CorrespondenceThe “female fertility–social stratification–hypergyny” hypothesis of male homosexual preference: factual, conceptual and methodological errors in Barthes et al. [Commentary]
Section snippets
Overview
Barthes, Godelle, and Raymond (2013, Evolution and Human Behavior, 34, 155–163) proposed a hypothesis to (1) identify the process by which genes influencing male homosexual preference (MHP) are passed on over evolutionary time, and (2) account for why life-course persistent MHP is restricted to humans. According to their hypothesis, certain genes lower reproductive success in male carriers by causing MHP, but these same genes promote fertility in female carriers (i.e., sexual antagonism).
Sexual antagonism and MHP
Barthes et al.’s hypothesis rests on the premise that sexually antagonistic genes promote elevated female fertility, which offsets the fitness costs associated with MHP. Yet, evidence supporting the existence of sexual antagonism in MHP is weaker than Barthes et al. lead the reader to believe. If genes underlying MHP have sexually antagonistic effects, then elevated reproduction by the aunts and sisters of homosexual males would constitute definitive supporting evidence. Elevated reproduction
Mathematical model
Barthes et al. presented a mathematical model indicating that their hypothesis was theoretically feasible. Yet, the hypothesis is feasible only insofar as the model’s postulates are likely to be true. The clear disjuncture between the postulates of the model and the existing empirical evidence raises doubt about this model’s real-world applicability. Thus, we view Barthes et al.’s use of mathematical models in the absence of careful consideration of empirical data as putting the cart before the
Concluding remarks
Critical problems in Barthes et al.’s article include: (1) tenuous empirical support for the tenets of their hypothesis, raising doubt about its plausibility and the real-world applicability of their mathematical model, and (2) conceptual and methodological flaws associated with the ethnological analysis that limit confidence in their claim that the presence of MHP is associated with greater social stratification. Until these problems are addressed in an adequate empirically based manner,
Supplementary Materials
The following are the Supplementary data to this article.
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