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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Measuring and Altering Mating Drive in Male Drosophila melanogaster

Measuring and Altering Mating Drive in Male Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: February 15, 2017

Male Homosexual Preference: Where, When, Why?

Julien Barthes¹, Pierre-André Crochet², Michel Raymond³

¹Human Evolutionary Biology Team, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.

|August 13, 2015

Summary

Male homosexual preference (MHP) is not a universal trait and its evolutionary origins are linked to social stratification. This study challenges previous assumptions about the history of MHP in human societies.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Anthropology
Human sexuality

Background:

Male homosexual preference (MHP) presents a Darwinian paradox due to its heritability and reproductive cost.
The evolutionary history and universality of MHP in human societies remain debated.
Previous hypotheses suggest social stratification and hypergyny are key to MHP evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the evolutionary origins and historical prevalence of MHP.
To test the hypergyny hypothesis regarding the evolution of MHP.
To determine the relationship between social stratification and the occurrence of MHP.

Main Methods:

Analysis of anthropological and archaeological literature.
Documentation of MHP presence/absence in 107 societies.
Statistical testing of the link between social stratification and MHP, controlling for phylogenetic non-independence.

Main Results:

Evidence suggests MHP is not a virtually universal trait throughout human history.
Absence of MHP is documented in some societies.
A positive correlation was found between the level of social stratification and the probability of MHP, supporting the hypergyny hypothesis.

Conclusions:

MHP's evolutionary trajectory is influenced by societal structures, specifically social stratification.
The hypergyny hypothesis provides a plausible framework for understanding the evolution of MHP.
Further research into the socio-cultural factors shaping MHP is warranted.