Homosexual behaviour widespread in animals according to new study

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
This is a sad day for ATS, no wonder gay kids find it so hard to come out with the utter bigitory being displayed in this thread. The only thing i can take is that those comparing beastiality and peadophilia is that half of you have never met or been in the company of homosexuals. I have never met a homosexual who is any way deviant, just normal people who can sleep with who the hell they like.
anyway, i'm not gonna debate on this subject anymore, just making me angry and a little ashamed of what i thought was an open minded site

See this is the kind of thinking that makes me a tad peeved. Nobody said that homosexuals were into beastiality or pedophillia. It was just stated that it there are other groups of people with different sexual preferences that are outside the norm that will one day demand their "rights" as well.

Furthermore, we know that most monkeys have a common practice of throwing poop. It is natural, so do we give whatever guy has a mental illness or a fetish for throwing poop the right or special status?

[edit on 17-6-2009 by grapesofraft]

Originally posted by OKCBtard



Also I have always thought that homosexuality was just a sexual preference just like pedophilia and bestiality. Of course homosexuality is FAR more accepted than the other two.....just give it time

Almost like a sexual perversion turned into a life style.

[edit on 17-6-2009 by OKCBtard]

come again grapes of raft.....?

Originally posted by grapesofraft

I just get sick of people trying to force their idea about what is acceptable on me.

arnt you doing exactly that?

Originally posted by corvin77

Originally posted by OKCBtard



Also I have always thought that homosexuality was just a sexual preference just like pedophilia and bestiality. Of course homosexuality is FAR more accepted than the other two.....just give it time

Almost like a sexual perversion turned into a life style.

[edit on 17-6-2009 by OKCBtard]

come again grapes of raft.....?

Do you have something that you want to say about my post?

reply to post by corvin77

Originally posted by OKCBtard

Also I have always thought that homosexuality was just a sexual preference just like pedophilia and bestiality. Of course homosexuality is FAR more accepted than the other two.....just give it time

You actually backed up my point that it was comparing different sexual practices that are outside the norm. He states " have always thought that homosexuality was just a sexual preference just like pedophilia and bestiality."

I am not forcing my opinion on anybody. I am just stating it. You do not have to accept it. I never said you hate all straight people because you do not agree with me, did I?

Stating my opinon is totally different than an organized group of people tryng to turn any negative comment about homosexuality into a hate crime.

Just look at the Miss America or Universe pagent, where an organized group of people try to turn a woman into a bigot just because she disagrees with homosexual marriage.

She stated her opinion, but then they try to turn it into some huge deal, like she is evil for feeling that way. Now who is wrong in that scenario?

[edit on 17-6-2009 by grapesofraft]

Originally posted by grapesofraft
Just look at the Miss America or Universe pagent, where an organized group of people try to turn a woman into a bigot just because she disagrees with homosexual marriage.

She stated her opinion, but then they try to turn it into some huge deal, like she is evil for feeling that way. Now who is wrong in that scenario?

[edit on 17-6-2009 by grapesofraft]

Off topic but: She did much more than that. If it was only that, she would have kept the position.

She had half naked photos done of her. Which she lied about.

She also refused to do much of her "duties" as princess.

reply to post by Nutter


I never brought up that she was fired from her duties because of her comments. I really do not know why she was fired. Maybe they had good reason to fire her.

My point was that 5 minutes after she said it, people were acting like she killed Jesus because she stated her opinion. Since it did not agree with their view they flipped out and started crying and calling her names, etc...
JUST FOR STATING HER OPINION WHEN SHE WAS ASKED A DIRECT QUESTION!

[edit on 17-6-2009 by grapesofraft]

reply to post by Deaf Alien

Originally posted by Deaf Alien

I will not cite examples of similar human behaviors.

Why do you, and other, feel the need to include all other animal behaviors?

What gives anyone the right to pick and choose which animal behaviors are acceptable and which aren’t. If someone can use homosexuality in animals to justify homosexuality in humans, who is to say what other animal behavirs we can use to justify our actions. Besides, homosexuality does not exist in the animal kingdom. By definition homosexuality refers to humans only. Animals may exhibit same gender behavior but it is not justification for human behavior.

Human homosexuality is natural.

I don’t know whether it is natural or not. I know that it occurs naturally. Natural is a part of a bell curve. It means it falls in the average.

