What is your opinion on this? (Physical differences between gays and straights)

[The Joker]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation#Physiological

Physiological

Some studies have found correlations between physiology of people and their sexuality. These studies provide evidence which they claim suggests that:

* Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.[48]
* Gay men and straight women have, on average, equally proportioned brain hemispheres. Lesbian women and straight men have, on average, slightly larger right brain hemispheres.[49]
* The VIP SCN nucleus of the hypothalamus is larger in men than in women, and larger in gay men than in heterosexual men.[50]
* The average size of the INAH-3 in the brains of gay men is approximately the same size as INAH 3 in women, which is significantly smaller, and the cells more densely packed, than in heterosexual men's brains.[28]
* The anterior commissure is larger in women than men and was reported to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[27] but a subsequent study found no such difference.[51]
* Gay men's brains respond differently to fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.[52]
* The functioning of the inner ear and the central auditory system in lesbians and bisexual women are more like the functional properties found in men than in non-gay women (the researchers argued this finding was consistent with the prenatal hormonal theory of sexual orientation).[53]
* The suprachiasmatic nucleus was found by Swaab and Hopffman to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[54] the suprachiasmatic nucleus is also known to be larger in men than in women.[55]
* The startle response (eyeblink following a loud sound) is similarly masculinized in lesbians and bisexual women.[56]
* Gay and non-gay people emit different underarm odors.[57]
* Gay and non-gay people's brains respond differently to two human sex pheromones (AND, found in male armpit secretions, and EST, found in female urine).[58][24][59]
* One region of the brain (amygdala) is more active in gay men than non-gay men when exposed to sexually arousing material.[60]
* Finger length ratios between the index and ring fingers may be different between non-gay and lesbian women.[53][61][62][63][64][65]
* Gay men and lesbians are significantly more likely to be left-handed or ambidextrous than non-gay men and women;[66][67][68] Simon LeVay argues that because "[h]and preference is observable before birth[69]... [t]he observation of increased non-right-handness in gay people is therefore consistent with the idea that sexual orientation is influenced by prenatal processes," perhaps heredity.[28]
* A study of 50 gay men found 23% had counterclockwise hair whirl, as opposed to 8% in the general population. This may correlate with left-handedness.[70]
* Gay men have increased ridge density in the fingerprints on their left thumbs and pinkies.[70]
* Length of limbs and hands of gay men is smaller compared to height than the general population, but only among white men.[70]

[MoveAlong]

All of these make sense to me, there being a difference in physiology between gays and straights. I believe that homosexuality is a natural thing. It helps support the claim that being gay is not a choice.

But it confuses me a little, why the subtle things are different, and their reasons (the hair whirl, the dominant hand).

However, the key word in the first point, "Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.", is report. They could easily lie or exaggerate. Also, gay men are more interested in penises (just saying), so maybe more gay men are reporting, because they found that survey and decided to submit their answer, too.

[The Joker]

However, the key word in the first point, "Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.", is report. They could easily lie or exaggerate. Also, gay men are more interested in penises (just saying), so maybe more gay men are reporting, because they found that survey and decided to submit their answer, too.

I actually agree with this, I found it kinda odd.

[guacamole24]

* Gay and non-gay people emit different underarm odors.[57]

Really? I always thought I smelled like everyone else. So I guess if you had a good sense of differentiating smells, you could very easily tell if someone is gay or not.

[dbeazy791]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation#Physiological

Physiological

Some studies have found correlations between physiology of people and their sexuality. These studies provide evidence which they claim suggests that:

* Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.[48]
* Gay men and straight women have, on average, equally proportioned brain hemispheres. Lesbian women and straight men have, on average, slightly larger right brain hemispheres.[49]
* The VIP SCN nucleus of the hypothalamus is larger in men than in women, and larger in gay men than in heterosexual men.[50]
* The average size of the INAH-3 in the brains of gay men is approximately the same size as INAH 3 in women, which is significantly smaller, and the cells more densely packed, than in heterosexual men's brains.[28]
* The anterior commissure is larger in women than men and was reported to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[27] but a subsequent study found no such difference.[51]
* Gay men's brains respond differently to fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.[52]
* The functioning of the inner ear and the central auditory system in lesbians and bisexual women are more like the functional properties found in men than in non-gay women (the researchers argued this finding was consistent with the prenatal hormonal theory of sexual orientation).[53]
* The suprachiasmatic nucleus was found by Swaab and Hopffman to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[54] the suprachiasmatic nucleus is also known to be larger in men than in women.[55]
* The startle response (eyeblink following a loud sound) is similarly masculinized in lesbians and bisexual women.[56]
* Gay and non-gay people emit different underarm odors.[57]
* Gay and non-gay people's brains respond differently to two human sex pheromones (AND, found in male armpit secretions, and EST, found in female urine).[58][24][59]
* One region of the brain (amygdala) is more active in gay men than non-gay men when exposed to sexually arousing material.[60]
* Finger length ratios between the index and ring fingers may be different between non-gay and lesbian women.[53][61][62][63][64][65]
* Gay men and lesbians are significantly more likely to be left-handed or ambidextrous than non-gay men and women;[66][67][68] Simon LeVay argues that because "[h]and preference is observable before birth[69]... [t]he observation of increased non-right-handness in gay people is therefore consistent with the idea that sexual orientation is influenced by prenatal processes," perhaps heredity.[28]
* A study of 50 gay men found 23% had counterclockwise hair whirl, as opposed to 8% in the general population. This may correlate with left-handedness.[70]
* Gay men have increased ridge density in the fingerprints on their left thumbs and pinkies.[70]
* Length of limbs and hands of gay men is smaller compared to height than the general population, but only among white men.[70]

I think this is crazy and dangerous. Stuff like this can be used to separate people and reinforce differences when people need to realize that we are all equal. This same type of thing happened prior to and during Nazi Germany with the Jews and the general German population. And it's happened to black people in the past to justify slavery and racism. Basically, I think if these differences do exist, they must be highlighted as healthy differences and not things that are used to oppress a certain type of people...

[MoveAlong]

I think this is crazy and dangerous. Stuff like this can be used to separate people and reinforce differences when people need to realize that we are all equal. This same type of thing happened prior to and during Nazi Germany with the Jews and the general German population. And it's happened to black people in the past to justify slavery and racism. Basically, I think if these differences do exist, they must be highlighted as healthy differences and not things that are used to oppress a certain type of people...
I don't see how they aren't healthy differences. They do have a few scientific evidence supporting them, though.

Really? I always thought I smelled like everyone else. So I guess if you had a good sense of differentiating smells, you could very easily tell if someone is gay or not.
Maybe whoever wrote the article messed up a little bit. Sure, men smell, and men smell. But maybe they're talking about pheromones.

[Chill_dude]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation#Physiological

Physiological

Some studies have found correlations between physiology of people and their sexuality. These studies provide evidence which they claim suggests that:

* Gay men report, on an average, slightly longer and thicker penises than non-gay men.[48]
* Gay men and straight women have, on average, equally proportioned brain hemispheres. Lesbian women and straight men have, on average, slightly larger right brain hemispheres.[49]
* The VIP SCN nucleus of the hypothalamus is larger in men than in women, and larger in gay men than in heterosexual men.[50]
* The average size of the INAH-3 in the brains of gay men is approximately the same size as INAH 3 in women, which is significantly smaller, and the cells more densely packed, than in heterosexual men's brains.[28]
* The anterior commissure is larger in women than men and was reported to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[27] but a subsequent study found no such difference.[51]
* Gay men's brains respond differently to fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.[52]
* The functioning of the inner ear and the central auditory system in lesbians and bisexual women are more like the functional properties found in men than in non-gay women (the researchers argued this finding was consistent with the prenatal hormonal theory of sexual orientation).[53]
* The suprachiasmatic nucleus was found by Swaab and Hopffman to be larger in gay men than in non-gay men,[54] the suprachiasmatic nucleus is also known to be larger in men than in women.[55]
* The startle response (eyeblink following a loud sound) is similarly masculinized in lesbians and bisexual women.[56]
* Gay and non-gay people emit different underarm odors.[57]
* Gay and non-gay people's brains respond differently to two human sex pheromones (AND, found in male armpit secretions, and EST, found in female urine).[58][24][59]
* One region of the brain (amygdala) is more active in gay men than non-gay men when exposed to sexually arousing material.[60]
* Finger length ratios between the index and ring fingers may be different between non-gay and lesbian women.[53][61][62][63][64][65]
* Gay men and lesbians are significantly more likely to be left-handed or ambidextrous than non-gay men and women;[66][67][68] Simon LeVay argues that because "[h]and preference is observable before birth[69]... [t]he observation of increased non-right-handness in gay people is therefore consistent with the idea that sexual orientation is influenced by prenatal processes," perhaps heredity.[28]
* A study of 50 gay men found 23% had counterclockwise hair whirl, as opposed to 8% in the general population. This may correlate with left-handedness.[70]
* Gay men have increased ridge density in the fingerprints on their left thumbs and pinkies.[70]
* Length of limbs and hands of gay men is smaller compared to height than the general population, but only among white men.[70]

Mmmm I don't think this applys for everyone not everyone :yeah:

[Zazu]

If correlations can be found, they can be found.

