A new study has found that same-sex attraction may have evolved to benefit society.
Dr Diana Fleischman, from the University of Portsmouth, and a research team have examined the relationship between progesterone and sexual attitudes to explore the role that homosexual behaviour may have played in cementing alliances over the course of human evolution.
The report found that ‘heterosexual women who have higher levels of progesterone are more likely to be open to the idea of engaging in sexual behaviour with other women. Similarly, when heterosexual men are subtly reminded of the importance of having male friends and allies, they report more positive attitudes toward engaging in sexual behaviour with other men. This pattern is particularly dramatic in men who have high levels of progesterone.’
Dr Fleischman ssays: “From an evolutionary perspective we tend to think of sexual behaviour as a means to an end for reproduction. However, because sexual behaviour is intimate and pleasurable, it is also used in many species, including non-human primates, to help form and maintain social bonds. We can all see this in romantic couples who bond by engaging in sexual behaviour even when reproduction is not possible.”
“The results of our study are compelling because using two very different methods, they arrived at the same conclusion. Women were more likely to be motivated to think about homosexual sex when their levels of progesterone were higher. Compared to a control group, men’s homoerotic motivation was not increased by priming them with sex but thinking about friendship and bonding caused a measurable change in their attitude to the idea of having sex with other men.”
Their research is published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour.
Article | Levi Joule
