'Pandora's Box'

p340 “Directed Freewrite”

     Sexual orientation defines humans in our society. Homosexuality is sexual attraction or behavior with the same gender. The debate goes on about nature vs nurture trying to explain the reasons why a human has a certain sexual orientation. Do we choose same gender relationships because of our environment or is it a natural process that we are born with? Jeffrey Kluger’s article The Gay Side of Nature supports the notion that homosexuality in humans may not be “a uniquely human phenomenon” but is a natural occurrence.

     Scientists use animal observation and compare these observations to humans. Animal behaviors have an explanation for human monogamy, courting, mate choice, parenting, socialization, and now same-gender sexual orientation. We are accepting of the afore-mentioned behaviors, so why not include sexual orientation? There are “scientists who find it simplistic to equate any animal behavior with human behavior” (Kluger 338).

     Author Bruce Bagemihl opened ‘Pandora’s Box’ when he wrote and published Biologocial Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity in 1999. Bagemihl let out of the box all the documented animal homosexual observations that he could find in journal writings and interviews. Previously, these findings seemed to always find their way out of the original observers publishing’s.

     Since nature is evolving, it is not far off to contend that homosexuality is a viable natural orientation. Of the 2000 species that have been observable in regards to sexual orientation, 450 of these have documented same gender sexual activity. The examples include the bonobos, giraffes, dolphins, elephants, rodents, and macaques. There are also examples of these same-gender animals establishing long term bonds: 6 years for the Humboldt penguins, 15 years for male greylag geese, female bears choosing to raise their young together. The bear example is a strong supporter for same gender couples who can still have children through alternate means and raise their children in a family unit.

     On the other hand, homosexuality can be argued as an unnatural orientation. For one, it does not propagate the species. It should also be noted that there are 1 million species on earth. The 450 species observed are a minuscule number to establish a pattern of same-gender sexual activity when compared to the 998,000 species that did not have their sexual orientation observed. Since animals share similar characteristics : how were the observers always able to tell if it was same gender activity if they look the same. Other items that can refute homosexuality as a natural orientation include the actual behaviors. The same gender sexual activity observations were misconstrued as animal kingdom communication. In the animal kingdom, “sex serves many nonsexual purposes, including establishing alliances and appeasing enemies” (Kluger 339).

     Homosexuality and heterosexuality have the same goals in the human and animal kingdoms, we all desire a mate for sexual pleasure and reproduction. A dual definition for natural orientation should include homosexuality and heterosexuality. We may not understand in the human kingdom everything that goes on in the animal kingdom, but it has been established that we do have similar ways.