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Masturbation among birds is ‘natural’ and should not be punished, say experts (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world
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[–] 1 point 5 months ago (2 children)

Can you explain why a bird bonded to you from early childhood would also be sexually attracted to you? To humans in general I could understand but why to you, the "parent"? Are birds less opposed to incest?

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    There's a difference between incest and inbreeding. Opposition to incest, that is sex for pleasure among family members, is a moral position, and apparently unique to humans.

    Inbreeding, sex for reproduction, is blocked on a biological level more strongly in some species than others, but it still happens, of course.

    In humans, and perhaps other species, there is sometimes sexual disinterest in closely related family members, but this is not "opposition to incest", and certainly is not universal.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    Well yeah, inbreeding is what I meant. Didn't actually know there was a difference.

    Still, I've read that many animals prefer not to fuck/breed with relatives. Except some pigeons in cities apparently, they prefer their relatives if Wikipedia and my memory of that article is to be believed.

    Better phrasing would've probably been "Lack of sexual interest in family".

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