New Paper Out: Risky Courtship & Sexual Autonomy

Excited to share my new paper out in Biology and Philosophy.

Topic: The evolution of sexual autonomy and intriguing protective elements in courtship displays.

Bowerbird males create ‘safe spaces’ with their bower walls, allowing females to observe their courtship displays without risking unwanted fertilization. This protective feature might be just one example of a broader phenomenon across the animal kingdom, particularly in species that exhibit mate choice - including humans.

Challenge to the Standard View: Traditionally, female mate choice is seen as driven by indirect benefits like good genes or attractive partners, leading to 'sexy sons.' Currently, the avoidance of sexual coercion (through protective elements) is often interpreted within this framework, as an add-on to these indirect benefit models.

However, I argue that this approach is problematic. It's unnecessarily complex: females are expected to avoid the direct costs (like injury or worse) of sexual coercion whenever possible. My simple ecological bargaining model suggests that the interplay between a species' habitat and biology can determine the prevalence of sexual coercion.

For example, in volant birds (those that can fly), sexual coercion is rare because flight offers an inherent escape mechanism. In bowerbirds, where males need females to visit their ground displays, the bower might serve as a protective offer, ensuring females maintain their sexual autonomy.

Broader Implications: I review evidence from various species, including humans, and speculate on the textbook example of sexual selection, the peacock’s extravagant plumage. Traditionally seen as an indirectly selected handicap indicating good genes, it might be a handicap directly bargained for by the peahen. Rather than—or in addition to—showing off self-limitations to escape from predators or parasites, it might serve as a ‘mobile bower,’ limiting the male's behavioral freedom and therefore his ability to act like a ‘sexual predator’ during courtship.

To date, very few examples of protective courtship elements have been suggested, but they might be widespread. How do you think these ideas might apply to other species – perhaps even humans? Share your comments below!
​
Read the full paper: https://rdcu.be/dSbG7
Download the preprint  
AI-generated Podcast about the paper
#SexualAutonomy #MateChoice #Courtship #SexualCoercion