Gay guys make generous uncles, study shows

[alfredo]

Maybe this adaptation helps protect families from harm by having another male present to watch over the family. Homosexuality IS pro family if this behavior is universal.
Judging from my sister in law's fierce devotion to her nieces and nephews, this finding could be true with Lesbians.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35347847/ns/health-behavior/


Maybe everyone could use a gay uncle.

A new study found that homosexual men may be predisposed to nurture their nieces and nephews as a way of helping to ensure their own genes get passed down to the next generation.

Research has confirmed that male homosexuality is at least partly hereditary – it tends to cluster in families, and identical twin brothers of gay men are more likely to be gay than fraternal twin brothers, who do not share identical DNA.

[Happyhippychick]

1. I have two gay uncles and I adore both of them beyond measure.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Dammit. And me unemployed right now and fresh out of gay uncles. eom

[alfredo]

28. Have you searched Amazon? They have everything there.

[asdjrocky]

30. LOL!

[Toasterlad]

32. Except a Size XL Scott Fujita Jersey!

:mad:

[alfredo]

38. Sold out again?

[Toasterlad]

43. Indeed. And There Won't Be Any More Until He Resigns.

[alfredo]

45. Linebackers have all the fun.

[aquart]

3. Did you ever doubt they make great uncles?

[alfredo]

6. No doubt, considering the gay men I've known.

[4 t 4]

10. Please help me tap into

the lovely gay uncles that spoil their nieces. I have a green Line of little girl's dresses and I know my audience is in part the gay's that I love. They will get me and my clothes. As of yet I can't seem to find my audience and I really believe in this line but I need help. Where are all the spending uncles?

[JuniperLea]

4. I've no doubt whatsoever!

They make awesome, and very generous bosses too!

[Ishoutandscream2]

24. In my 24 years in education, I have worked for two gay principals

Probably the two best bosses I have ever had. Everyone knew they were gay, but no one spoke publicly about it. They, unfortunately, had to remain in the closet.

[JuniperLea]

51. I knew a gay principal...

He was so caring, so gentle... and brilliant!

Unfortunately, he died of AIDS related disease... he was a wonderful human being. He smoked a lot of pot in those end months, and became convinced The Weed was his best source of relief from pain.

It was sad to see him and his friends hide who they were, but good to know they trusted a few of us enough to let their hair down:)

[xchrom]

5. I make a better Aunt. A Great Aunt -- as it were. Nt

[AnnieBW]

7. My friend "A" is a gay uncle

and he spoils his niece and nephew rotten!

[Juche]

8. I'm a better uncle than I would be as a parent

I'm heterosexual and do not have kids, but on some level I think one reason I am devoted to my nieces is because I realize I don't want kids of my own. But that is more nurture than nature.

Versace's niece doesn't look too happy.

[alfredo]

9. Her mother is Donatatella, I wouldn't be happy either.

[joeybee12]

33. "I wouldn't want to step on her"-Fleur; "Yeah, she'd take off your leg" - Patsy

Great AbFab about Donatella.

[alfredo]

39. SLN savaged her.

[avaistheone1]

11. I could use an uncle.

I don't have any.

:cry:

[Glorfindel]

12. Yes, we do!

I have nieces & nephews, great-nieces & nephews, and even great-great nieces and nephews, and I love them all to distraction.

[Neecy]

13. Interesting

And yes, we tend to lavish stuff on our nieces and nephews. I know I do.

But read this article closely. It's suggesting that we're trying to pass along a 'gay gene' through our child relatives so gay people don't go 'extict'. I smell a rat, in other words. It's the only study, btw, that's come to this conclusion.

This could cause a fundy family to cut off their gay relatives completely out of fear of 'teh gay'.

[alfredo]

15. If the "gay gene" is passed through families, then it isn't the gay uncle that

should be watched, it is the nieces and nephews. The uncle is doing exactly what the mother and father is doing: protecting their little gene packets enclosed in their kids.

[Divine Discontent]

14. I am a gay uncle and spent many days nurturing & educating my nieces & nephews who

suffered from rather questionable upbringing from their parents who sit around and watched TV all day paying attention to their own enjoyment.

Nice to see a study shows this!

[alfredo]

16. In nature nothing is without reason. There is a good evolutionary reason for

gays and lesbians, and this study may have found it.

I bet if one or both parents died, you'd be the first to step up to the plate to take over the parenting duties.

[Divine Discontent]

21. yes, more than likely. that is a good point, I've heard it before and arguably, it makes a lot of

sense. also, GLBTers who adopt are helping out society also.

[alfredo]

23. To deny Gays and Lesbians full rights of citizenship is so wrong.

[Divine Discontent]

26. thank you very kindly.

[alfredo]

27. America needs to grow up.

[Toasterlad]

17. I Can't Stand Kids.

I didn't start enjoying my nieces and nephews until they were in their college years. But I'm going to my youngest niece's 13th birthday party this weekend. I was delighted that she was growing up and that I was finally done with all these children...and then my 22 year old nephew goes and fathers a child. Now I'm a fucking Great Uncle, and the shit's gonna start all over again. :(

As an aside, I've met several gay twins, but I've NEVER met a gay twin who's twin is not also gay. And the only gay fraternal twin I know has a gay lesbian twin!

