Speaking in biological terms, Is homosexuality a flaw?

Question

Knowing that all organisms need to reproduce in order for their species to survive, wouldn't a "gay gene" cause homosexuality to be phased out because of lack of reproduction? If so, how does this "gay gene" continue to survive? Is homosexuality a matter of genetic predisposition or is it a matter of choice of the organism ?

Peter K......Ants are able to reproduce. Where in my question did I specify human beings? Where in my question did I say homosexuals are useless?

Answer 1

Well consider this too>>

People with severe mental disorders, i.e. Down's Syndrome etc, don't reproduce either, but we still have the disease. Plus we might have people who are uncomfortable with their homosexuality having kids with a straight person of the opposite sex....take McGreevy and how he had a wife (I can't remember if he has kids)

Answer 2

I think this is a valid question and I wish people doesn't take it personal. It is not clear what is the reason of homosexuality and it will take a long time before a really detailed and supported explanation can be given with scientific rigor. The products of our personality and physical treats cannot always be explained as the result of a single gene. We are a network, our genes all act in concert with each other, we are a complex system. Homosexuality could be the result of genetics, a result of upbringings or the result of preference, or a combination of all. It doesn't really matter. It has been propose that homosexuality is a "control' mechanism to slow down the exacerbated growth of the species. Not only humans have homosexuality tendencies, but birds, and other animals, specially when the populations are not balanced. Offspring is necessary to propagate genes, all genes, as long as they are not deleterious. Let's assume that the homosexual gene exists and is there now. It means that is playing a function. If it means that individual X will not reproduce, it's OK, there might be reason for it, and nature has allowed its selection for that reason. We don't have to understand it. Nature is wise, and we cannot outsmart it.

Answer 3

The answer above was good. There are a lot of "defects" like hereditary diseases where the person cannot reproduce. Yet the carriers of the genes can still reproduce. If there is a gay gene, it probably arises through random mutation or is triggered by a hormone in the mother or something. This can happen to anyone, meaning the gene does not need to be inhertited from a gay parent.

Also, lots of gay parents have straight kids.

An interesting note is that some people think homosexuality is used by a species to prevent overcrowding. I think there have been studies showing that more homosexuals are born when the population is higher. This can be triggered by hormones in other individuals affecting the hormones of the mother.

Answer 4

One interesting explanation that has received some notable attention lately is based on the idea of phenotypic plasticity - environmental factors that change the make-up or development of an organism.
Just as pregnancies are complicated by r-factors in blood types, perhaps Y-chromosomes also cause difficulty during development. There seems to be some correlation between homosexuality and the number of older brothers a homosexual has. The Y-chromosome is foreign to the female body and depending on the female, she may build up anti-bodies to attack this chromosome. Therefore, the more males a female gives birth to, the more her body effectively resists housing the Y-chromosome. This resistance may effect hormone levels, brain development, or any number of small, but crucial aspects towards development of a heterosexual male.
While the research is continuing to emerge concerning this idea of how homosexuality is caused, I find the notion of switching the conversation away from genetics and into the realm of environment during development very appealing. As one who studies evolutionary biology, I cannot accept the concept of "gay gene" for the same reasons you posed in your question.

Answer 5

I don't think that there's a gay gene. And if there was, it must be a spontaneous mutation because i don't see how it gets passed on. True some homosexuals reproduce, some also adopt. Both gays and lesbian are still considered (by me) as useful in society and they shouldn't have to explain their existence. But i see your point, any gene (if there's a gene) that doesn't give a reproductive advantage will be phased out. I believe that homosexuality is neither a genetic predisposition nor a matter of choice. I do think that it has environmental influences though.

Answer 6

A lot of genes continue to survive, due to negative frequency dependent selection. It is rather hard to " phase out " a lot of genes, or we would not have genetic defects ( not to imply in any way that homosexuality is a defect ) There must be some evolutionary benefit conferred; we just do not have enough evidence to say what, yet.

Answer 7

If you look at one of the most successful species on the planet, the ant you'll find that most of them can not reproduce. This has not been an obstacle to them.

Likewise, homosexuals aren't useless, they can do the same jobs and functions that other people can but they don't have children to slow them down.

Answer 8

> wouldn't a "gay gene" cause homosexuality to be phased out

It may be a social-interaction thing, akin to altruism.

Consider these possibilities:
1. The siblings or cousins of a homosexual person may be able to reproduce more, as a result of the homosexual's social bonding skills. (Wouldn't you want a brother-in-law with a great fashion sense?)
2. The homosexual person may, himself or herself, be able to reproduce successfully.

Answer 9

You are assuming every single one of us needs to reproduce in order to maintain the population...that has never been the case. Homosexuality can be found in all kinds of differnt animals. I've personally witnessed homosexual behavior in birds, dogs, and cats, and it has been documented in hundreds of species.

There is no selective pressure to get rid of homosexuality because it rarely has any adverse effect on population growth.

Homosexuality is almost certianly geneticaly based...I cannot imagine why anyone would want to grow up being harassed and threatened with violence their whole life.

Homosexual behavior may be weird and uncomfortable for us straight people, but it is not a flaw.

Answer 10

You are just generalizing things up.....being a homosexual isnt passed through gene and doesnt flow through DNA,that means they are not born a homsexuality.Homosexuality is all in the mind,it is whether u want to be it or not.Same for bisexuals.