Besides heterosexual contact, both male and female bonobos engage in same-sex encounters, and even group sex occurs. When bonobo groups meet in the forest, they greet each other, bond sexually, and share food instead of fighting. Likewise, almost any conflict between bonobos is eased by sexual activity, grooming, or sharing food. Like humans, bonobo females are sexually receptive throughout most of their estrus cycle. Generally, the ranking males in chimp society get the girls.
Male chimps make macho displays to impress females and can be quite vehement in their demands.
Consequently, chimp females do not have much control over who they mate with. Bonobo males tend to be a bit more polite. They ask first, by displaying themselves in a persuasive but non-aggressive manner, offering food or making other propositions and bonobo females have the right to refuse. The sexual aspect of bonobo behavior is best understood in the context of bonobo culture. Sex does not necessarily mean the same thing to a bonobo that it does to a human.