Sex and gender scientists explore a revolution in evolution
Darwin may have been wrong about sex. Or at least too narrow minded
At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, leading researchers and theorists in the evolution of sexual behavior will gather to present the growing evidence that Darwin’s idea of sexual selection requires sweeping revisions.
’’I don’t have a theory to address it all by any means,’’ says Stanford biologist Joan Roughgarden, who organized the Feb. 17 symposium. ’’I’m just trying to get the extent of diversity on the table.’’
Roughgarden will present the evidence that gender is not limited to the static male/female binary and that sex can have social as well as reproductive roles. Robert Warner of the University of California-Santa Barbara will speak about fish that change sex. David Crews of the University of Texas-Austin will address the tenuous path linking genetic sex to behavior. Patricia Gowaty of the University of Georgia will present a new hypothesis on how animals select their mates. And Paul Vasey of the University of Lethbridge will discuss his research on homosexual behavior among female Japanese macaques...
...A great deal of empirical evidence exists that refutes Darwinian sexual selection. It’s difficult to tell just how many exceptions there are to the rule because observations may have been skewed by Darwinian biases, says Roughgarden.
’’The exceptions are so numerous they cry out for explanation,’’ says Roughgarden, who has outlined a stunning array of behaviors that don’t fit the mold in her upcoming book, Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender and Sexuality in Nature and People (University of California Press, 2003).
Sex and society
Roughgarden thinks that a more comprehensive theory of sexuality should take into account social as well as sexual selection. Mating can function to build and manage relationships as well as to procreate...
...Other sexual traits, says Roughgarden, may represent a ’’market economy’’ dedicated to trading sexual opportunity for other resources. In many species, some individuals act as helpers to dominant males and reap some rewards in the process...
...Homosexual behavior is common but unexplained by Darwin. Over 300 vertebrates, including monkeys, flamingoes and male sheep, practice homosexual behavior. Homosexuality in some species appears to play a social role. For instance, bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees) will have sex with same-sex partners to calm tensions after a squabble, or to make sure that a large amount of food is shared....
