Kinsey Confidential

Question:\nI am trying to prove to a friend that her opinion is wrong -- she says that no other animals in the world have same-sex relationships -- and I'm having a difficult time coming up with study materials that would prove it. Can you help?\nAnswer:\nSome animals form long-term "relationships" with other animals of the same sex, though researchers typically reserve the word "relationships" for humans. More common are occasional same-sex pairings and sexual contacts (which is also true of many animals' opposite-sex pairings, too). One example regularly cited is the bonobo chimpanzee, as both males and females engage in same-sex activity.\nAlthough you didn't say why you and your friend are interested in knowing this information, some people are curious about this topic because they think that studying animals might aid in our understanding of human sexual orientation. It's been suggested, for example, that if other animals have same-sex relationships too, then human same-sex relationships (and homosexuality itself) might therefore be "natural."\nStudying animals' sexual behaviors is complicated enough; generalizing this information to humans (which many are tempted to do) is usually problematic and of limited value. How do these behaviors fit in to the overall social and ecological structure of the species and how do these animals communicate? \nThose of us who study human sexuality can ask people questions about the kinds of sexual behaviors they engage in as well as the meanings that those behaviors hold for them (e.g. "How satisfied are you in this relationship?", "Are you in love with your partner?", "How often do you have fantasies about other people?" or "How attracted are you to your partner?"). Researchers can't ask these questions of other animals, which obviously limits our understanding of their relationships.\nIn studying human sexual orientation, researchers recognize that there are a variety of relationships that men and women have -- whether it's with a same or opposite sex partner. For example, we understand that meaningful, lasting romantic relationships can exist whether two partners have sex frequently, sometimes, rarely or never at all. We also understand that sex is only one aspect of relationships and what keeps people together or breaks them apart.\nSome feel that certain behaviors (like vaginal intercourse or oral sex) are a very important part of their sexual expression with a partner, whereas others are less focused on genital contact with a partner; they might be quite satisfied within a relationship where sexual behavior focuses around self-masturbation, kissing, hugging or no sexual contact at all.\nIn studying animals, researchers often rely on certain obviously sexual behaviors (such as genital contact and mounting) to define a same-sex pair bond since they can't ask animals who they love, feel excited by or prefer to be around. Penguins have made news headlines several times in recent years as various zoos have found that they have male penguin couples who have spent years together -- and prompting some media to dub them "gay penguins." In some cases, the zookeepers tried to take these penguin partners and mate them with female penguins, but without success. While these anecdotal stories are interesting, and scientific research related to penguins, flamingos and other animals suggest that same-sex pairings sometimes occur in both captive and natural environments, our understanding of their meaning remains limited. \nWhile direct parallels between human and other animals' sexuality are limited, it can still be useful to consider some similarities and differences. Research and friendly conversations like your own might help expand our understanding of sexuality and the ways it matters in our lives. \nMany kinds of animal behavior are interesting to humans and certainly some people hope that animal behavior may shed light on sexual and relationship issues we sometimes struggle with such as choosing a partner, whether or not to mate for life, monogamy, gender roles, flirtation and childrearing. If you're interested in learning more, consider reading "Sexual Selections: What We Can and Can't Learn About Sex From Animals" by Dr. Marlene Zuk. \nKinsey Confidential is a service of The Kinsey Institute Sexuality Information Service for Students at IU. Visit the Web site at www.indiana.edu/~kisiss