No one is trying to justify human homosexuality by showing that homosexuality exist in animals.

Then why do these threads pop up every time some scientist observes same sex behavior in the animal world? Someone is try to justify homosexuality. Why does it have to be justified at all? Why can’t we just mind our own business and let people (who are not accountable to us, by the way) live their lives the way they seem fit. Whose laws are they breaking that they feel the need to justify anything?

No one is "dropping a load" in your lawn. No one is sniffing each others' butts. So why are you and others mentioning different animal behaviors. I do not understand?

That is because most people hold themselves above the animal kingdom. Animals have no need for laws or morals. Humans do. So why do some feel the need to justify homosexuality by comparing animal behavior to human behavior?

This is an old variant of "if you allow homosexuality, it will progress to cannibalism, marrying more than one wife, marrying a dog, etc etc"

No, this is the old “why do you feel it is necessary to justify anything if you are ok with it?”

reply to post by woodwardjnr



not really i think your taking it out of context. as a species we are supouse to pro create. in fact means we are attracted to the oppisate sex threw nature. honestly it's not wrong to be gay, i'm friends with some. and i tell them my views on it and to be honest. they just kinda give you that look like why are you saying what everyone no's an won't say. it's is agaist everything nature stands for. and i'm sure if animals new anybetter and didn't let they're sexuale instict's take over and screw what ever's around. they don't care what or who it is as long as they get off. now is that the way we can look at all homosexuales aswell. cause i'm sure that'll just start a HUGE uproar. but hey. just saying what no one else will

Since i can remember i have seen animals with this behavior. Maybe because i grew up in Africa? By saying "a new study has shown" is just a way to promote homosexuality these days, to try and convince the anti gay crowds that homosexuality is normal.

Now i really do not care to what every person chooses their sexual preference to be or if they were born like that. Everyone have a right to choose and i won't judge their choice, but using these "new studies" excuse is just whack. Seriously, has no one ever seen dogs, cats or other animals sniffing up the same tree? I don't believe that, so this is no new study but old news being used today to soften the hardcore anti gay person.

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

Originally posted by qonone
Since i can remember i have seen animals with this behavior. Maybe because i grew up in Africa? By saying "a new study has shown" is just a way to promote homosexuality these days, to try and convince the anti gay crowds that homosexuality is normal.

Now i really do not care to what every person chooses their sexual preference to be or if they were born like that & everyone have the right to choose and i won't judge their choice, but using these "new studies" excuse is just whack. Seriously, have no one ever seen dogs, cats or other animals sniffing up the same tree? I don't believe that, so this is no new study but old news being used today to soften the hardcore anti gay person.

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

If you grew up i nAfrica, you are well aware that animals enter a "breeding season" or "ruff" or whatever it is called and during that period they will hump any object that seems to be about the right height to them. I saw a moose humping a big trash can the other day. They can't help themselves, why do people want to compare themselves to animals in this way? That only accelerates the notion that homosexuality is all about the sex, not the love.

reply to post by grapesofraft


I understand completely. Bigotry is bigotry. No matter what "side" you are on.

reply to post by Nutter


Thanks for understanding. Like I said, I am not against homosexuals. People are free to choose whatever they want in bed or as a partner.

What I am against, is that we cannot even discuss the issues like gay marriage or gay hate crimes, without the other side trying to make us out as a bunch of hate mongers for disagreeing with their view point.

I'll just say this because I don't want to be drawn into the miasma.

Be careful how loud you speak out against homosexuality and be careful of who you say it to. Homosexuals make up at least 10% of the population, that means that if you know say, even 30 people, then you know a few gay people whether they're out about it or not.

How hard do you think it is to be your friend when you're constantly spewing self righteous crap about something you don't understand, something which has to be constantly hidden on a daily basis by many people. There are people who CAN NOT live a truthful and fulfilling life simply because those with little understanding have the biggest mouths.

reply to post by Shadowflux


We are allowed to voice our opinions in this country last time I checked. I do not expect anyone to agree with every choice I have ever made in my life, and I am big enough to let the people who disagree state their side.

If people choose to remain in the closet it is their choice. I am not going to feel bad or having an opinion on the matter.

The thing is that most people wouldnt even concern themselves with homosexuality if it was not for the fact that certain homosexual groups keep ranting and raving about it.

