NEWS: CBC: Hands may reveal sexual orientation

[janet paterson <janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hands may reveal sexual orientation

WebPosted Wed Mar 29 17:11:40 2000

LONDON - A new study in the journal Nature suggests you can learn much about 
men and women by looking at their hands ? and using a ruler.

Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley based their study on a 
peculiar trait of human anatomy. Men tend to have shorter index fingers than 
ring fingers. In women, those two fingers tend to be about the same length.

Scientists believe that men's higher levels of androgens ? the male sex 
hormones such as testosterone found in both sexes ? produce this characteristic 
and other sex differences.

The researchers interviewed 720 adults at three street festivals in San 
Francisco, asking them their sexual orientation and measuring their fingers.

The fingers of lesbians were closer to the typical male's than the fingers of 
other women. According to researchers, this suggests higher levels of male sex 
hormones in early life for lesbians.

The study also found indirect evidence of a similar trait in gay men.

Backed by previous research, scientists found that men with older brothers were 
more often gay. They believe this is a result of increased levels of androgens 
in the womb for successive boys.

Researchers also showed those same men with older brothers also had relatively 
shorter index fingers ? the hormonal male pattern ? than other men.

This research backs previous studies that suggest biology does play a part in 
sexual orientation ? and not simply a choice or a result of environmental 
influences.

Scientists say the findings are scientifically valid only when applied to 
groups, not individuals.


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janet paterson
53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
a new voice: 
613 256 8340 PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario Canada K0A 1A0