Almost every species on earth

[moot]

is a raging (BAN ME PLEASE).

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

According to a recent study, almost every kind of animal on Earth engages in homosexual behavior whether intentional or natural. Lead scientist on the study, Nathan Bailey, says the list includes, among others, dolphins, penguins, frogs and birds.
"It's clear that same-sex sexual behavior extends far beyond the well-known examples that dominate both the scientific and popular literature," said Bailey, a postdoctoral researcher of biology at University of California, Riverside.
The study was published in today's edition of the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution.
In some cases the animals are not aware that they are engaging in same-sex tendencies. One example are male fruit flies. According to the study, males in some cases will unintentionally cater to other male flies because they lack a gene which allows them to determine the sexes of other fruit flies. Bottle nose dolphins have also been known to sometimes engage in homosexual behavior as a way to socially bond with other dolphins.
Bailey states that such actions will have an effect on evolution, but that science is only just beginning to research what the effects might be. Bailey also said that natural selection could be playing a role in what animals engage in homosexual behavior.
"Like any other behavior that doesn't lead directly to reproduction — such as aggression or altruism — same-sex behavior can have evolutionary consequences that are just now beginning to be considered," Bailey said.
He added that "same-sex behaviors — courtship, mounting or parenting — are traits that may have been shaped by natural selection, a basic mechanism of evolution that occurs over successive generations."
Scientists included in the study research on the origins of homosexual behavior in animals, examining whether the behavior is adaptive in an animal's environment, and whether it happens often.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Study_says_nearly_every_species_of_animal_engages_in_homosexual_behavior

clearly, a very interesting study; i really want to see what you guys think, and spark a little bit of a debate. because clearly this is going to cause some ripples. if it hasn't already.

 

[Firestorm]

God is testing them.

 

[robalo]

Isn't there a story about how two male penguins in a zoo are supposedly homsexual? That fits in right along with this.

 

[jrrrrrrr]

Even though this certainly is interesting, it doesn't really change much. Anybody who has had their eyes open in the last 50 years could tell you that homosexuality is an entirely natural disposition (natural as in, it occurs in nature with no outside forces, influences or choices driving it)

There is so much about our own brain that we know nothing about, hopefully this can help isolate the structures and reactions that cause people to "swing" one way or another. Even though I am personally content, it really would be interesting to find out exactly why people are the way they are.

 

[moot]

Even though this certainly is interesting, it doesn't really change much. Anybody who has had their eyes open in the last 50 years could tell you that homosexuality is an entirely natural disposition (natural as in, it occurs in nature with no outside forces, influences or choices driving it)

There is so much about our own brain that we know nothing about, hopefully this can help isolate the structures and reactions that cause people to "swing" one way or another. Even though I am personally content, it really would be interesting to find out exactly why people are the way they are.

to be honest this was the first time i've heard about it; i've only gone to extremely conservative schools and the only time that homosexuality in nature was even slightly referenced was during "odd circumstances" like certain species of frogs or whatnot. i had no idea that this occurred on such a wide scale. hence my interest.

 

[Deck Knight]

Horny lower animals are horny.

This is a breakthrough? Anyone who has ever owned a male dog knows this.

 

[Force Majeure]

Horny lower animals are horny.

This is a breakthrough? Anyone who has ever owned a male dog knows this.

I think horny everyone is horny, by some type of reflexive horniness property.

Geeze, my female dog humps the crap out of everything, and she's been fixed.

 

[Vhind]

Maybe now conservative Christians will get off homosexuals' asses about being gay.

lol.
XP

 

[Morm]

Horny lower animals are horny.

Lower animals? Teleosts alone have a richer and more diverse lineage than you. Just because they are less derived you have to be hating. I love how you write off the documentation of homosexuality being completely natural in a cosmopolitan way as "well they are just lower animals". That is SO typical for people with a vendetta, instead of looking at things how they are.

This is a breakthrough? Anyone who has ever owned a male dog knows this

Your original criteria is "why doesn't homosexuality happen in nature"? When provided with examples, you say "well those are exceptions". Well, DK, where are your exceptions now? You write off everything, including dogs (?) as lower animals (btw, ALL mammals are considered higher when using that terminology) and therefore aren't worthy of consideration?

I think you have just moved the goalposts out of the field and into the stands, deck.