[alfredo]

18. I usually don't like kids until I am in their presence, and then the switch is

flipped to on.

[Stevenmarc]

36. .

[Toasterlad]

44. Well Said.

[SanchoPanza]

19. Vasey and VanderLaan's study is pretty groundbreaking.

Kin selection has long been hypothesized as an underlying cause of homosexuality's persistence in animal species. As the article mentions, the notion of a "gay gene" gets a bit counter-intuitive because homosexual organisms are less likely to produce offspring, so homosexual members of a group acting as protectors of "family genes" by protecting their siblings' offspring at the expense of their own reproduction is the likeliest evolutionary advantage. Think of colony and hive insects in the same way. Within each hive, there is an extremely high ratio of infertile/fertile females, because the infertile females work to protect the member of the hive that transmits genes from one generation to the next: the one fertile female. Hive and colony insects have evolved this way because this is the most efficient way for their species to propagate itself compared to, say, every female honeybee being able to reproduce and constantly fighting with other females over males and food.

The problem in proving this is that, in many cultures, homosexuality carries a stigma. Even within families. So in these cultures homosexuals are more likely to be estranged from the rest of their family, and in turn less likely to offer assistance. There was a study done in England, as an example, that showed homosexual men were no more likely to be generous towards their nieces and nephews than their heterosexual counterparts. What makes Vasey/VanderLaan interesting is that they found an ideal positive control group in the natives of Somoa, who have both strong family bonds and no discernible stigma towards homosexuality. Cultural factors won't interfere with the study because they aren't present.

[alfredo]

20. very good explanation. It is comforting to me to know that we are not

special creatures apart from the natural world. We (humans) are an expression of a basic theme, just as the Spring Bok is another expression of the theme. We live, reproduce, die just like every other plant or creature.
It is good to know, and have the knowledge that non reproducing males and female have important roles throughout the animal kingdom. Everybody has value.

[Ildem09]

22. Yep we are!

haha my nieces are spoiled rotten!

[alfredo]

25. My nieces are more to the left than me, but I'm still more of an anarchist.

[asdjrocky]

29. I grew up doing theatre as a kid.

From age 10 to 20 I was singing and dancing and acting in everything. Mostly community and college and some very light TV, film and commercial stuff.

The gay men that I knew, we're some of the best people I'd ever met in my life. They taught me so much. It was cool to dance. It was cool to sing. It was cool to like being who you are.

There was never a pretence, and many always managed to take time for a kid with a ton of questions. I really don't know how to put it into words, but it really was a bunch of gay men who taught a straight kid from the hood how to be exactly who he was.

Donavan, gone now from the plague. Duke, God he was gorgeous and funny and he played my brother once, he's gone too. Steven, the Judas to my Jesus, damn glad he's still around and he'll make fun of me if he reads this but he really did save my life after a really bad break up.

I liked gay people before I knew they were gay. As a really little kid, our next door neighbors were two nurses who were "lifetime friends" and one of them was my best play buddy. We built forts for my GI Joe's, made a garden with carrots and everything and she helped me learn to ride a bike.

I was so lucky as a kid and young adult to know so many great people and they weren't great because they were gay, they were great because they were there for me.

And one of my step sons all time BEST teachers, totally the gay.

People need to know each other, then they'd see we all have something to offer to each others lives.

[defendandprotect]

31. Nice to know -- !!! From what I've heard we all have a 30% chance of having a

homosexual child -- that is, every couple has a 30% chance --

Must be much more common an event than we are given to understand?

[pipi_k]

34. As far as I know, I never had any gay uncles, but I've been thinking for a while that

I sure would love to have some gay male friends.

:)

[Diclotican]

35. alfredo

alfredo

I don't know if I spoil the 4 im uncle to.. But it is allways more easy to be little slack on rules and give them some more freedom, if you know you can get away with it in the end...

But for the most part I try to be the uncle who are both nice, but also not THAT nice, becouse my sister for the most are not that happy about me spoiling them to mutch...

But It is great to be an uncle too... My oldest is allmoust 13 year allready, and is in a years time longer than I am....

Diclotican

[alfredo]

40. Any family member must defer to the child's parent unless the child is in

danger. Being a good role model is the best thing you can do. Material items are secondary.

[Diclotican]

42. alfredo

alfredo

So true, its is best to try to be a good role model for the kids... And I hope I am that, it is maybe more important now, when the two oldest is beginning to be little curius about the world outside home to be that, a good role model that they can trust, and maybe even be given some advice to what to do. Specially maybe the oldest one, who also are an stubborn kid who are into more trouble than we can count:P.. But he is a nice boy, just a kid who usaly got into trouble... Rembember little of myself I guess..

