Is Homosexuality in Animals "Abnormal" or Common?

[pandaexpress]

In the news recently, Filipino boxing star, Manny Pacquiao, spoke of homosexuality as being a sin and against the Bible. He also added that animals did not display such behavior:

"It’s just common sense. Have you seen any animal having male-to-male or female-to-female relations? Animals are better, they know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve male-on-male, female-on-female, then man is worse than animals."

So, putting aside one's religious views and any underlying animus that may be related to this topic and/or what Manny Pacquiao implied with this words, I'm wondering if homosexuality in the animal world is an abnormality" of sorts?

For example, I have heard that it's very rare and occurs (unsure if this is exclusive or not) in conditions where there is a lack of opposite-sex mates. Presumably, in situations where opposite-sex mates are plentiful, this behavior doesn't exist. Is this right?

1.) How common is homosexuality in animals?
2.) What are the conditions under which homosexuality takes place in the animal kingdom?
3.) Would the best way to describe it be to say that it's an abnormality of some kind or perhaps an environment-driven behavior?

Please note that I am not in any way making any moral judgments of things related to this topic, but merely wanting to understand what the science says about it. Thanks very much and I hope we can have an educational discussion!

 

[DrClaude]

Did you look at Wikipedia? The article is quite detailed with many references to scientific papers.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Men are animals too.

... I'm wondering if homosexuality in the animal world is an abnormality" or sorts?

Beholders of different cultures and of different levels of scientific knowledge perceive or define "commonality" differently. Look at this news report of a half male half female butterfly. It was born to be so.

For example, I have heard that it's very rare and occurs (unsure if this is exclusive or not) in conditions where there is a lack of opposite-sex mates. Presumably, in situations where opposite-sex mates are plentiful, this behavior doesn't exist. Is this right?

I don't have a good resource for this but I don't think so because it is analogous to a false assumption that a gay man can have sex with as many female partners as possible to "cure" his homosexuality. The truth is that there has been no scientific evidence so far that can claim homosexuality is a disease or a type of psychiatric disorder.

1.) How common is homosexuality in animals?

Dr.Claude's Wiki says it all.

2.) What are the conditions under which homosexuality takes place in the animal kingdom?

If people already learned about them, all gays would probably have been "cured" or gayness could be cautioned,
and you wouldn't have made the 3) question.

3.) Would the best way to describe it be to say that it's an abnormality of some kind or perhaps an environment-driven behavior?

Again I would only define it as a variation from what has been more socially accepted and it is not quite an EDB alone, definitely more complex than that.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

No, it is not rare at all in the animal world. Homosexuality is not abnormal for any animal period. There are probably almost as many conditions taking place for a person to be homosexual as heterosexual. The sexual attraction a person may feel for their own gender will still have similar complexities. I would argue that they are more in touch with their sexuality. The number of straight people that are prudish and frigid in their sexuality seems more abnormal to me. There actually people that don't have sex in their marriages for months! How does that happen? Sexual satisfaction is probably far higher between gay couples.

 

[DrClaude]

The sexual attraction a person may feel for their own gender will still have similar complexities. I would argue that they are more in touch with their sexuality. The number of straight people that are prudish and frigid in their sexuality seems more abnormal to me. There actually people that don't have sex in their marriages for months! How does that happen? Sexual satisfaction is probably far higher between gay couples.

I would like this thread to be kept focused on non-human animals and on scientific work, not personal opinions.

Any further comment of this kind will be deleted.

 

[gjonesy]

Some animal homosexual behavior is actually (dominant behavior) dogs for example: male dogs will (mount) other male dogs to establish the pack alpha. This behavior happens in many mammal species that live socially in groups, dolphin, horses, dogs ect. Any animal that lives in a group where multiple males are permitted to remain in the group this behavior could manifest to establish rank. Its not necessarily a sexual preference but a show of power. So it really can't be considered true animal homosexuality.

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-training/dog-behavior/dominant-dog.aspx

 

[DrClaude]

I've removed a couple of posts discussing humans. This thread is about homosexuality in animals only.

Discussions about its relation to humans will not be allowed.

 

[DrClaude]

Thread closed pending moderation.