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Homosexuality: Difference between revisions
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→Dominant vs submissive
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As a result, men of higher status can use homosexual or homosocial acts, not only as act of intimidation, but also as [[signaling theory|costly signaling]] as they risk being accused of gayness, but are confident in their ability to thwart such insults to their reputations, hence robust evidence of high social status. Evidence of such signaling may be found, for example, in a study by Robison and Anderson from University of Winchester in which highly confident and masculine men (sport athletes) did engage in homosocial tactility,<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1097184X17730386?journalCode=jmma</ref><ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/straight-men-cuddle-guys-study_n_5241953?ri18n=true&guccounter=2</ref> | As a result, men of higher status can use homosexual or homosocial acts, not only as act of intimidation, but also as [[signaling theory|costly signaling]] as they risk being accused of gayness, but are confident in their ability to thwart such insults to their reputations, hence robust evidence of high social status. Evidence of such signaling may be found, for example, in a study by Robison and Anderson from University of Winchester in which highly confident and masculine men (sport athletes) did engage in homosocial tactility,<ref>https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1097184X17730386?journalCode=jmma</ref><ref>https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/straight-men-cuddle-guys-study_n_5241953?ri18n=true&guccounter=2</ref> | ||
even though today public male intimacy is uncommon (see [[#Gay_acceptance_and_homosocial_intimacy|gay acceptance and homosocial intimacy]]). Only a dominant man can afford to hold hands with other men in public. A low status man vulnerable to gossip would need to claim the status of a protected class and rely on shaming to survive socially. | even though today public male intimacy is uncommon in the West (see [[#Gay_acceptance_and_homosocial_intimacy|gay acceptance and homosocial intimacy]]). Only a dominant man can afford to hold hands with other men in public. A low status man vulnerable to gossip would need to claim the status of a protected class and rely on shaming to survive socially. | ||
To summarize, there are (at least) four conceivable pathways to increased reproductive success (RS) through homosexual behavior, explaining homosexuality as an evolved behavior: Promiscuity/sodomy (RS for penetrator), alliance (RS for penetrator and penetree), intrasexual competition by gossip (RS for accuser), homosexuality and homosocialty as costly signal by thwarting said gossip (RS for both, mostly for the penetrator). | To summarize, there are (at least) four conceivable pathways to increased reproductive success (RS) through homosexual behavior, explaining homosexuality as an evolved behavior: Promiscuity/sodomy (RS for penetrator), alliance (RS for penetrator and penetree), intrasexual competition by gossip (RS for accuser), homosexuality and homosocialty as costly signal by thwarting said gossip (RS for both, mostly for the penetrator). | ||