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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!uwvax!paul
From: paul@uwvax.ARPA (Paul Haeberli)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: naturalness of homosexuality
Message-ID: <1055@uwvax.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 28-Aug-83 04:42:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwvax.1055
Posted: Sun Aug 28 04:42:40 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Aug-83 05:03:58 EDT
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept
Lines: 16

There have been a number of theories to explain the naturalness
of homosexuality in humans. First, you should note that the
percentage of homosexuals in the general population appears to
be the same across all cultures, economic groups, professions, etc.
Also, the percentage appears not to have changed much in recorded
history, as far as records report these things. Both these facts
suggests biological origin and not learned behaviour.

A so called "kinship" theory suggests that the "gay gene" (if one
exists) stays in the gene pool because gays born to family units 
can be supportive to the basic unit without going out and
taking on their own extended family. So families with gays in them
have a better chance for survival, thus retaining the useful gene.

In that sense homosexuality has a plausible, natural origin.