Gay uncle theory

The "gay uncle" hypothesis From Wikipedia: The so-called "gay uncle" hypothesis posits that people who themselves do not have children may nonetheless increase the prevalence of their family's genes in future generations by providing resources (food, supervision, defense, shelter, etc.) to the offspring of their closest relatives. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts. Evolutionary biologists have long scratched their heads over homosexuality in men: If there is a genetic component to male homosexuality--a view for which there is considerable evidence --then why has that gene persisted to this day?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Maybe everyone could use a gay uncle. A new study found that homosexual men may be. A new study found that homosexual men may be predisposed to nurture their nieces and nephews as a way of helping to ensure their own genes get passed down to the next generation. Research has confirmed that male homosexuality is at least partly hereditary — it tends to cluster in families, and identical twin brothers of gay men are more likely to be gay than fraternal twin brothers, who do not share identical DNA. But scientists have been puzzled about how these genes are perpetuated, since homosexual males are less likely to reproduce than straight males.

But Professor Vasey does not think the benevolent uncle theory needs to be a complete explanation. It can be one of many, and the other leading contender is the “sexually antagonistic gene hypothesis”, more snappily known as the “sexy sisters hypothesis”. Sign up. Sign in. Follow publication.

The idea is that gay people compensate for their lack of children by promoting the reproductive fitness of brothers or sisters, contributing money or performing other uncle-like activities such as. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. A new study by Canadian researchers adds weight to the theory that the evolutionary role of gay men may be to serve as "super uncles" who help close family members survive. Paul Vasey, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Lethbridge, sought to address an entrenched scientific riddle: If homosexuality appears to be inherited, how have gay men, who are less likely to reproduce, continued to pass on their genes without becoming extinct?