 

[Deck Knight]

Lower animals? Teleosts alone have a richer and more diverse lineage than you. Just because they are less derived you have to be hating. I love how you write off the documentation of homosexuality being completely natural in a cosmopolitan way as "well they are just lower animals". That is SO typical for people with a vendetta, instead of looking at things how they are.

As a human being I have both dominion over and stewardship of them. "Lower" is indeed accurate. They are not even capable of pondering their status in relation to other creatures, thus your defense of creatures who can neither comprehend or appreciate it, while laudable in a metaphysical sense, is pointless. Your entire field of work is devoted to studying creatures incapable of studying you with the same level of explicit motivation with directed purpose. You are superior.

I will greatly appreciate the irony if you accuse me of specieism.

Your original criteria is "why doesn't homosexuality happen in nature"? When provided with examples, you say "well those are exceptions". Well, DK, where are your exceptions now? You write off everything, including dogs (?) as lower animals (btw, ALL mammals are considered higher when using that terminology) and therefore aren't worthy of consideration?

I think you have just moved the goalposts out of the field and into the stands, deck.

Don't put words in my mouth. Nice strawman you knocked down their morm, why did you go and make Dorothy cry? Will you next rend the tin man's heart, or swipe the lion's courage?

I'd like to think human beings have evolved a little further than defending what is ultimately a dangerous social activity akin to smoking a pack a day in aggregate life expectancy loss. But scientific inquiry over the specifics of homosexual activity is a realm that does not conform to identity politics and is thus ignored in favor of psuedo-scientific justifications like "it's natural!" Homosexuality is a negative activity in human beings, and a reproductively pointless one in wild beasts.

I know of no informed person who argues that homosexuality does not exist "in nature." The touting of gay penguin stories every couple of years is anecdotal evidence enough. Or again, watching any given group of canines for a long enough time.

Far from dismissing homosexuality and its attendant behavior, I note its dangers. I treat it as I treat any elective negative activity: inform people not to engage in it, and attack attempts to normalize it. In other words Morm, I do exactly what you say I do not do: Look at things as they are.

 

[Vhind]

I treat it as I treat any elective negative activity: inform people not to engage in it, and attack attempts to normalize it.

Actually, I agree with much of what you're saying except for the above. ^^
Homosexuality is viewed negatively in our society but I don't agree with discouraging people from the act. True, it does not perpetuate the species, but in this day and age of overpopulation, who the hell cares? Homosexuals are, in the long run, doing the world a favor.
Now, I'm not in any way condoning such behavior, but I will not condemn it.


@Porky
lolz.

 

[Morm]

DK:

You don't have dominion over fuck all. Don't be so ignorant and arrogant. I'd love for you, without standing on the shoulders of giants, to express your OWN "dominion" over that Jaguar that would dispatch you before you even see it. By that I mean, invent your own fucking gun/jeep/whatever from scratch, then you have dominion.

I'd like to think human beings have evolved a little further than defending what is ultimately a dangerous social activity akin to smoking a pack a day in aggregate life expectancy loss.

Speaking of strawmen...what exactly does smoking a pack a day have to do with nature and a debate over what is natural? What precisely are you talking about with identity politics? This is a discussion about nature and what is natural, not politics.

The touting of gay penguin stories every couple of years is anecdotal evidence enough. Or again, watching any given group of canines for a long enough time.

I'd like to know what ground you think you are gaining by calling it anecdotal; it's a direct demonstration of homosexuality in nature and as such, homosexuality must be a natural behaviour. Unless you're willing to say that every single organism, pygmy chimps included, are lower beings. In this case though, the entire arguement of homosexuality being natural is moot to you (no pun I swear) and you have zero business in this thread anyways, because you become above nature at that point.

Far from dismissing homosexuality and its attendant behavior, I note its dangers. I treat it as I treat any elective negative activity: inform people not to engage in it, and attack attempts to normalize it. In other words Morm, I do exactly what you say I do not do: Look at things as they are.

The person engaging in the act of homosexuality has lots to gain- a pleasurable experience for them, which is pretty much the basis for any guy of your age even talking to a woman, unless your aim is to mate once, procreate once and call it a day. Do you plan on having or have you engaged in sex without procreation? I don't think I have to tell you you're a liar if you say you only plan to have sex for procreation.

What is wrong with 'normalizing' a behaviour that is already normal within nature?

