypal" concepts that the mind was "primed" to see from birth. If that's the case, and now we know that homosexuality is set in the womb, maybe something operates to set homosexuality in response to population density? I dunno, I'm spitballing here.

[BlueJazz]

2. "which can be traced back to the teamwork of the earliest hunter-gatherers."

Makes sense to me. If your very existence depends on the people around you, nature and evolution "Finds the best way to bond"

[TexasProgresive]

3. Now you've done it.

The RWNJ christian fundamentalists heads are exploding all over the place . Joining homosexuality and evolution, that is just too much. The hate the one and don't believe in the second. OOOHH the zombie are in for a treat since there are brains all over the place (that's assuming these people have brains).

[DetlefK]

5. There's a Simpsons-episode where Darwin makes out with Satan.

(It's depicted in an anti-evolution propaganda video.)

[Android3.14]

6. Unsurprising

The behavior of men slapping butts, beating their chests together, etc. on sports teams and in the military has to be channeled homoerotic behavior to create emotional and social bonds. I'm not saying it's gay,
but it's gay.