And I trust both the parents to be as good as they can be I know they are in good hands, and are safe:)

Diclotican

[alfredo]

46. Now I am involved in grand nieces and nephews. Tiring.

Two nephews were being crushed by fundy parents. I tried to be a bit subversive with them using irreverent humor. The younger one is a closeted gay. There's a trickster buried deep inside him. I see the spark from time to time. He's been the most receptive to my humor. He loved the gift of Kerouac's "On the Road." My subversion consists of exposing them to ideas outside the small town, strict fundy upbringing. The older has bought into the program. The darkness is all over his face. He rarely smiles. The younger one likes an occasional beer, and has been seen laughing.

[Diclotican]

48. Alfredo

Alfredo

Sad to hear, it is important to learn kids enough, so they on their own can make it better than the parents, or other do.

Had an uncle, my fathers uncle who was rather conservative and deeply cristian, but what a humor he sometimes sparked out.. And he was also a great trickster if I had to say it.. He never got children, mostly becouse he could not married the woman he was in deep love with.. It was after world war two, and she was an german, it was a dead end even after a decade after the war... He never told to mutch about her, but i guess she must have been the love of his life... After that I belive him to somehow surive, but for many years it was a deep scar in him who never really healed.. But he was also a great uncle who was there and who was maybe more wice than I really understand when he was alive.. He was a great man, and a vice man too.. And he had an humor who sometimes got into tha air who could be both dry and good..

It is important to learn children, to understand a lot, even when it sometimes is a hard work ahead to do that.. Specially if you live in a smal town where the mind never really would grow on their own.. Hopefully I can learn my uncle kids something that is right as my uncle did it to me.. I just have to do it as I go I guess...

Wel you can still be a human, if you drink a beer sometimes or laught in public.. I can't understand why some belive it to be a sin to have a great time.. We are after all here to enjoy life and I strongly belive that a good laught is just to the best for us human.. Even animals do that sometimes... The cats I have had over the year sure had many fun times, with themselfs, or on behaf of their dum owner who sometimes did stupid thing... My tree kittens did that two year ago - when I stumbled on the poorch and was lying there as long as I was.. Tree small devils was standing there and just laughting theis ass off before they run to eatch corner... When the mom got in and dosent find the kittens I told her to get out becouse they are in the area.. A "MURR" from her, and the tre devils was standing there as under an comand.. I miss the devils, but could not have them becouse of allergy:puke:

We as humans, is there to also have a good time.. And I can't understand why some groups say that to have fun is wrong.. I agree that life is hard sometimes... But it is also places to have a good time, even when you dosen't drink at all.. Not alcoholic beverage to point that out.. I dosen't like it anyway, get allways so sick the next day... Oh wel, that was in my younger days:P

Diclotican

[alfredo]

49. It's important to show kindness to kids and animals. It's a measure of your

humanity.

BTW, I know some Norwegians speak Swedish, do you?
The reason I ask is my great uncle was a composer and wrote a song that was popular in Europe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdWycVumz2I&translated=1

As far as I know, he wasn't gay.

[Diclotican]

50. alfredo

alfredo

True, it is a meassure of the humanity.. And I hope I am kind to others... My cats at least belived me to a nice fellow I hope. At least they had a great time when they was with me.. Enough love, and enough compassion.. One of my cats even was following me to the work, or to be correct, to the road that I had to cross to the other side (I walked to work most of the time, its was cheaper and I got the walk) and she then waited when I was going home and was talking and jumping around me back home. And one time I was late she was furrious and was absolutely telling me what a stupid fellow I was who dosen't keept the time.. At one time when I was cocking myself some beef she was going around me and wanted some of it.. In the end she got her fair share of it, and in the end she was stuffed as a turky, and was laying at her back in the sofa, and I had to scratch her stomage becouse it was so full... She never begging for food for a looong time after that for some reason or another;)

Most norwigian understand swedish wel as we travel to sweden all the time.. Its like traveling to another parts of norway, even when the language is little different, and the road sign is different... Many in Norway have second homes in Sweden too, and for more than 50 year now, you could travel between denmar, sweden and norway without passport!. I cant speak swedish, but I can comunicate with a swedish withouth problems.. I speak norwigian, and they speak swedish, and it goes as it was the same language.. Some words is different, and some others have different meaning, but 90 percent of norwigian and swedish is similar and we can understand it withouth problems.

Never heard the song before this time im afraid.. But a nice song it was, even tho it is little dated:P

I like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofKk_Etapq4&NR=1 better... Specially at cristmas time.. It is a "cristmas song" so to say..

Diclotican

[alfredo]

52. My cat lived 22 years and was quite protective of me.

Here in the US it appears that a few decades from now we will be bilingual, English and Spanish. I think it will be good for us.

My grand uncle studied music in Russia then moved here to write and teach music. He's better known for his Ragtime songs. He wrote them under the name Mark Janza. I guess because he was a teacher it was unseemly for him to be a Ragtime composer.

[Stevenmarc]

37. Well they give us another outlet for shopping

[jmm]

41. How did I get stuck with 9 uncles and none of them are gay? (n/t)

[alfredo]

47. Any of them "confirmed bachelors"?