[edit on 17-6-2009 by grapesofraft]

Originally posted by Shadowflux

How hard do you think it is to be your friend when you're constantly spewing self righteous crap about something you don't understand, something which has to be constantly hidden on a daily basis by many people. There are people who CAN NOT live a truthful and fulfilling life simply because those with little understanding have the biggest mouths.

Sometimes, I dont even believe homosexuals have a full understanding of it. Kinda why we have to pull out a "NEW" study that says,"Oh look! Some RARE cases were animals are having same sex relations! NATURAL". No one currently knows why it is. I will stand by my sexual perversion explanation.

if 10% of the population is gay. i'd say about 10% of adults are pervert's too. oh wait i can't say that because no one will ever admit to that. we live in a perfect society i forgot. people get mad when there truth come's out. man we live in such a disgusting socetiy anyone that say's different is in denial just like how 90% of gay's are in denial about why they're gay. how many people are going to tell me why they like the same sex. i like female's cause they're beautiful, sleek usually have beautiful skin. nice curves. i even look at some femals and don't know how they're attracted to guys. how many guys here can honestly tell my why there gay. because you get arroused by men. cool. why? because you were born that way? cool if you were born liking men why don't you have female hormones. and don't tell me you talk gay just because. you talk gay so people know your gay. i know gay's that you wouldn't tell and they are ballin in my books. but most have to prove they're gay have to show it. have to be with there partner in public. that's disgusting. period. men are gross to look at. no one need's to know what you do behind close doors. women well it's still not right but atleast your beautiful. oh and by the way your flamming and need help if you try to be as beautiful as a women. your a man for crying out loud. you have a penis not a vagina. you don't have holes that things are SUPOUSE TO GO INTO. i'm sorry but honestly. Gay's feel every word you say about them is to put them down. mostly it's just straight people trying to understand how you can do that to your self. cause it's disgusting.

Gay activities in animals are related to their sensing of hormones, like pheromones. Since we apparently don't have any, I don't think there is an argument here.

Gay behavior has it's consequences, just like fornication or any other risky activity. If the gay behavior has multiple partners, expect diseases. It's a risk many are willing to take, and many of those are now dead from HIV to AIDS.

Christians are often the brunt of the argument, when in reality the argument goes to the Bible guidelines on homosexuality, which is originally Hebrew (Jewish). I find it ironic that the brunt of the argument is not directed at the authors of the book. However, that being said, you will find the discussion of homosexual behavior in Leviticus and in Romans are typically based on keeping a healthy population. For example, in the same guidelines, Leviticus 18:22 is translated: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." Next verse regards lying with beasts. The verse just before it forbids putting live children on the red hot arms of an idol and rolling them down into a burning oven.

Basically, God is saying these are not nice things to do, and they have a bad effect on your citizenry. When we look at the New Testament guidelines, we see similar information. In Romans 1:24-27 it becomes obvious that the act results in "receiving in themselves that recompense (reward) of their error which was meet (justified)." Could that be disease, psychological damage, or whatever? Wouldn't it make sense that God would want His people to be happy and healthy, and encourage (forbid) them from doing things that they were unaware would have long-term negative consequences? If you were driving down the highway of life, and a sign said Detour, Bridge Out Ahead, would you say "They're overreacting" or "They just don't want my car on their highway because they're autophobic" or some other argument?

Luckily, we all have the free will to decide to follow good advice or ignore it.

reply to post by Bombeni


True but growing up in Africa does not mean i see this everyday. I was being sarcastic

I grew up in the city where we have normal house pets and i have seen many male dogs handing out some loving to the same sex. Honestly i have not seen many if any female doggies get down. Many years ago (on tv) i watched the remarkable story about 2 dolphin females who also raised a little one together and never having a male partner again in their lives. I have seen female lions doing this as well, quite frequently. I have seen monkeys doing this new study many years ago.

I have always known that there are animals behaving like this and it is not a new study but just something they want to throw out as if it is new issue. If animals do then it is cute. I have never banged on gay people, never ever in any way i have done gay friends or people wrong but this is being thumped down our throats.

I am extremely open minded but i don't go around throwing my straight dog in my gay friends faces and tell them ..SEE THIS IS NATURE! ALL IS STRAIGHT! That would be wrong.

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

Excuse my spelling!

