gay people

[meredith101]

is there room for gay people in evolutionary adaptiveness? like if 1/10 people were gay that would be a good thing, right: a food finding resource that doesn't bog down a group with kids?
I know that genes work on individuals, but if that individual's in a group that works together to survive, that individual's genes will continue.........thanks to their gay group mates

[wildwood]

AFAIK homosexuality is not an inherited trait but a genetic malfunction, pretty much the same as colour blindness, unexpectedly tall, short or chromosome accidents [down syndrome, PWS, etc].

Even if it were an inherited trait it would still not be advantageous to the group to have one non breeding member. As a rule gregarious animals limit their offspring to a number that can easily be supported by the group. Normally this limits the breeding to less than is possible. If something was to happen to the alpha members, it is essential that these be replaced as soon as possible to continue the species. If one or more of the tribe were non breeding it would limit the genetic diversity of the group to an undesirable level.

[bednobs]

in your opinion.

dosent your first sentance contradict itself ... if gayness is a genetic thing, then it is inherited isn't it?

[wildwood]

I fail to see how you can reason that a genetic malfunction is inevitably inherited bednobs. The genetic abnormalities that are inheritable are called mutations. Eye/hair colour are mutations and follow a set mode in inheritance.
When a homosexual couple have a children (yes, it has happened) the offspring has genetically the same chance of being a homosexual as a child from a heterosexual couple. This clearly shows that it is not a mutation.

[meredith101]

I do think it is genetic rather than largely cultural. i can't understand how so many people in the world today can be gay (10 percent????) if it is a genetic abnormality, however. If it an abnormality (and/and thus probably maladaptive), how can the genetic makeups that allow the abnormality still have thrived?
I need a lesson in genetics.......I thought such random genetic mutations that throw out such distinct phylogenies would be relatively rare, no? 10 percent is not rare......