All laughter aside, I’m embarrassed for Ezekiel Mutua’s ignorance. I’m fearful for any gay person in Kenya who will be subject to his authority over any policies that might affect them. If we’ve learned anything from past atrocities done to our fellow man, they start with absurd notions, like Mr. Mutua’s belief that you will become gay by associating with gays or that therapy can cure someone of being gay or that lions’ sexual behaviour is in any way motivated by or similar to the far more complex, psychosexual make-up of humans. While Trevor focuses on mocking (justifiably so) the absurd homophobia, I want to take the opportunity to educate. So I wrote this.
Procreation is not the only natural/valid function of or use of the sexual organs nor is it the only reason sexual activity happens in the animal kingdom, particularly among the more intelligent, more socially sophisticated of the mammalian species like great apes, great cats, dolphins, canines, and monkeys. These apex/higher mammals often intentionally give and receive sexual stimulation and do so with the same and opposite sex, completely outside the breeding season. Remember, these are the same mammals with enough sentience and intelligence to enjoy play, develop friendships within and outside their species, communicate in their own way, use tools, solve puzzles and even be trained perform tasks for us. Do you really think, they have not figured out (even if not cognitively so) that sexual stimulation feels good and benefits them individually and collectively too?
Viruses, bacteria or insects only need to exist just long enough to procreate and that is all there is to their species’ survival. Apex/higher mammals of higher intelligence who demonstrate more sophisticated social organisation and culture require much more than feeding and replication to be successful as a species. In fact, there are apex/higher mammals who exist in societies where not every member of group gets to procreate, because it is neither necessary nor advantageous to the group for every single sexually mature member to be breeding altogether, all at once. Wolves and wild dogs only allow one breeding pair per group, the alphas with the best genes. All the others contribute to the society in other ways like helping babysit, hunt and protect. This ensures there are always more guardians than infants.
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| Lots of babysitters to look after the cub. |
The cooperation, inclusion, protection and mutually affectionate relationships with others in a society are equally if not more crucial to the survival of the new life born to a selected few. How to create such a community with minimum conflict and maximum cooperation? Well, it helps if there was something that encourages social bonding, improves mood and relieves stress. Something powerful and mutually pleasurable. Something instinctive and easy to give and receive. Something like, well, sexual pleasure. Best of all the benefits occur regardless of whether the stimulation is self-induced or with the same or opposite sex. Want some examples?
Bonobos (pigmy chimpanzees) are known for being the more peaceful cousin of the chimpanzee. One of their secrets is copious amounts of mutual sexual stimulation. While their chimp cousins go on murder sprees and are constantly fighting and squabbling, bonobos are enjoying all kinds of congress. Female bonobos are renown for using sex as a way to make-up after fight by rubbing vulvas together. They also use sex to peacefully settle arguments over food.
Dolphins in the wild, move as one in almost seamless corporation and communication. They too are known for having sex recreationally regardless of gender. They have even learned to adapt certain sexual roles to ease cohesion. For example, weaned but still, juvenile male dolphins are emancipated by their mothers and driven out of the female pod and have to go in search of a bachelor pod. However, the older males in a bachelor pod can be very territorial, unwelcoming and aggressive to male newcomers. So, when the young male dolphin finds a bachelor pod, he instinctively starts acting like a female that wants to mate. He acts playful, coy and submissive and engages in mating behaviour which tricks the older males into welcoming him into their gang. Dolphins Spy In The Pod, BBC (Available on Netflix if you have it)
Bonobos (pigmy chimpanzees) are known for being the more peaceful cousin of the chimpanzee. One of their secrets is copious amounts of mutual sexual stimulation. While their chimp cousins go on murder sprees and are constantly fighting and squabbling, bonobos are enjoying all kinds of congress. Female bonobos are renown for using sex as a way to make-up after fight by rubbing vulvas together. They also use sex to peacefully settle arguments over food.
Dolphins in the wild, move as one in almost seamless corporation and communication. They too are known for having sex recreationally regardless of gender. They have even learned to adapt certain sexual roles to ease cohesion. For example, weaned but still, juvenile male dolphins are emancipated by their mothers and driven out of the female pod and have to go in search of a bachelor pod. However, the older males in a bachelor pod can be very territorial, unwelcoming and aggressive to male newcomers. So, when the young male dolphin finds a bachelor pod, he instinctively starts acting like a female that wants to mate. He acts playful, coy and submissive and engages in mating behaviour which tricks the older males into welcoming him into their gang. Dolphins Spy In The Pod, BBC (Available on Netflix if you have it)
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| Dolphins have a clear distinction between sex for procreation and sex for pair-bonding and pleasure. Breeding females come and go but one's same-sex partners are for life! |
In fact, for many species of dolphin, their bros are their “ride or die” ocean homies, hunting, roaming, playing together for life. Whether in pairs, a trio or a pod, they cooperate with each other, even helping each other mate with any visiting females who are ovulating and in the mood, instead of violently competing over them. In fact, male pair bonding and cooperation instead of competing with each over the proverbial pussy is a major survival strategy for other apex/higher mammals too.
