If homosexuality is an unnatural choice, how come so many
animals are gay? Gay advocates say if homosexual behavior
occurs in animals, it must be natural, and therefore gays
should have the same civil rights as heterosexuals. Animal
researcher Frans de Waal says, "There has been a certain
cultural shyness about admitting it."
Dinitia Smith writes in the February 7 New York Times about
two gay penguins at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan, who
have been inseparable for six years. Both have rejected
female companionship, and females aren't turned on by them,
either.
But they do want to be parents. When zookeeper Rob
Gramzay noticed them trying to incubate a rock, he gave
them a fertile penguin egg. Roy and Silo sat on it faithfully for
34 days until Tango was born, then they raised the chick for
the next two and a half months. Gramzay says, "They did a
great job."
De Waal studies bonobos, apes that are closely related to
humans, who are bisexual. They also like to have lots of sex
and solve most of their conflicts that way. Before he wrote
about this, he says, "American scientists who investigated
bonobos never discussed sex at all. Or they sometimes would
show two females having sex together, and would say, 'The
females are very affectionate.'"
Bruce Bagemihl, who wrote the book "Biological Exuberance:
Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity," says homosexual
behavior has been documented in at least 450 species. His
book was used by lawyers to strike down the Texas law
against sodomy. Some people say animal homosexuality
occurs in animals that are unnaturally confined to zoos, but
Bagemihl says it actually happens more often in the wild.
One puzzling question is why homosexuality arises in certain
members of a species. It can't be strictly genetic or it would
die out, since homosexuals don't reproduce often enough for
the gene to be passed on. Once society gets over the idea
that homosexuality is unnatural, the next question is: What
role does it play? It could be a response to overpopulation.
Biologist Marlene Zuk thinks that by not producing their own
offspring, homosexuals may help support or nurture their
relatives' young and, "That is a contribution to the gene
pool." They could also be agents for carrying on the culture,
while heterosexuals are busy reproducing and raising the
young?a role they play in human society.
Anne Strieber talks about she learned from living in a gay
building, in a gay neighborhood, in her recent
diary.
No matter who you're attracted to, you won't be able to
resist our gorgeous 2004
crop circle calendar. It's on sale right now. These are
imported from England and we're the only U.S. store that
carries them. Once they're sold out, there won't be any more,
until the new calendars come out in 2005.
