Sublime

Fisher argues that our ancient female ancestors benefited by getting another person to help feed them and their children. They traded sex for food, assistance, and protection. To gain the best and most protein for themselves and their children, women who could have the most sex survived and were the most fit to reproduce again. Their children also

Polygamy: individuals of one sex have just one reproductive partner, but individuals of the other sex have multiple partners. Subtypes include: Polygyny: (poly—many, gyn—female): One male and multiple females Polyandry: (poly—many, andr—male): One female and multiple males.

The polygyny in our evolutionary past shouldn’t surprise us—none of the other extant great ape species are monogamous.

What sets them apart is that bonobo females form tight social bonds with each other, even when they’re not related, cementing those relationships and easing tensions by rubbing their genitals together. These intimate social networks create power, locking out the possibility for individual males to dominate the group.

If you spend time with the primates closest to human beings, you’ll see female chimps having intercourse dozens of times per day, with most or all of the willing males, and rampant bonobo group sex that leaves everyone relaxed and maintains intricate social networks.

Promiscuity: members of both sexes have multiple partners (in humans this is sometimes called polyamory)