Me:
>From a Darwinian perspective, it would seem obvious that there
>would be some form of genetically-based inertia channeling people towards
>heterosexuality as these genetic states would tend to predominate in a
>population given they translate as increased fecundity (relative to a
>homosexual
>orientation).
Susan:
>heterosexuality obviously predominates for obvious reasons. A relatively
>high rate of variation is important to evolution, though.
Yes, and homophobia is part of that variation. But it would seem to
that in order to increase variation, we need to increase fecundity, as
this is what generates variation. Thus, this is yet another reason to
suspect strong selective pressure *against* a homosexual orientation.
If homosexuality is basically genetic (and the evidence thus far doesn't
indicate this), it is probably due to mutations that thwart Nature's attempt
to channel males and females into sexual unions. Yet, since many
homosexuals can apparently have sex relations with a member of the
opposite sex (arguing against a strong orientation), such mutant genes
may remain in the population as recessives. Homophobia may then have
evolved in response as a way to check the spread of these genes, which
would ultimately decrease the number of offspring a population would
produce. After all, natural selection probably long ago selected for
tribalistic instincts, thus recruitment of such genetic states to expand
into homophobic expressions would be a rather small change.
Me:
>Suicide rates among homosexual teens are indeed high. But this may be a
>function of natural selection (as has been claimed for rape). The cause
>for that
>suicide is usually a consequence of the peer-interactions that develop
>among children
>and then teens. Every boy can tell you that as a child, and then teen, one
>of the most miserable things that can happen to you is to be labeled a
>"sissy,"
>"fag," or "gay-boy." This is like putting a sign on your back that says
>"kick me"
Susan:
>yes. As adults those former teens do things like make laws that say that
>gays can't marry. It's called cruelty. And, like homosexuality (and some
>fatal genetic diseases) it will probably never be bred out of the human
>race.
Well then, we can hardly blame people for being homophobic. It's
not like they chose to be homophobic. It's just the way nature made
them.
Mike
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Mar 08 2000 - 09:42:58 EST