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Subject:
Sexual Selection and Interracial Marriage
Category: Science > Biology Asked by: scronyjameson-ga List Price: $5.00 |
Posted:
03 Mar 2005 15:47 PST
Expires: 02 Apr 2005 15:47 PST Question ID: 484303 |
There's a lot of information out there regarding cultural bias and cultural affects of interracial marriage, but is there anywhere where Interracial marriage is discussed from a Sexual Selection point of view? For example what sex of what race would be attracted to what sex of what race, and where can good data be found? Furthermore, what are the genetic reasons for these choices? |
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There is no answer at this time. |
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Subject:
Re: Sexual Selection and Interracial Marriage
From: myoarin-ga on 07 Mar 2005 09:43 PST |
Hi, maybe a comment will incite interest from someone who knows more about this somewhat ticklish question, political correctness and all that. Starting with your last line, Scrony, I think we would have heard if anyone even thought they knew "genetic reasons for these choices," just as I think we would have, if someone thought they had found a gene that causes homosexuality, which is also what you are asking about: "what sex ...attracted to what sex ...?" (There was a question by Caucasian homosexual asking why he was attracted to black homosexuals which you might find interesting.) And I do not believe that anyone has yet suggested that a gene for race has been found, but I expect that would (also) be a real PC matter, and whoever would be extremely careful that he or she could prove it before calling a press conference. Maybe someone would like to comment on this. And maybe I am all wrong, but then you'd be a little further. That puts the question for now back in the cultural frame (where I think it belongs). Certainly some cultures have been and are more open towards homosexuality - or homosexual activities - ancient Greece for one - and others - like Islam - are extremely opposed. But since it nonetheless exists in almost exclusively Islamic areas, it would seem that that culture is not responsible, can't suppress it. Interracial sexual selection (either way) seems very much subject to culture - and availability. If there are no members of your (not personally meant) race of the opposite sex available, you look at what is available - and you are probably in a situation in which your culture is weakly represented, e.g., the crew of the Bounty in the South Pacific or men in the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries. Of course, Polynesian women - and men - are attractive by European standards, but if you have ever spent even a week or two in a country of another race, you develop an appreciation of the physical features of the people that you didn't have when you first arrived. It is claimed that the Europeans who colonized S. America were more open to interracial "marriages" than those who settled N. America. If this is true, then there must have been a cultural influence, but culture changes, adapts. 100 years ago, Northern Europeans had attitudes towards swarthy Southern Europeans that came close to seeing them as another race. So where does that take us? Not to an answer to your question, especially as you narrowed it down to genetics. |
Subject:
Re: Sexual Selection and Interracial Marriage
From: pinkfreud-ga on 07 Mar 2005 09:49 PST |
scronyjameson, You'll find a huge amount of information by doing a Google search using the terms "exogamy" and "race/racial": ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=exogamy+race+OR+racial Unfortunately, some of the sites which discuss this subject are bigoted in the extreme. Racist hate groups maintain websites which, at first glance, appear to contain scientific information. Be cautious. |
Subject:
Re: Sexual Selection and Interracial Marriage
From: dops-ga on 07 Mar 2005 13:07 PST |
With respect to myoarin-ga's comment. There is a gene (fruitless) in Drosophila, which is responsible for sexual "orientation" See: http://flybase.bio.indiana.edu/allied-data/lk/interactive-fly/dbzhnsky/frutles1.htm Regarding the original question. You may want to look at some of Roughgarden's work (she's a Stanford). Her data suggest that a genetic basis for sexual selection (ie what fitness a peahen gains by preference for peacocks with large tails) does not exist. Her work also addresses "homosexual" relationships in the animal kingdom. |
Subject:
Re: Sexual Selection and Interracial Marriage
From: speedracer280-ga on 17 Mar 2005 07:20 PST |
About the homosexual selection, if homosexuality was an inherited trait it would most likely have become extinct by now as two homosexuals cannot produce offspring to carry on the trait. Homosexuals throughout history have produced offspring with heterosexuals which could possibly sustain the trait if it were in fact genetic. From a purely *evolutionary* viewpoint I would think it would be disadvantageous for a homosexual to marry/mate with another homosexual because they could not pass on either one of their genes to the next generation. Obviously personal happiness is more important than capability to produce offspring and this supercedes the disadvantage to not being able to produce one's own children. Now that people can have fertility treatments or adopt to take the place of natural offspring that selection pressure is eliminated. As for racial selection i think it is a cultural thing. It seems to be more of a vanity issue instead of a logical one. There is no benefit to the individual for choosing a mate of a certain color aside from cultural approval or disapproval. Unless you can make broad generalizations about races. Blacks are more prone to certain diseases (as are whites, asians and everybody else) and that may put pressure on somebody who wanted a "healthier" mate. But the differences between the races in health/longevity are so similar it is unlikely to influence sexual selection. Blacks are more likely to have diabetes and high blood pressure. Whites (almost exclusively) are more prone to losing sharp vision during older age due to Macular Degeneration. People would have to know the statistics for certain diseases for the races to make a mate selection based on that. Genetic reasons: longevity, more offspring, healthier offspring, lower expenditures during the lifetime to take care of these matters. |
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