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June 18, 2007
The Science of Gaydar, It's All In The Hair Whorl
New York magazine has an interesting article on sexual orientation can be tied to physical biological traits. For example, gay men are more likely than straight men to have a counter clockwise hair whorl.
Other clues are gay men and women have a 50% greater chance of being left handed. Another good one is gay men have longer fingers than straight men.
The late psychologist and sexologist John Money famously called these the details of our “gendermaps,” which he believed are drawn primarily by life’s experience and social conditioning. Money planted some of the earliest flags in the nature-versus-nurture war by claiming that dysfunctional parents, not inborn biology, is what produced “sissy boys,” tomboys, and other gender variants. But today, the pendulum has swung just about as far in the other direction as possible. A small constellation of researchers is specifically analyzing the traits and characteristics that, though more pronounced in some than in others, not only make us gay but also make us appear gay.
Gives new meaning if a gay man asks to see your head.
. . . Gone to check my hair whorl, be back later.
Posted by tranism at 2:57 PM | Permalink
Comments
I've definitely noticed the prevalence of left-handedness among gays and lesbians. I'm a lefty myself!
Posted by: Teresa at June 18, 2007 5:16 PM
Hmmnn My Copy of New York Magazine arrived the other day and I hadn't read it yet... Weird but about the index and ring finger lengths...
Posted by: Charlie at June 19, 2007 10:21 AM
I'm right handed and have long fingers .. but i dont know my hair whorl! Plus i know plenty of lefties that are straight ...
Posted by: Kasey at June 19, 2007 2:09 PM
my hair goes clockwise. i did a little dance with my camera just now.
I had just finished reading the article on the subway when i saw you had posted this on your blog.
Posted by: gjc at June 21, 2007 11:22 AM
I don't even have hair! haha
Posted by: NiCo at May 8, 2008 11:06 AM
To be quite honest, I think the hair thing isn't true. The "Whorl" as you call it could just be in the way the hair stylist cuts it, depending on which hand they cut with.
Posted by: De-Lo at July 10, 2008 6:35 PM
another stupid EEUU shit
Posted by: dam EEUU at August 20, 2008 7:24 AM
That's quite interesting, I'm a lesbian and am right handed myself. I'm not sure what my hair whorl is like.
Haha I sure do have an exceptionally well working gaydar though.
Posted by: Featherz at October 27, 2008 1:05 AM