Nothing disturbs the peace of a group; causes mayhem, maiming, and murder quite like when males go crazy with testosterone in response to a female in heat. They get violent and fight for mating rights, dominance, often maiming and killing each other and anyone that gets in the middle of their melee. Violence between males competing over females often kills more of their own than external predators. Baby seals are often crushed in the violent conflict between male elephant seals. Male chimpanzees and lions fighting over females will even target the rival male’s cubs.
This brings us back to these “gay” Kenyan lions. There are incidents where two male lions instead of fighting over a pride of females can harmoniously live together if one agrees to submit to the other male. This is often demonstrated by one male allowing the other to mount him. This often happens when two lion brothers run a pride together. Instead of fighting and killing each other and each other’s nephews, they can both live longer and contribute to the strength of the group. Now you have two males helping protect, babysit and hunt for the group. More cubs survive and if one male sibling dies, his brother is there as a back-up that shares familial/genetic ties and can protect the pride. Now outsider males who will certainly kill his brother’s cubs are kept at bay. Everyone wins!
Nothing disturbs the peace of a group; causes mayhem, maiming, and murder quite like when males go crazy with testosterone in response to a female in heat. They get violent and fight for mating rights, dominance, often maiming and killing each other and anyone that gets in the middle of their melee. Violence between males competing over females often kills more of their own than external predators. Baby seals are often crushed in the violent conflict between male elephant seals. Male chimpanzees and lions fighting over females will even target the rival male’s cubs.
This brings us back to these “gay” Kenyan lions. There are incidents where two male lions instead of fighting over a pride of females can harmoniously live together if one agrees to submit to the other male. This is often demonstrated by one male allowing the other to mount him. This often happens when two lion brothers run a pride together. Instead of fighting and killing each other and each other’s nephews, they can both live longer and contribute to the strength of the group. Now you have two males helping protect, babysit and hunt for the group. More cubs survive and if one male sibling dies, his brother is there as a back-up that shares familial/genetic ties and can protect the pride. Now outsider males who will certainly kill his brother’s cubs are kept at bay. Everyone wins!
These animals are far less intelligent, far less complex in their psychology and hierarchy of needs than humans are. Yet they have figured out how to utilize sexual pleasure, sexual roles and sexual behaviour for their benefit in ways that go beyond reproduction. Homo sapiens, the most intelligent, complex, creative and sophisticated ape on the planet is far too advanced to be having sex just/only for reproduction. In fact, our desire for intimacy and orgasm (alone or with another consenting adult Homo sapien) happens regardless of reproductive cycles, fertility or even desire to procreate. Sexual pleasure serves other functions in our lives. More importantly, look at where we fit into earth’s eco-system.
We are not bottom of the food chain (e.g. wilder beasts or krill) that needs to exist in mass numbers, mindlessly and collectively breeding en masse to feed apex predators. Millions of krill die to feed one whale and thousands of antelope die to support one lion pride. It takes trillions of other species both plant and animal to die to support 7 Billion + Homo sapiens (and rapidly growing despite the existence of and increased rights of LGBT people) especially if we live in an urban, developed society. WE ARE THE PLANET’S APEX PREDATOR. This natural order means our numbers should never exceed what the planet can sustainably feed. We’ve long past the threshold our planet can support. So much so, it’s not just plants and animals dying to keep us alive but other human beings are dying as well, dying in destructive food chains of imperialism, war, consumerism and greed just to support a certain standard of living. We are at the point of cannibalizing ourselves.
We are not bottom of the food chain (e.g. wilder beasts or krill) that needs to exist in mass numbers, mindlessly and collectively breeding en masse to feed apex predators. Millions of krill die to feed one whale and thousands of antelope die to support one lion pride. It takes trillions of other species both plant and animal to die to support 7 Billion + Homo sapiens (and rapidly growing despite the existence of and increased rights of LGBT people) especially if we live in an urban, developed society. WE ARE THE PLANET’S APEX PREDATOR. This natural order means our numbers should never exceed what the planet can sustainably feed. We’ve long past the threshold our planet can support. So much so, it’s not just plants and animals dying to keep us alive but other human beings are dying as well, dying in destructive food chains of imperialism, war, consumerism and greed just to support a certain standard of living. We are at the point of cannibalizing ourselves.
At this current juncture, our survival on this planet does not depend on increasing QUANTITY OF HUMAN LIVES to feed into this destructive food chain. Our focus should be on humanely and with ecological responsibility increasing QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE for existing Homo Sapiens and the 360,000 new ones born every day. Yes, 360,000 new human beings were born today! Do you really think that number needs to go up or down? Well, ask yourself, of that number, how many were planned for, welcomed and born into a society where they have sufficient guardians putting their best interest at heart? How many will have all their human needs (food, shelter, clothing, education, health) met and experience peace, inclusion, safety, cooperation, contribution, affection within societies living in balance with their eco-system? This is where our obsession and vigilance should be directed. Not in the bedrooms of consenting adult humans or lions.
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