In the nicest possible way, I couldn't really give a fuck. We're all human beings. We all have consciousness. We all share love. That's all that counts.

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

I think it's stupid, as if there aren't enough stereotype surrounding homosexual people.
We don't really need to add physical differences into the mix : P

[Zazu]

Disregard post.

[niko0202]

WTF this is just some stupid people trying to seperate gays from the "normal" population Pfff Whatever!

[Raptor22]

WTF this is just some stupid people trying to seperate gays from the "normal" population Pfff Whatever!

I dont think thats what they are doing at all.

There are too many people that believe that homosexuality is a choice and that gays are gay because they want to be. Studies like this help to actually point to a biological reason that some people are gay, and some people arent. It helps to prove to homophobes that homosexuals are natural component of the world...

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

I dont think thats what they are doing at all.

There are too many people that believe that homosexuality is a choice and that gays are gay because they want to be. Studies like this help to actually point to a biological reason that some people are gay, and some people arent. It helps to prove to homophobes that homosexuals are natural component of the world...

...or just alienate them more from normal society

Plus there are other implication of that, if being gay really has a biological reason, then shouldn't other things that are assumed to be by choice actually just be biologically determinded. Like personality, love, even sentience? Maybe everything we do is determinded by our biological makeup.

I think pursuing topics like this is stupid, why would it matter? There are always going to be people who dislike others because they're different, and finding more differences isn't going to help.

[The Joker]

I'd rather have someone be mad at me for being different (which I don't care about at all) versus someone saying I made a choice when I didn't.

[MoveAlong]

I think pursuing topics like this is stupid, why would it matter? There are always going to be people who dislike others because they're different, and finding more differences isn't going to help.

Yes, but curious people are going to dig deeper and deeper and ask questions that some people don't want answered or don't cared to be answered anyways.

[Captor K]

I've heard about most of those things listed, especially concerning the hypothalamus and such (search "gay brain"). I have a pretty average penis, and so I obviously wouldn't say I had a nine-inch dingus when I don't. I'm not that shallow. I wasn't aware about the underarm odors. It doesn't describe the difference of the smells, though, but I guess that doesn't too much matter. Stinky underarm is stinky.

Finger length ratio checked out for me. I think if the ring finger is longer than the index, you're supposed to be gay or something. I've heard it phrased the other way too (so I had "straight" fingers), so I'm not really sure which is which. Can't say I'm all that concerned.

I'm not left-handed, but there are some things that I do much better with my left than with my right. I don't think I qualify as ambidextrous. My hair whirl is clockwise, so I've been told.

Interesting findings, nevertheless. Just not sure how much of it applies to me.

[ontarioboy]

what does it matter anyway?

[Billy15]

If true, would this not confirm that gays are born gay and that it is genetic rather then
chosen or fabricated as some would like to believe?

[karnivore]

Is any of this information even credible? The link is to wikipedia...

[The Joker]

If true, would this not confirm that gays are born gay and that it is genetic rather then
chosen or fabricated as some would like to believe?

That's a big part of why I posted it.

Is any of this information even credible? The link is to wikipedia...

Not this crap again. Wikipedia has TONS of staff members, if someone were to mess around with the page, it's reverted back immediately. Almost all of their information has sources.

[Dorsum Oppel]

I think this is crazy and dangerous. Stuff like this can be used to separate people and reinforce differences when people need to realize that we are all equal. This same type of thing happened prior to and during Nazi Germany with the Jews and the general German population. And it's happened to black people in the past to justify slavery and racism. Basically, I think if these differences do exist, they must be highlighted as healthy differences and not things that are used to oppress a certain type of people...

WTF this is just some stupid people trying to seperate gays from the "normal" population Pfff Whatever!

...or just alienate them more from normal society

Plus there are other implication of that, if being gay really has a biological reason, then shouldn't other things that are assumed to be by choice actually just be biologically determinded. Like personality, love, even sentience? Maybe everything we do is determinded by our biological makeup.

I think pursuing topics like this is stupid, why would it matter? There are always going to be people who dislike others because they're different, and finding more differences isn't going to help.

A minority will only be treated as a minority as long as they treat themselves like a minority.