There are many instances where scientists have observed and documented homosexuality in the animal kingdom, in which humans are also classified. Sometimes homosexuality is observed without scientists interacting with the animals or altering the animal’s environment or brain in anyway shape or form. In other cases, scientists have altered the brain or the environment of animals and as a result of that change homosexuality can be observed.
Three examples out of hundreds of examples in the observation category include the domesticated dog, Layson albatross, and the Golden Monkey. Though nearly every animal displays homosexual behavior the reasons for homosexuality to occur from animal to animal may be completely different. Most the time it is actually for a beneficial purpose. Of course there is assumed to be a beneficial purpose for human homosexual behavior it is difficult to get this message across. Therefore it is often that we look to animals to apply their reasoning to perhaps discover some of our own human behavior.
The domesticated dog is not that difficult of an example to explain simply because many people have already witnessed a male dog try to mount another male dog. It is not uncommon for humans to intervene in these situations where male dog humps male dog by kicking the dog, yelling at the dog, or in some way or another scolding the dog for doing things doggy style. The greatest examples of this usually are when a large dog, say a male St. Bernard mounts a male Dachshund. The reasons may include confusion of sex. Usually males tend to be larger than female dogs. When a large breed interacts with a smaller breed they get sexually confused. Other reasons may include just a natural sexual drive.
More significant than dogs is the Orange Monkey found in China. Male monkeys that are rejected from “normal” monkey society bond together in a homosexual clan to relive the psychological drive for humping (People Daily). Basically the drive for sex is so intense that when younger monkeys, inadequate monkeys, and weaker monkeys get kicked out of the regular heterosexual circle, they ban together to have homosexual relations. This is actually a good thing because it keeps a social circle which we know for both humans and monkeys is extremely important for psychological health. Homosexuality is a necessity for these monkeys.
Different than the typical male to male bondage that the media likes to usually display in the animal kingdom with monkeys and the many other species are the Laysan albatrosses. They are lesbian birds who nest together and raise young together when there is a low male population. One third of the Laysan population in Hawaii behaves queerly. The reason is again simply a shortage of one sex or another. The bondage is out of lack of the opposite sex. Interestingly enough they have low divorce rates (Ny Daily News).
The above examples are all natural that don’t involve scientific interference with the animals environment or biological make up. Animal examples that include scientific interference which is more probably known as scientific study include male Ibises, female mice, and the male fruit fly.
Male Ibises are water birds who are found in Florida. Researchers were interested in studying why the population declined over a period of time in the Ibises population. What they discovered was that mercury affects the hormones of the males causing them to mate and pair with other male Ibises (Cosmic Log). Basically the hormones are changed in such a way that males and males have a much higher rate of paring up. When the pollution was high and the population low more homosexual behavior was occurring. The important piece in this study is the involvement of hormones. This is because it hints towards more of a biological disposition for homosexuality in humans.
More interesting is the female mice studies where researchers deleted a gene, ironically called in scientific short hand the FucM gene. The deletion of this gene cause female mice to behave in a way that male mice normally would. (Science Blogs) Of course this only involves one gene where humans are more likely to have a myriad of genes working together to cause homosexuality. The key here is that yes mice can be homosexual when altering one gene. This also is a good argument for the biological standpoint of what causes homosexuality.
Lastly are the gay fruit flies. In summary they were able to turn the sexuality of the fruit fly on and off by tampering with its synapse strength (Fox News). Though Fox News tries to argue that in fruit flies homosexuality isn’t hardwired but is something that can be easily altered. Fox News writer Robert Britt doesn’t take into consideration the process of alteration they went through and used the interview to insinuate that human sexuality can be magically turned on and off. Doing this as we know now is a dangerous and painful process.
Yes, there are countless examples of animals being homosexuals. Yes, animals can be homosexual. The reasons for homosexuality in the animal kingdom vary just as much as the animal kingdom varies in its biodiversity. There are millions of animals out there in the world and some of them have gay sex just like humans. Humans are animals and there is reasoning and cause behind homosexuality in humans as well. We are still working to discover and unravel these fascinating mysteries.
