Assuming that homoerotic behavior as a dimension characterizes humans and many animal species, there must be an evolutionary based reason for it: Nature does not waste resources, and hence if a template for a behavioral propensity has evolved in numerous species there must be benefits. Research presented in Outing The TRUTH About Sexual Orientation has shown multiple benefits for homoerotic behavior varying over different species including:
-Proceptivity enhancement, meaning that homoerotic stimulation assists the individual in heteroerotic sex.
-Receptivity reduction whereby the stimulated partner wastes sexual energy, leaving more reproductive opportunities for the initiator of this strategy.
-Greater success in defending a nest or territory, necessary for successful rearing of offspring.
-Expression of sexual receptivity in females.
-Dominance assertion involving the communicating of dominant-submissive relationship standing.
-Practice for heterosexual copulation.
-Tension reduction.
-Reconciliation.
-Alliance formation.
Research focusing on primates reveals that alliance formation, tension reduction, and reconciliation stand out for these species, and presumably humans. For example, same-sex contact increases in same-sex settings such as prisons and boarding schools, to foster protective alliances, and also ease tensions and reconcile conflicts. Heteroerotic contact can also provide these benefits, and of course it fosters reproduction.