Animals and human sexuality: is biology the missing link to our future?
By Ali the Sexpert
January 16, 2008
 For hundreds of years, humans have been doing research on animals to learn more about human biology because they are biologically similar. In the past, scientists used to believe humans and a few species willingly engaged in sexual acts for procreation, however new evidence has shown that over 450 different vertebrate species engage in sexual acts with the same sex. This is redefining Darwin’s theory of natural selection and our understanding of human sexuality. Read on to learn more about this fascinating discovery.
Changing Understandings of Animal Sexuality
Sexuality is a very diverse field of study that has been interpreted through biased lenses in the past. Previous research is now being re-examined, and new technology is giving us insights into a new understanding of sexuality that is much more complex and fluid then previously thought. One of these major misunderstandings about sexuality is related to mating patterns and the reasons why animals engage in sexual relations.
According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, only the strongest animals survive over time through competition and changes to the environment. According to this theory, undesirable or inferior species are eventually killed off leaving only the most desirable to survive and continue reproduction. Examples of this in the modern world are animal breeding, and new technology, which has given people the option to abort a fetus if it is found to be abnormal during the early stages of pregnancy. These are all ways that selection of the species occurs. It brings up a plethora of ethical questions, but the point is, that this is the theory of natural selection.
 According to Darwin’s theory, mating is only done for the purpose of reproduction. And if a certain trait did not survive, then it was not intended for reproductive purposes. Darwin also argued that females would choose their mate according to sexual selection of the species (the strongest, most fertile mate would be chosen). This understanding of mating also included the assumption that the animals were monogamous. It is a common myth that animals do not have sex for pleasure, or that humans are the only species that do. Science is uncovering that this may not be true. According to the Animal Ethics Council report, it is probable that animals “mate because they are motivated for the actual copulation, and because this is connected with a positive experience. It is therefore reasonable to assume that there is some form of pleasure or satisfaction connected with the act” (Wikipedia.com).
It was also assumed that animals were primarily heterosexual. New research has found that homosexual behaviour has been found in 1,500 species, and 500 of them have been well documented which includes marine birds and mammals, monkeys, and great apes. Petter Boeckman, the academic advisor of the “Against Nature’s Order?” exhibition at the Norwegian Natural History Museum said that: “no species has been found in which homosexual behaviour has not been shown to exist, with the exception of species that never have sex at all, such as sea urchins and aphis. Moreover, a part of the animal kingdom is hermaphroditic, truly bisexual. For them, homosexuality is not an issue.” Boeckman also says that certain animals are completely homosexual in sexual preference, such as birds like geese and duck. It has also been found that homosexual birds are better at raising the young than heterosexual birds.
New Theories of Animal Sexuality
Darwin’s theory of natural selection is now being challenged. Joan Roughgarden, a professor of biology at Stanford University, has documented and explored animal homosexual behaviour in her book “Evolution’s Rainbow” (2005), and she says that “biology has neglected evidence that mating isn’t only about multiplying. Sometimes, as in the case of all those gay sheep, dolphins and primates, animals have sex just for fun or to cement their social bonds.” According to Roughgarden, homosexuality is “an essential part of biology and (it) can no longer be dismissed.”
 Roughgarden argues that Darwin’s theory cannot be true because if it were abnormal animal species would not exist as they do today – they would all be extinct. It seems that the more socially complex an animal is, the more sexually deviant they are. Roughgarden also argues that same-sex partnering must be an adaptive biological trait or it would also have become extinct through the natural selection process. She states, “Homosexuality is three to four orders of magnitude more common than true genetic diseases such as Huntington’s disease.” According to Roughgarden, homosexuality is a defining characteristic of advanced animal communities, and it is essential that homosexuality exist because it enhances communal bonds and intimacy among species.
Roughgarden also says that common notions of gender should be questioned. She thinks that animals are meant to work together, and she uses “cooperative game theory” to explain this. This theory states that there are diverse mating behaviours in different species, and conflict occurs when social negotiations are broken down. She argues that humans are likely more bisexual just as vertebrate animals are, and the gay-straight binary that exists in our culture may disappear as more evidence shows this form of sexual biology among animals.
The Future of Sexual Evolution
Roughgarden is being credited for starting a new scientific sexual revolution as noted in www.seedmagazine.com. Her biological theory is very intriguing and is definitely a new perspective that seems to shed light on some issues that have not been explained through older theories of sexual evolution. So now the question remains: are humans behind animals in sexual evolution? Some people may say no, because there is evidence to show that Roughgarden may be onto something. For example, there are many forms of sexual diversity among humans. How those diverse forms of sexuality are socially labeled is another issue entirely. Not to mention the numerous sexual orientation labels that are used other than heterosexual to define a person’s sexual attraction or desire. Perhaps Roughgarden is right – what is considered by mainstream society to be deviant sexuality may actually be normal. Now it is up to you to decide if this.
Ali the Sexpert is a researcher and teacher in the field of sexuality. She has an Honours B.A. in Sociology (Windsor); a MA degree in Sociology (Windsor); is currently pursuing a second MA in Social Work. Campus Kiss is currently syndicated at universities across Canada.
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