 

[Duckster]

I usually don't post in these threads, but:

I'd like to think human beings have evolved a little further than defending what is ultimately a dangerous social activity akin to smoking a pack a day in aggregate life expectancy loss.

What's your opinion on homosexuals who partake in protected sex or ones who stick to one partner, then?

I don't really see the danger there. I thought the danger of contracting HIV/AIDS was a result of unprotected sex, not homosexuality.

 

[jrrrrrrr]

I'd like to think human beings have evolved a little further than defending what is ultimately a dangerous social activity akin to smoking a pack a day in aggregate life expectancy loss. But scientific inquiry over the specifics of homosexual activity is a realm that does not conform to identity politics and is thus ignored in favor of psuedo-scientific justifications like "it's natural!" Homosexuality is a negative activity in human beings, and a reproductively pointless one in wild beasts.

Being gay gives you AIDS? Since when? Am I missing something here?...because every test I've ever taken has come back negative.

I honestly can't believe that you would complain about pseudoscience and then post a link trying to say that being gay is as dangerous as smoking a pack a day. Give me a break.

It's pretty funny that homophobes so often use "it's not natural!" as a defense but you are so quick to dismiss "it IS natural" as an argument....

Far from dismissing homosexuality and its attendant behavior, I note its dangers. I treat it as I treat any elective negative activity: inform people not to engage in it, and attack attempts to normalize it. In other words Morm, I do exactly what you say I do not do: Look at things as they are.

Being gay isn't dangerous, having unprotected sex is dangerous.

I find it extremely hard to believe that you are looking out for people when you call homosexuals a cancer to society, but thanks for the concern. Maybe instead of attacking attempts to normalize a naturally occurring disposition towards a gender (a disposition that does not affect your life in any way, mind you), you could try something useful and advocate safe sex? Or better yet, what do you feel about lesbians, who have a drastically lower STD rate than heterosexuals?

 

[Sand Man]

actually sexuality in the human sense is nonexistent in nature except for a few monkeys and dolphins so this is all irrelevant, particularly because we dont want to go encouraging naturalistic fallacies

 

[Kenshin]

Deck knights probably like most homophobic men, "Gay men scare me!" but they love to see girl on girl.

Though when i first entered this thread i believed it was about animals occasionally partaking in homosexual activity, not why gay humans are disgusting or why humans are better than animals?

 

[Deck Knight]

Deck knights probably like most homophobic men, "Gay men scare me!" but they love to see girl on girl.

You're probably like most public schoolchildren: You know that homophobes are evil and white Christian men have razed the earth, but you can't make change for a dollar or end a statement with a period instead of a question mark.

Homosexuality of all stripes is a boring exercise in narcissism. "Why no, I don't think I've seen enough of the body parts I own. Why get out of my comfort zone?" I don't fear gay men, but like most ignorant children you are taught that opposition to homosexuality is irrational in and of itself and only the result of fear.

Now be a good liitle boy. You are very, very special and everyone loves you.

Though when i first entered this thread i believed it was about animals occasionally partaking in homosexual activity, not why gay humans are disgusting or why humans are better than animals?

Animals occasionally partake in homosexuality. They also occasionally eat things hazardous to their health, wander into a predator's territory, or get their heads stuck in those plastic 6-pack debris.

Every one of these threads goes like this:

1. OP about homosexuality.
2. Anti-Christian/Anti-Catholic bigotry is expressed without a single thought.
3. I post stating factual information about homosexuality as a whole.
4. I get called a bigot, am told I have an irrational fear of gays, and then they get all upset when I don't give them any respect.

I find it extremely hard to believe that you are looking out for people when you call homosexuals a cancer to society, but thanks for the concern. Maybe instead of attacking attempts to normalize a naturally occurring disposition towards a gender (a disposition that does not affect your life in any way, mind you), you could try something useful and advocate safe sex? Or better yet, what do you feel about lesbians, who have a drastically lower STD rate than heterosexuals?

Some people are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. Is alcoholism no longer bad now? Are we to give up campaigns against drinking away your life because its a genetic predisposition too?

@morm: I stand on the shoulders of giants, yes.

Jaguars are incapable of utilizing the findings of their ancestors. Humans can do this and in fact do it so well they successively improve on them. Rid the jaguar of its killer instinct, teeth, and claws, and it's little more than a oversized house cat. Intelligence and learning from our entire species' history is humanity's greatest weapon. Since we dominate the world, clearly it has served us better than tooth and claw.