[edit on 6/17/2009 by qonone]

heres the most recent article i could find on the issue, from my favorite source!

Same-sex Behavior Seen In Nearly All Animals, Review Finds
enlarge

A female-female pair of Laysan Albatross. Females cooperatively build nests and rear young when males are scarce. (Credit: Eric VanderWerf)

ScienceDaily (June 17, 2009) — Same-sex behavior is a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom, common across species, from worms to frogs to birds, concludes a new review of existing research.

"It's clear that same-sex sexual behavior extends far beyond the well-known examples that dominate both the scientific and popular literature: for example, bonobos, dolphins, penguins and fruit flies," said Nathan Bailey, the first author of the review paper and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology at UC Riverside.

There is a caveat, however. The review also reports that same-sex behaviors are not the same across species, and that researchers may be calling qualitatively different phenomena by the same name.

"For example, male fruit flies may court other males because they are lacking a gene that enables them to discriminate between the sexes," Bailey said. "But that is very different from male bottlenose dolphins, who engage in same-sex interactions to facilitate group bonding, or female Laysan Albatross that can remain pair-bonded for life and cooperatively rear young."

Published June 16 in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution, the review by Bailey and Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology at UCR, also finds that although many studies are performed in the context of understanding the evolutionary origins of same-sex sexual behavior, almost none have considered its evolutionary consequences.

"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," Bailey said. "But our review of studies also suggests that these same-sex behaviors might act as selective forces in and of themselves."

A selective force, which is a sudden or gradual stress placed on a population, affects the reproductive success of individuals in the population.

"When we think of selective forces, we tend to think of things like weather, temperature, or geographic features, but we can think of the social circumstances in a population of animals as a selective force, too," Bailey said. "Same-sex behavior radically changes those social circumstances, for example, by removing some individuals from the pool of animals available for mating."

Bailey, who works in Zuk's lab, noted that researchers in the field have made significant strides in the past two and a half decades studying the genetic and neural mechanisms that produce same-sex behaviors in individuals, and the ultimate reasons for their existence in populations.

"But 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," he said. "For example, male-male copulations in locusts can be costly for the mounted male, and this cost may in turn increase selection pressure for males' tendency to release a chemical called panacetylnitrile, which dissuades other males from mounting them."

The review paper:

Examines work done to test hypotheses about the origins of same-sex behavior in animals.

Provides a framework for categorizing same-sex behavior, for example, is it adaptive, not adaptive, occurs often, infrequently?

Discusses what has been discovered about the genetics of same-sex behavior, especially in the model organism, the fruit fly Drosophila, and in human beings.

Examines connections between human sexual orientation research, and research on non-human animals, and highlights promising avenues of research in non-human systems.

The reviewers expected the research papers they read for their article would give them a better understanding of the degree to which same-sex behaviors are heritable in animals.

"How important are genes to the expression of these behaviors, compared to environmental factors?" Bailey said. "This is still unknown. Knowing this information would help us better understand how the behaviors evolve, and how they affect the evolution of other traits. It could also help us understand whether they are something that all individuals of a species are capable of, but only some actually express."

Bailey recommends that fellow evolutionary biologists studying same-sex behavior in animals adopt some of the research approaches that have been successful in human studies.

"We have estimates, for example, of the heritability of sexual orientation in humans, but none that I know of in other animals," he said. "Scientists have also targeted locations on the human genome that may contribute to sexual orientation, but aside from the fruit fly, we have no such detailed knowledge of the genetic architecture of same-sex behavior in other animals."

Next in their research, Bailey and Zuk plan to begin experimentally addressing some of the many issues raised in their review.

Said Bailey, "We want to get at this question: what are the evolutionary consequences of these behaviors? Are they important in the evolution of mating behavior, or do they just add extra 'background noise'? We are pursuing work on the Laysan Albatross, in which females form same-sex pairs and rear young together. Same-sex behavior in this species may not be aberrant, but instead can arise as an alternative reproductive strategy."

The UCR Academic Senate funded the one-year study.

Journal reference:

1. Bailey et al. Same-sex sexual behavior and evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, June 16, 2009

Adapted from materials provided by University of California - Riverside.
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It is common for animals to kill and eat each other. So should we change the law to allow humans the right to murder and cannibalism based on the fact that it is natural?