The Science of Gaydar

[Slartibartfast]

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First of all, I have to say that it is a poorly written article that meanders on and rarely gets to the point. So instead of quotes, I will just show the graphs. Ultimately this is article explore other physical markers that are associated with gay males.

EXAMPLE A: Hair Whorl (Men)
Gay men are more likely than straight men to have a counterclockwise whorl.
Photographs by Mark Mahaney

EXAMPLE B: Thumbprint Density (Male)
Gay men and straight women have an increased density of fingerprint ridges on the thumb and pinkie of the left hand.

EXAMPLE C: Digit Proportions (Female)
The index fingers of most straight men are shorter than their ring fingers, and for most women they are the same length or longer. Gay men and lesbians tend to have reversed ratios.

EXAMPLE D: Hand Dexterity (Male)
Gay men and lesbians have a 50 percent greater chance of being left-handed or ambidextrous than their straight counterparts.

Another tidbit from the article that I found interesting is that 75% of tested males had a recognizable "gay" accent when another person listened from a recording.

So the question I will submit to the forum is "do you think these correlations should be considered when arguing whether homosexuality is primarily nature or nurture?"

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

Um, no.

Both my parents, very straight, were left-handed, and they produced 3 right-handed children (of whom 2 were straight and one was bisexual).

 

[Slartibartfast]

Um, no.

Both my parents, very straight, were left-handed, and they produced 3 right-handed children (of whom 2 were straight and one was bisexual).

I am also a lefty with a reverse swirl on my head, but I am not gay. There is rarely a 1 or -1 correlation when dealing with genetics and if you thought that was the point than I think you missed the point of the post.

The point is that there is a likelihood of correlation between what may be purely be behavioral and physical traits means there is likely a physical componant to homosexuality, but it won't be there in all cases of course.

 

[Gipper]

That's why there will never be a gay arm wrestling champion.

 

[Slartibartfast]

That's why there will never be a gay arm wrestling champion.

Left Handed Armwrestling

 

[Gipper]

My money's still on the breeders.

 

[Your Star]

Nothing but unscientific babble.

 

[1069]

I have another one: I heard that about 68% of gay men prefer strawberry ice cream, as opposed to heterosexual men, who overwhelmingly prefer chocolate. :roll:


This reminds me of the now-debunked pseudoscience of Phrenology. :lol:

 

[Slartibartfast]

Nothing but unscientific babble.

While I wish that the link would cite the specific studies that it was mentioning, why would you say that this is unscientific? Is it because of the failure to cite or is it something else?

I have another one: I heard that about 68% of gay men prefer strawberry ice cream, as opposed to heterosexual men, who overwhelmingly prefer chocolate. :roll:


This reminds me of the now-debunked pseudoscience of Phrenology. :lol:

I would view a preference for a flavor of icecream as something that is more learned. The way the hair on your head grows is not learned. If you are going to ridicule, you should at least go along with the theme.

 

[Slartibartfast]

I found the study about finger length

Homosexuality and finger length

They seem to be attributing to exposure to androgenic steroid exposure in the womb.

Ultimately, I think this goes back to nature vs nurture. If sexual orientation was solely nurture, than physical indicators (like your fingers) would never have any correlation to anything while if it is nature, than it is possible that there will be other links.

I guess one concern is though that if some sort of physical proof positive is found, than some idiot will try and use that information to harm people.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

A much better way to detect gayness. :2razz: