@ chuckcat:
(Response to chuckcat's comment)
(Response to chuckcat's comment)
For starters I would ask you to read question #5 on the FAQ page, as well as take a look at the anal sex question addressed in this blog. Beyond that, as an evolutionary biologist I can assure you of three things: (1) Homosexual pairings and homogenital sex acts are readily found throughout the animal kingdom and as such are in fact natural. (2) The human body is entirely capable of (and in fact even designed to) accommodate sex acts between persons of the same sex. And (3) our common evolutionary ancestors from approximately 170 MYA were monotremes – mammals with a few reptilian characteristics – including a cloaca, which is a “multi-purpose hole” that acted as a urinary tract, anus, and genital/reproductive pore all in one.
Point three is important because it highlights our evolutionary ancestry as well as the amazing capacity, multi-functionality, and adaptability of animals, including humans. As a species we retain the calling card of our ancestral past in our embryonic stage, wherein a cloaca still forms and eventually splits. In a minority of women, however, it never does split, which causes a condition known as persistent cloaca (where the urethra, vagina, and anus remain fused and form one single opening and channel).
The latest research, out of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany, is showing a gene expression in the anorectal region which is also expressed in the reproductive tract. This suggests that what is now the reproductive tract either evolved out from the anal canal, or that the anal canal evolved out from the reproductive tract. This was followed by the cloacal evolutionary step, which then split in mammals to form the urethral, anal, and vaginal canals. This would explain the interconnected pleasure-giving nerves found not only in the penis, vagina, and clitoris, but also in the anus and rectum. Clearly the evolutionary adaptations of our early ancestors are still carried by modern man today, including the adaptability and multi-functionality of the anus.
It's interesting how some people may say that two males are simply not designed to have sex, while all the while those same people may enjoy anal sex with their opposite-sex partner. For some reason they fail to see that there is actually no distinction, anatomically speaking. An anus is an anus – there's no such thing as a “male” anus and a “female” anus, just a human anus.
We could also take a look at the human mouth as an example. Its uses range from food intake, breathing and talking, to performing oral sex, coughing up sputum, and even vomiting. The mouth may not have been “designed” to perform sex acts per se (evolutionarily speaking that is open to interpretation), but it does a very good job of it and is entirely accommodating of that purpose. And bear in mind that we also kiss each other with our mouths, which is actually a very unsanitary thing to do. The human mouth has approximately 750 species of bacteria crawling inside it at any given time, numbering in the millions per square inch! A toilet on the other hand has about 50 germs per square inch. That's right, it's actually safer to lick a toilet seat or paper money than it is to kiss another human. I hate to kill the romance here, but that's just the cold hard fact of the matter.
The latest research, out of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany, is showing a gene expression in the anorectal region which is also expressed in the reproductive tract. This suggests that what is now the reproductive tract either evolved out from the anal canal, or that the anal canal evolved out from the reproductive tract. This was followed by the cloacal evolutionary step, which then split in mammals to form the urethral, anal, and vaginal canals. This would explain the interconnected pleasure-giving nerves found not only in the penis, vagina, and clitoris, but also in the anus and rectum. Clearly the evolutionary adaptations of our early ancestors are still carried by modern man today, including the adaptability and multi-functionality of the anus.
It's interesting how some people may say that two males are simply not designed to have sex, while all the while those same people may enjoy anal sex with their opposite-sex partner. For some reason they fail to see that there is actually no distinction, anatomically speaking. An anus is an anus – there's no such thing as a “male” anus and a “female” anus, just a human anus.
We could also take a look at the human mouth as an example. Its uses range from food intake, breathing and talking, to performing oral sex, coughing up sputum, and even vomiting. The mouth may not have been “designed” to perform sex acts per se (evolutionarily speaking that is open to interpretation), but it does a very good job of it and is entirely accommodating of that purpose. And bear in mind that we also kiss each other with our mouths, which is actually a very unsanitary thing to do. The human mouth has approximately 750 species of bacteria crawling inside it at any given time, numbering in the millions per square inch! A toilet on the other hand has about 50 germs per square inch. That's right, it's actually safer to lick a toilet seat or paper money than it is to kiss another human. I hate to kill the romance here, but that's just the cold hard fact of the matter.
Straight people find gay sex to be unseemly and unnatural. This is no surprise because straight people sexually desire persons of the opposite sex, as dictated by their sexual orientation. Likewise, gay people find straight sex to be unseemly and unnatural for them, because their sexual orientation dictates an attraction to persons of the same sex. Both are natural orientations and both contain sexual aspects that will make the other wrinkle their nose and say “ick.”
Another problem that may arise in the minds of more “traditional” people, is the misconception that the rectum is nothing more than a sewer that is constantly full of feces and deadly germs. This stems largely from our childhood, when mommy told us not to touch or explore our “under regions” because it's dirty and horrible, even though children do derive some level of pleasure from such self-exploration around the same time that they begin to notice and “play with” their penis or vagina. This is noted in the fact that this particular stage in a child's development is known as the Anal stage (the second of Freud's five psychosexual stages of childhood) for that very reason.
Growing up hearing that we're filthy “down there,” and that it is a part of the body that is never to be seen or touched, we become adults who are anal retentive about our anal region. It's quite unfortunate actually, because the anus is an erogenous zone and is literally packed with pleasure-inducing nerves which most people never explore or experience. (As I have already discussed the myth that anal sex is pathologically damaging to the anal sphincter and tissue in a previous post, I will not cover that topic again.)
In regards to the rectum, it is not constantly full of feces. When someone has the feeling that they need to have a bowel movement, then obviously the rectum is full and obviously that wouldn't be the best time to place a penis (or anything else) inside it. Cleanliness is key, and it's really not that complicated. My girlfriend and I happen to enjoy anal sex, and we've actually never encountered any problems with pain or fecal messiness. A healthy, high fiber diet and cleanliness are key, as well as mutual respect and communication within the relationship. Simple as that.
The versatility of the human body is able to easily adapt with brilliant multi-functionality, and that is precisely how it was designed
I understand that this may blow your mind, but biologically, anatomically, and evolutionarily speaking, the male body is simply designed for sex – period – and this includes male-female sex and male-male sex. Equally, the female body is simply designed for sex – period – and this includes female-male sex and female-female sex. The person with whom one desires to have sex is of course determined by one's individual sexual orientation or gender identity. The versatility of the human body is able to easily adapt with brilliant multi-functionality, and that is precisely how it was designed.
As for male-male anal sex, the anus is entirely capable of accommodating an erect penis. The anus is of similar size, flexibility, and location as the vagina, and, in my scientific opinion, it all seems to have been “designed” exactly so. As an evolutionary biologist I suppose I could chalk it up to mere coincidence that the human body evolved in such a way, but for those who feel that the body is the perfect construction of God's own design, the question must then be begged: why?
Why did God design the human body to be absolutely conducive to anal sex? Why did He make it the right location, right size, right length and depth and curvature, and why did He go a step further and pack the anorectal region with sexual nerves? Interestingly enough, these nerves (the pudendal nerve) are the exact same ones that enervate the vagina, clitoris, and penis, and they extend the lining of the rectum to the exact depth to which an erect penis can reach. A full half of all the nerve endings found in the pelvic region are found in the anus alone. This isn't even counting the plethora of pleasure-giving nerves in the lower rectum.
The prostate is also perfectly positioned for male sexual pleasure, and is known as "the male G-spot." If it was evolution, we evolved like that for a reason (adaptability and multi-functionality). If it was divine design, it looks as though God knew exactly what He was doing.
The prostate is also perfectly positioned for male sexual pleasure, and is known as "the male G-spot." If it was evolution, we evolved like that for a reason (adaptability and multi-functionality). If it was divine design, it looks as though God knew exactly what He was doing.
As for female-female sex, never underestimate the power of the human tongue. I know we men like to think our penises are the center of the universe, but if you talk to women about this type of thing it doesn't take long to realize that, for them, the clitoris is a major player in the game, and this is no design flaw. Women achieve amazing orgasms from clitoral stimulation, and when women do not have an orgasm, more often than not it's because of a lack of clitoral involvement in sex.
Furthermore, the first 2 inches of the vagina is the most enervated section, and this is also where the holy grail (a.k.a. the G-spot) is located. Fingers can easily reach 2 inches in, as can most tongues, so it doesn't take a penis to drive a woman wild! (On a side note, this also gives hope to straight guys who got the "short end of the stick" in the penis department.) Needless to say, there are enumerable sex toys and dildos that female-female couples can use as well, including harnesses which clitorally stimulate the one doing the thrusting as well as the one receiving. And dildos have been around for ages: archaeological digs have unearthed ancient dildos and sex toys dating back at least 30,000 years.
It's important to note that every woman is different – some prefer direct penetrative stimulation, some prefer clitoral stimulation, some prefer anal stimulation. To each her own. One of my friends at university was a bisexual girl, and she told me that sex with a woman was far better than any sex she'd ever had with a man. Naturally I wanted to know more, and her answer was that women simply know what women like. “With guys it's all about the penis – their main goal is to push it inside something. While that can be nice, it usually leaves us ladies unsatisfied because the clitoris isn't stimulated properly enough for long enough, and neither is the G-spot. Girls just get it – they understand other girls.”
So I think the approach you were taking, chuckcat, as a straight man seeing things purely from your own viewpoint, is the wrong approach. The male body is designed for sex, period. The female body is designed for sex, period. Physiologically, our bodies are designed to go either way (bisexually). With heterogenital sex the outcome can be procreation; with homogenital sex it cannot. Given that approximately 93% of all humans are heterosexual (see question #4), this isn't a problem. Earth's population is set to hit 7 billion this year, so we're in absolutely no danger of dying out as a species, I can assure you of that.
There's nothing unnatural about homogenital sex as long as it's natural for the couple involved. It may not be natural for you because you're not gay and your brain isn't hardwired that way, but for gays and lesbians it is entirely natural. This has nothing to do with making babies of course, we're simply addressing sex here. Obviously two people of the same sex cannot reproduce, but that has no bearing on design, functionality, or "naturalness." Oral sex doesn't lead to reproduction either, but that certainly isn't stopping anyone from doing it and enjoying every minute of it. :D
So chillax, chuckcat. You stick to what your orientation has set as natural for you, and let LGBTs stick to what their orientation has set as natural for them. If you haven't done so yet I encourage you to read my page on the current scientific evidence of the innateness of homosexuality, which could also help to clarify some things as well.
By the way, George Orwell also said “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
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