Homosexuality has long been a topic of interest for anthropologists. While some of them tried to explain the patterns of homosexual behaviors in humans, others sought to explore similar behaviors in animals. Primates are probably the most extensively studied mammalian species. Anthropologists have produced a rich body of observational evidence pertaining to homosexual behaviors in primates. Nevertheless, many gaps in the current understanding of animal homosexuality persist. In their article, Grueter and Stoinski share the first formal report of homosexual behaviors in female mountain gorillas. The article offers a new perspective on homosexuality in primates and creates new areas for research in physical anthropology.
The purpose of the study by Grueter and Stoinski was to explore and explain homosexual behaviors in female mountain gorillas. The researchers also wanted to test four hypotheses related to the nature and significance of homosexuality in primates. Firstly, Grueter and Stoinski hypothesized that homosexuality was a strategy for reconciliation and conflict resolution. Secondly, they assumed that homosexual genital contacts contributed to the strength and integrity of social bonds (Grueter & Stoinski). Thirdly, the researchers suggested that same-sex contacts reinforced the stability of the existing social hierarchy (Grueter & Stoinski). Ultimately, Grueter and Stoinski hypothesized that sexual arousal during frequent heterosexual contacts also increased the frequency of homosexual activities.
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"Homosexual Behavior in Female Mountain Gorillas".
Grueter and Stoinski observed two groups of mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, from 2008 and 2010. A total of 44 same-sex contacts between females were recorded during that period (Grueter & Stoinski). The researchers concluded that homosexual contacts between female mountain gorillas were infrequent but essential elements of their behaviors (Grueter & Stoinski). However, the data obtained in the study did not support the hypotheses mentioned above. Grueter and Stoinski did not notice any conflicts that could precede a same-sex contact between female gorillas; as a result, they rejected the reconciliation hypothesis. They did not find any evidence that the need for social bonding increased the frequency or intensity of same-sex contacts in mountain gorillas: the female primates that engaged in same-sex mounting did not exhibit any strong social or affiliative ties (Grueter & Stoinski).
From the perspective of physical anthropology, the study reveals the diversity and complexity of primate behaviors. These findings can guide the study of nonhuman primate evolution and its implications for the evolution of humans. They can provide a framework for the future analysis of behavioral variation in both primates and humans. The results reported by Grueter and Stoinski can be used to explore the biological factors underlying sexual behaviors. In fact, the researchers did not find any evidence that same-sex behaviors in mountain gorillas had a social or socialization component; therefore, it is possible to assume that homosexuality in primates is purely biological (Grueter & Stoinski).
The fact that Grueter and Stoinski did not find enough evidence to support their hypotheses does not mean that those hypotheses were completely irrelevant. More research is needed to obtain new data and make valid conclusions about the role of social and biological factors in homosexual behaviors among primates. The new data will be helpful in the study of human evolution and the patterns of homosexuality in humans.
The study by Grueter and Stoinski confirms that mountain gorillas have same-sex contacts, but it is too early to use the term “relationships” to describe these contacts. Grueter and Stoinski are correct when they say that humans are unique among other species for forming same-sex relationships. Unfortunately, their study does not offer any compelling explanation of the causes and behavioral variations in homosexuality among primates. However, their findings set the direction for future research that will link the evolutionary patterns of homosexuality in primates to same-sex relationships in humans.
- Grueter, Cyril C., & Tara S. Stoinski. “Homosexual Behavior in Female Mountain Gorillas: Reflection of Dominance, Affiliation, Reconciliation or Arousal?” PLoS One, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154185.
