Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
A team of anthropologists and biologists from Canada, Poland, and the U.S., working with researchers at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York, has found via meta-analysis of data from prior research efforts that homosexual behavior is far more common in other animals than previously thought. The paper is published in PLOS ONE.
For many years, the biology community has accepted the notion that homosexuality is less common in animals than in humans, despite a lack of research on the topic. In this new effort, the researchers sought to find out if such assumptions are true.
[...] The researchers found that 76% of the studies mentioned observations of homosexual behavior, though they also noted that only 46% had collected data surrounding such behavior—and only 18.5% of those who had mentioned such behavior in their papers had focused their efforts on it to the extent of publishing work with homosexuality as it core topic.
They noted that homosexual behavior observed in other species included mounting, intromission and oral contact—and that researchers who identified as LGBTQ+ were no more or less likely to study the topic than other researchers.
The researchers point to a hesitancy in the biological community to study homosexuality in other species, and thus, little research has been conducted. They further suggest that some of the reluctance has been due to the belief that such behavior is too rare to warrant further study.
More information: Karyn A. Anderson et al, Same-sex sexual behaviour among mammals is widely observed, yet seldomly reported: Evidence from an online expert survey, PLOS ONE (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304885
(Score: 4, Funny) by PiMuNu on Tuesday July 02 2024, @08:17AM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/dead-duck-day-marks-that-time-a-scientist-witnessed-gay-duck-necrophilia/ [arstechnica.com]
(Score: 4, Funny) by RamiK on Tuesday July 02 2024, @08:53AM
Vindicated! [youtube.com]
compiling...
(Score: 5, Insightful) by quietus on Tuesday July 02 2024, @09:31AM (12 children)
I've never heard about such a "notion" -- maybe the writer should actually read a book about, for example, the sexual behaviour [in the broadest sense] with [berkeley.edu] frogs [wildlife.org] and fish: sex changes are well-known there. Also, define homosexuality (with or without penetration?): every farmer can tell you how to identify a cow in heat: they start humping on other cows.
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @11:27AM (2 children)
My dog sure wants to hump my leg.
Does that count as gay canine bestiality?
( We are both male ).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @11:42AM (1 child)
Interspecieserotica.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @12:17PM
Furries, furries is the word you're looking for. ;)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @12:48PM (7 children)
>For many years, the biology community has accepted the notion that homosexuality is less common in animals than in humans
For some definitions of "the biology community".
The mucky muck state University nearest here is filled with old white guys who have a private PhDs ONLY! club that somehow only seems to ever give tenure to good-old-boy white PhD holders from "the BEST" schools. Given the host city's rich history of KKK / town government cross-pollination, that "biology community" knows better than to ever associate their names with anything resembling homo-erotica. Not that the KKK leadership aren't a bunch of closet Queens, just that they never talk about it, except to publicly abuse those who would dare to display such behaviors as they have been shamed into hiding of.
Repression and shame run deep and even with the past decades of "enlightenment" there are still a lot of men in positions of power who suppress open expression of those things they have been raised to be deeply ashamed of.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @01:42PM (1 child)
Man...why you always making it about race?
Do you hear me bitching about how the Philly Black Mafia won't accept whites?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:45PM
Hey, I am not only white, but a legacy of a campus fraternity there, I am certainly eligible for the club - I just don't even want in.
Still, a lot of people do want in and it's sad to see how you first have to be black and female to have a decent chance of getting hired, but then somehow if you pass that barrier you have to be white and male to get tenure.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday July 02 2024, @07:28PM (3 children)
Some members have marched with banners that say: Klansmen are looking for Black Gay Jews
Such a banner, indicating their desire to find such people who are different from themselves, would seem to indicate their friendly intentions. Maybe things have changed.
They tried to strike down Murphy's Law as unconstitutional, but then something went wrong in the process.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @08:28PM (2 children)
Oh, things have changed. It has been nearly 100 years since they last castrated a man for being a Catholic priest by stomping his testes until they were hamburger. That particular unfortunate event was never resolved, never investigated... some suspect that the Mayor and Sheriff being high up in the KKK and white hoods having been witnessed at the scene is somehow connected to the lack of police interest in bringing the nut-stompers to justice.
Shortly after we moved into town in 2006, a bunch of brave young men snuck out on silent bicycles in the middle of a moonless night and rode through a neighborhood lacking in street lights, painting Asian hate slogans in red paint on houses of Asians in "their" neighborhood. Yep, no flaming crosses for a long time there. Although... they did start getting quite a bit more bold in 2016...
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday July 03 2024, @01:36PM (1 child)
I hope my post was sarcastic enough to register on your sarcasm detector.
Your post confirms that the KKK are as bad or worse than I even suspected. People fueled by hate. Sort of like what we are seeing today out in the open with Nazi and confederate flags.
They tried to strike down Murphy's Law as unconstitutional, but then something went wrong in the process.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday July 03 2024, @01:51PM
What's worse is that current officials in the town have the same last names as the Mayor and Chief of Police from 100 years ago - these guys are in their 70s+, so they were raised by those guys and it shows in how they discharge the duties of their offices, including School Board Chairman...
Not only hate, but a lot of fear. As Yoda says: fear leads to hate, and that is the path to the dark side. They seem to have no interest in or ability to overcome their fears.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Informative) by pdfernhout on Tuesday July 02 2024, @11:28PM
Subtitle: "Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity"
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312253776/biologicalexuberance [macmillan.com]
"Homosexuality in its myriad forms has been scientifically documented in more than 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and other animals worldwide. Biological Exuberance is the first comprehensive account of the subject, bringing together accurate, accessible, and nonsensationalized information. Drawing upon a rich body of zoological research spanning more than two centuries, Bagemihl shows that animals engage in all types of nonreproductive sexual behavior. Sexual and gender expression in the animal world displays exuberant variety, including same-sex courtship, pair-bonding, sex, and co-parenting—even instances of lifelong homosexual bonding in species that do not have lifelong heterosexual bonding."
