What do you think the scientific reasoning behing homosexuality is?

Question

I'm a science major, and I would like your opinion on why homosexuality is beneficial to us. It does not allow our genes to be passed on and nor is it adapted. We do not bond with same sex partners for purposes of protection and nor have we been able to answer what this all means for Us.

Do you think scientists need to spend more time finding a connection between genetics and homosexuality? Or is it purely Nature vs. Nurture?

We have, however, been able to prove that female Japanese macaques engage in lesbianism for simply, Sexual Pleasure.

I would apprectiate well-educated answers.

Answer 1

My theory is that homosexuality is a sort of insurance policy bought by God or Nature. That if there was a sudden famine during a time of over-population, the World would be saved by a lack of breeding by them. All genetic mutations have a hidden purpose?

Answer 2

I never heard of homosexuality being beneficial (not that I'm saying it's not) I just never heard that argument. Interesting.

The reasoning behind homosexuality, unless I am mistaken, has always been a toss up between scientist and psychologist alike.

Like the theories of human development, there are so many different ways to explain it - but there is never one exact explanation that everyone will accept. Usually someone will come along, look at the explanation and say "Yes - but...."

Therefore, I'm not entirely sure if scientists should spend more time on finding a connection - if the above results are consistent throughout time. Some already believe they found a connection between genetics and homosexuality (though others refuse this connection), while others stick with the Nature vs. Nurture.

It's like watching a coin flip through the air and never landing on one of its sides.

I'm sure people will continue to watch the coin, no doubt about it and attempt to make it land on the side they want it to. Then someone will come along and toss the coin back in the air.

Answer 3

The fact that you want to know "why homosexuality is beneficial to us" blows my mind. Loving relationships are about the two people involved and nothing else. The only "us" that matters is the couple.

Who's to say that you can't get protection from your same-sex partner? That's an asinine assumption. And for that matter, I'm not looking for protection when I date men. I'm looking for love.

As far as procreation, there is too much of that going on in the world anyway. Gay and lesbian couples adopt the children that straight parents didn't want. How's that for a benefit to society?

And FYI, there is such a thing as surrogacy and artifical insemination, so gay parents do sometimes actually have their own biological children.

Answer 4

Homosexuality is clearly genetic, a mutation or otherwise. Sexual attraction is purely chemical, you can't decide to be attracted to the same sex if you are straight. The most noticeable way it helps the human race is that it is slowly chipping away at the discrimination that generations of humanity have endured, and is clearing the way for more open mindedness and hopefully peace. The only way it helps the individual is pure sexual and emotional sustenance, the same as a man and a woman who are straight.

Answer 5

Not everything has a purpose. It is certainly true with genetics.
It is pretty hard to know which genes are doing what and we don't experiment on people, at least not with any easiness.

Here is a reference to a related study about it possibly being genetic.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071025120520.htm

If there are genes relating to this they might be controlled by other factors and other genes. It might be related to how stressed out the pregnant mother were. Something to do with testosterone levels. There seem to have been some studies from Germany on that.

The point of what I am saying is that the gay lesbian thing might not be useful at all, but it might be part and parcel with other genes that are very useful.

Kind of like Sickle Cell disease not being useful unless it is only a recessive trait. One gene for it in a malaria suffering population is good, but bad in a malaria free population. Two genes for it are deadly no matter what.

Maybe the gay is kind of like that. Being a bit gay lets us present ourselves to the opposite sex by clueing us to what they find attractive, but to much of the gay attracts us too much to our own sex and likely interferes with us procreating.
Maybe no gay results in those loners and singles who never seem attracted either way to either sex.

I am not a science researcher but one of the features of the genome is that it does some random shuffling of its material every generation as well as the two parent genetic donation to the offspring.

Answer 6

My opinion on the subject is of no real importance, it sounds like what you are looking for is basic facts, so: "sexual desire" is an evolved urge that obviously is imperative to our species survival, but, like ALL evolved characteristics, it is not DESIGNED for the job, it just gets it done. The nature of sexual attraction is such that there is no such thing as a "100% homosexual" or "100% heterosexual" (except Chuck Norris, of course), everyone generally has a default majority tendency and we typically follow it because it feels "natural". What percentage of "the other" an individual has probably accounts in large part for our individual character.

Answer 7

I dont know if this would help, But from my thoughts and being Homosexual. It has something to do, with your experience when you are molded as a growing child. An the Identity that you closely recognize when you are on the early stage.

Forgive me to share this, When I was kid I always remember
being brave, fierce and also always get into a fight. Until I was, S*xual harrassed by our Male helper. till then something is unusual something psychological i get bothered. And I have encountered people with same cases. so i think it has something to do mind too.

Answer 8

well if you look from it from an evolutionary point of view...then maybe you can come up with an answer...so if heterosexuality is necessary for reproduction of the species...then homosexuality would be useful for populations control ?
this means lookin at it from a very rudementary angle...disregarding the emotional and psychological aspects of sexual orientation etc .... of course homosexual relationships serve the same purpose as do heterosexual ones in terms of love, companionship, security, pleasure and so forth...but i guess you're asking for a purely biological answer??

Answer 9

There are quite a few educated studies on the nature of obsessions of all sorts. One key thing I've drawn from them is that when anyone persists in a vice of any kind, for some inexplicable reason it becomes extraordinarily hard to stop.

Bad habits are seemingly difficult to cease. Like a groove which becomes deeper from constant use.

Answer 10

homosexuality is a choice of lifestyle. Nothing more, nothing less. You can put a dozen scientists in the room and none of them will have the same opinion on this subject. The Bible says its wrong, thats good enough for me.