The Science of Gaydar

Posted by Alex in Medicine on July 13, 2007 at 2:45 am


If sexual orientation is biological, then are there other traits that correlate with gayness?

New York Magazine has an interesting article on the science of analyzing physical characteristics that society interprets as "gay-like." For example:

Statistically, for instance, gay men and lesbians have about a 50 percent greater chance of being left-handed or ambidextrous than straight men or women. The relative lengths of our fingers offer another hint: The index fingers of most straight men are shorter than their ring fingers, while for most women they are closer in length, or even reversed in ratio.

About 23 percent had counterclockwise hair whorls. In the general population, that figure is 8 percent.

… gay men, like straight women, have an increased density of fingerprint ridges on the thumb and the pinkie of the left hand; and overall their arms, legs, and hands are smaller relative to stature (among whites but not blacks)

Link – via electro^plankton


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9 comments to "The Science of Gaydar"

  1. dod
    July 13th, 2007 at 6:49 am

    wow this fails on every occasion, sure it says "gay-like" but big difference in my index finger, cant use my left hand for shit. the crowning on my head is clockwise and i am very tall (big limbs) and have really big hands that suit my build. also my finger prints are average. so far the only thing is straight woman. but thats just personal preference (plus the lesbians i know just dont like men what so ever, also for no reason)

  2. Jonathon Preiser
    July 13th, 2007 at 9:19 am

    I think im gay because I have nautical stars tattoo'd on my hips and heart & soul on my chest.

  3. Francisco Vargas
    July 13th, 2007 at 10:00 am

    I dont think i have small hands but i do have a small penis. does that mean anything?

  4. ted
    July 13th, 2007 at 1:05 pm

    This is as crackpot a theory as phrenology - the "science" of reading the bumps on your head.

    Or worse, like trying to sort people by race:

    Blacks: big penis and hands/ small brain
    Whites: Average penis and hands/ average brain
    Asian: little penis and hands/ big brain

  5. Vako
    July 13th, 2007 at 4:18 pm

    Three words. The first two don't count. Eugenics.

  6. MisterTrilby
    July 13th, 2007 at 6:43 pm

    Eugenics? I'll say. Now people know what to look for, everyone will be drowning the straight babies at birth.

  7. Alex
    July 14th, 2007 at 1:48 am

    So, how do gay people identify other gays ("gaydar")?

  8. Alex Baca
    July 19th, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    Well I'm gay, and I work with radars, I wish i had a gaydar

  9. Jimmy Chantakhune
    July 19th, 2007 at 2:49 pm

    I have a Gadar Reciever


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