Seems like the study authors might have missed that book in their literature review?
A key point made in that book is that wildlife biologists for centuries discounted and/or would not report observing such behavior for various reasons.
The biggest challenge of the 21st century: the irony of technologies of abundance used by scarcity-minded people.
(Score: 5, Funny) by pkrasimirov on Tuesday July 02 2024, @10:33AM (5 children)
Do they have parade? What about pride month? Or flag? How many letters do they have in their LGHDTV++?
(Score: 3, Funny) by looorg on Tuesday July 02 2024, @11:26AM (2 children)
Can't they share? Just add an A or something to the already existing alphabet-soup.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @01:28PM (1 child)
There's already an A. I think it stands for asexual. How about D for duck?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:27PM
Do NOT let me catch you around my poultry pen!
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday July 02 2024, @07:31PM
Animals who might engage in homosexual behaviors don't need a pride month, because they are not persecuted, denied housing, denied jobs, beaten up or even killed simply for being different.
Straight people shouldn't want their own straight pride month, they should be glad they don't need one.
They tried to strike down Murphy's Law as unconstitutional, but then something went wrong in the process.
(Score: 4, Informative) by epitaxial on Tuesday July 02 2024, @11:25PM
They don't have to. No one judges them.
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @12:25PM (6 children)
If homosexual activity among animals justifies homosexuality, then we can also justify various sorts of murder. Hey, if people want to behave like animals, just go all the way, right?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @12:52PM (5 children)
People are animals + an unusual dose of shame. I'm sure if we ever grow to understand animal psychology we will find various "behavior shaming" in the social structures of many higher animals, but I doubt it will ever rise to the level of shame and guilt felt by a respected community Rabbi, married since 18 with 10 children, and a closet homo-BSDM habit for 20 years. True story, he finally was outed 20 years after my wife found his shocking browser history.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 5, Funny) by hendrikboom on Tuesday July 02 2024, @01:51PM (1 child)
BSDM? Bull shit dungeon master? Did you mean BDSM?
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:34PM
Not my kink - you're probably right.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @02:05PM (2 children)
You seem to imply that outing him was a morally good thing to do or something of which your wife should be proud?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:31PM (1 child)
You don't seem to be especially literate. Read again, the outing took place 20 years AFTER his wife saw the browsing history. You may apologize anytime.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:37PM
True, the closet habit may have existed long before my wife ever met, much less worked for, him. What we don't know is if it was an on again, off again thing or a fetish he continuously acted on in various ways.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 5, Informative) by Snotnose on Tuesday July 02 2024, @01:11PM (2 children)
I've had dogs that would hump male dogs. And my leg. And the coffee table. And the trash can. etc etc etc.
Of course I'm against DEI. Donald, Eric, and Ivanka.
(Score: 3, Funny) by krishnoid on Tuesday July 02 2024, @06:05PM
It's not their fault, they're just less enlightened [youtube.com] creatures, yet still capable of profound love [smbc-comics.com].
(Score: 3, Interesting) by loonycyborg on Tuesday July 02 2024, @10:37PM
Yes many animals do things like that. It makes me think that sexual orientation isn't a thing. Sexual drive isn't inherently bound to object of particular sex. It's just more likely to go there because of natural selection.But there's no hardcoded rule. If the drive would make them go for things that don't result in reproduction too often then there wouldn't be enough new birth and thus extinction. But if drive were too picky then it would too often falsely reject specimen of opposite sex leading once again to extinction.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by SomeRandomGeek on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:33PM (2 children)
Most animal species have straightforward functional sexuality. Cats are a good example. Their reproductive organs are so small that it can be hard to tell one sex from another. They are sexually active once a year at a time that provides the best environment for newborn young. The rest of the year they are basically asexual.
Humans, on the other hand, are hypersexual. We devote a tremendous amount of energy to sexuality. We are sexually active continually, which counteracts our extremely low fertility to provide an approximately correct number of offspring. We have proportionally huge genitals, which provide no functional benefit.
And we evolved this weirdness in the last 8 million years, since we diverged from gorillas (who are not weird.)
As I understand it, most scientists think that we evolved our weirdness because hypersexuality increases social bonding, which provides survival benefits.
That being the case, I'm really surprised that homosexuality in humans is just like all the other animals. Nothing else about human sexuality is just like all the other animals.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday July 02 2024, @03:51PM
>We devote a tremendous amount of energy to sexuality.
It's part of our leisure culture - like dolphins.
I also believe part of the "advantage" homo sapiens has evolved recently is directly derived from our frailty: need to make clothes and secure homes - since we practiced that for a couple of thousand years now we can also make automobiles, skyscrapers, nuclear weapons, etc. Young are mostly helpless for a period of 3-5 years - drives more protective social (gang) behaviors. Shitty sense of smell, marginal hearing, often defective eyesight: all drivers of technology and social networking.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Thursday July 04 2024, @11:26PM
You can follow that line of logic to why human societies frown on homosexuality. Because sex takes up so much energy, it's counterproductive and socially detrimental to have too much unproductive homosexuality, especially during most of history where human life (labor) was in demand.
You can generally see rises in (and acceptance of) homosexuality, as well as many classical vices, whenever societies are too successful and have excess resources (e.g., Roman empire, contemporary first world countries).
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 02 2024, @04:58PM
It's in the name: the genus homo is sexual, therefore it must be homosexual. All those other animals are just copycats.