The evolution of homosexuality: A new theory
Diversity in sexual attraction found in people is a fundamental aspect of human biology, yet it’s actually been poorly described or poorly theorized in previous evolutionary biology.
Posted by Big Think on Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Good to have this conversation out there and in here. I’ll have to come back for what I didn’t finish.
The helpful uncle hypothesis clearly doesn’t lead very far.
As I see it, human sexuality, at least as we know it today, hasn’t evolved any further in the last 60, 000 years (or so); what’s changed (perhaps every generation?) is how social groups think about what’s OK and not, what’s the norm, what ages are OK for what, etc. Historically, How groups, and individuals in those groups, have reacted has varied a great deal at different times and in different cultures. But it’s not much of a stretch to think that people have engaged in recreational sex by trying every combination of ways, places, and partner(s) to get off—or even not just to get off but to just feel close and/or aroused.
And does it seem as plausible to you as it does to me that some individuals, all the way back in time to when the whole human race was still in Africa, have felt alienated from their group about their sexuality, and hence were queer because they said “none of the above.” Today they can say it out loud and not get ignored, even if they are little understood by society at large.
On the other hand, there is genital interaction for making babies, which isn’t always “sex” in the same way. What hasn’t changed is that male sperm fertilizes one or some female eggs. What has changed dramatically are the ways that happens.
What do you think?