 

[ungulateman]

The problem with what you said is that the "factual information" on homosexuality is biased and narrow.

Also, Jaguars do utilise the findings of their ancestors - it's called evolution.

 

[jrrrrrrr]

Homosexuality of all stripes is a boring exercise in narcissism. "Why no, I don't think I've seen enough of the body parts I own. Why get out of my comfort zone?"

What? You clearly have no understanding of what you are talking about. I'm interested in having sex with men that aren't me, it has nothing to do with narcissism lol.

I don't fear gay men, but like most ignorant children you are taught that opposition to homosexuality is irrational in and of itself and only the result of fear.

Everybody step right up and listen to Deck Knight preaching about ignorance.

Animals occasionally partake in homosexuality. They also occasionally eat things hazardous to their health, wander into a predator's territory, or get their heads stuck in those plastic 6-pack debris.

Humans occasionally partake in homosexuality. They also occasionally eat things hazardous to their health, wander into a predator's territory, or get their heads stuck in those plastic bags.

Every one of these threads goes like this:

1. OP about homosexuality.
2. Anti-Christian/Anti-Catholic bigotry is expressed without a single thought.
3. I post stating factual information about homosexuality as a whole.
4. I get called a bigot, am told I have an irrational fear of gays, and then they get all upset when I don't give them any respect.

No, every one of these threads goes like this:

1. OP or someone in thread mentions homosexuality
2. People talk about the subject at hand
3. You post information, draw false conclusions from it, and then use those false conclusions to demonize homosexuals for no reason (for example, in this thread you linked to a study and said that homosexuality is dangerous because some gay men have AIDS, instead of identifying the actual cause of AIDS: unsafe sex)
4. You are called a bigot after showing an irrational hatred and fear of homosexuals

Some people are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. Is alcoholism no longer bad now? Are we to give up campaigns against drinking away your life because its a genetic predisposition too?

Alcoholism has inherently bad effects and is notorious for destroying lives. Homosexuality, on the other hand, has no inherently bad effects (except for the dreaded "last man on a planet full of women" situation, and even then it's not like homosexuality has ever stopped people from breeding) and makes everybody involved much happier, at no cost to anybody. I can't believe that you would make such an asinine comparison between something that is obviously destructive and something that doesn't harm anybody. You seem like you're smarter than this...I wonder what talking to you would be like if you didn't have scripted, easily refutable talking points for these topics =\

The fact that you have to stoop this low to show off how much you hate gays is a good sign. Let's get that hate flowing and out into the public forum, just so everyone can see the real you.

 

[akuchi]

I wonder, DK, if you realise with all your hate speech about how cancerous and harmful gays are to themselves and society that you're actually inflicting pretty severe 'health problems' yourself.

By the way, I'm a bisexual who smokes a pack a day most days a week. Does this mean I'm what, two-thirds more likely to die, or..?

 

[Atlas]

pretty much all this information has been known for years and its also been brought up during every gay debate conceived, so ya...didnt think this thread would have ended up any other way.

 

[X-Act]

I'd like to ask Deck Knight about the fact that we humans will go extinct while the rats and insects you think we are superior to will still be around gnawing through our remains. The actual fact is that rats keep coming back stronger even after dousing them with poison and mouse traps, while insects are still around with no sign of decreasing in number after endlessly using insecticides for decades... so who's winning here?

The only way in which we humans are superior to any other species is the fact that we can do things because we want to do them, not because it's in our instinct. I can decide to fast tomorrow if I wanted, and I do it. Have you ever seen an animal willingly fast? The difference is thus that we have a will to do things, while animals don't.

 

[Pyromanic]

Homosexuality is a negative activity in human beings, and a reproductively pointless one in wild beasts.

I see no reason why the ultimate goal of the human should be to starve itself.

 

[Tangerine]

The only way in which we humans are superior to any other species is the fact that we can do things because we want to do them, not because it's in our instinct. I can decide to fast tomorrow if I wanted, and I do it. Have you ever seen an animal willingly fast? The difference is thus that we have a will to do things, while animals don't.

This precisely. It's in our nature to lie - does that mean we should? Nope. I feel the same way about Homosexuality. It may be in your nature but that doesn't mean you should, nor is it a valid excuse. I put it on the same basket as being a liar.

 

[akuchi]

Why would you need an excuse for having consensual sex with another human being?