Homosexuality has sparked scathing debates in modern society, not only in a religious setting, but in the politics that keep our everyday lives running. The argument rages between people who would eradicate discrimination in the workplace, military, and education system, and those who believe love between two people of the same sex is an abomination. One popular argument against homosexuality is that it “goes against human nature” in that it does not lead to reproduction. However, observations by zoologists suggest that this argument is evolutionarily unsound.
Scientists have observed individuals in several species, including penguins, ostriches, and even monkeys, both in the wild and in captivity, that will display interest only in their own gender even in the presence of potential opposite-gender mates. It may be surprising to some that this behavior serves a variety of purposes in the animal kingdom, including playing a role in reproductive success.
For example, primatologist Amy Parish postulates that female macaques engage in homosexual behavior to increase their social status, thus increasing their chances of breeding. By taking control of a resource—in this case, other females—a female macaque makes herself a favorable partner in an alliance or potential mate. Other proposed motives for homosexual behavior in animals include means of resolving tension (in bonobos) and friendship bonding (in dolphins). Despite progress in the field, though, animal homosexuality remains a misunderstood subject because many scientists are afraid to ‘get in trouble’ socially and politically.
What do I think? Well, first, a disclaimer: I hold myself to no particular religious belief. I don’t know and honestly couldn’t care less about what’ll happen to me when I die. That doesn’t mean I don’t have my own set of naïve, inflexible beliefs, though. Personally, I hold love, whether homosexual or heterosexual, as something pure and sacred. It unsettles me to think of it in cold and clinical terms, as a mechanism for reproductive success rather than just ‘that warm fuzzy feeling when nothing matters and you can do anything’, even though that notion is juvenile and the reproductive success thing actually has validity. But then, just because I don’t particularly like the facts doesn’t mean I should disregard them.
In conclusion, we may never know the truth behind why people, or animals, love who they do, but for now, we have patterns, theories, and facts.
Read more about it at National Geographic:http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0722_040722_gayanimal.html
-Mindy MacKay.
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