Gender nonconformity of identical twins with discordant sexual orientations: Evidence from childhood photographs.

Watts, Tuesday M.; Holmes, Luke; Raines, Jamie; Orbell, Sheina; Rieger, Gerulf

doi:10.1037/dev0000461

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(95 reference statements)

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“…We did collect data on gender nonconformity and computed correlations with finger length ratios. Gender nonconformity was measured using standardized questionnaires (Rieger, Linsenmeier, Gygax, & Bailey, 2008) in addition to observer ratings of gender nonconformity as seen in photographs of participants (Watts et al, 2018). Correlations between self-reported and observer rated gender nonconformity and 2D:4D were weak and not significant (results not shown).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…The majority of non-straight twins openly identified as such. Perhaps non-straight individuals who are "out" are more likely to show gender nonconformity (a correlate of homosexuality; Lippa, 2005;Watts, Holmes, Raines, Orbell, & Rieger, 2018), because their expression makes it more difficult to be closeted about their sexual orientation. If gender nonconformity links to sexatypical digit ratios, then perhaps individuals who are "out" and participated were also biased toward sex-atypical digit ratios.…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations

et al. 2018

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A proposed marker of prenatal androgen exposure is the ratio of the index finger to ring finger (2D:4D). Within each sex, this ratio may be lower for those who were exposed to higher levels of androgens and become attracted to women, as compared to those who were exposed to lower levels of androgens and become attracted to men. We examined these patterns in identical twins with discordant sexual orientations. Because these twins are genetically identical, differences in prenatal androgen exposure, as reflected in their different finger length ratios, might contribute to their discordance. For 18 female twin pairs, non-straight (bisexual or lesbian) twins had significantly lower, or more masculinized, 2D:4D ratios than their straight co-twins, but only in the left hand. For 14 male pairs, non-straight twins had, contrary to our prediction, more masculinized finger length ratios than straight co-twins, but this difference was not significant. A reanalysis of present and previous data (Hall & Love, 2003; Hiraishi, Sasaki, Shikishima, & Ando, 2012) suggested that these patterns were robust. Furthermore, males had more masculinized 2D:4D ratios than females. This sex difference did not vary by sexual orientation.

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Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations

et al. 2018

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“…We hope that our results will encourage research to elucidate their precise nature. Watts et al (2018) .59 (19) -.18 (24) Dawood et al (2000) .54 (29) Coefficients for concordant pairs are from the multiple regression predicting the first homosexual brother's childhood and adult gender nonconformity scores from the second brother's respective scores, controlling for the first brother's birth year and educational level. Coefficients for discordant pairs are from the multiple regression predicting heterosexual brothers' childhood and adult gender nonconformity scores from homosexual brother's respective scores, controlling for heterosexual brothers' birth year and educational level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Familiality of Gender Nonconformity Among Homosexual Men

et al. 2020

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Gender nonconformity-both in childhood and in adulthood-is a strong correlate of male sexual orientation, with homosexual men showing greater gender nonconformity during both periods. Gender nonconformity also tends to be markedly variable, with some homosexual men being more feminine, or less masculine, than others. We replicated large differences in self-reported childhood and adult gender nonconformity between homosexual and heterosexual men. Subsequently, we examined the extent to which homosexual men's variation in gender nonconformity runs in families by examining pairs of genetic brothers who were either both homosexual (concordant pairs) or had different sexual orientations (discordant pairs). Both concordant and discordant pairs yielded modest positive correlations consistent with moderate genetic and/or familial environmental effects on gender nonconformity. Our results support the feasibility of supplementing genetic studies of male sexual orientation with analyses of gender nonconformity variation.

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“…Homosexual women are more masculine (and less feminine) than heterosexual women in their self-reported behaviors and interests (Lippa, 2005). Furthermore, others perceive homosexual women as more masculine than heterosexual women, based on the way they appear, sound, or move; and this observable difference emerges in their early childhood (Johnson et al, 2007;Rieger et al, 2010;Watts et al, 2018b). We predicted such differences in masculinity-femininity, dependent on women's sexual orientation, in the present work (Hypothesis 4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Sexual Orientation, Sexual Arousal, and Finger Length Ratios in Women

et al. 2021

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In general, women show physiological sexual arousal to both sexes. However, compared with heterosexual women, homosexual women are more aroused to their preferred sex, a pattern typically found in men. We hypothesized that homosexual women’s male-typical arousal is due to their sex-atypical masculinization during prenatal development. We measured the sexual responses of 199 women (including 67 homosexual women) via their genital arousal and pupil dilation to female and male sexual stimuli. Our main marker of masculinization was the ratio of the index to ring finger, which we expected to be lower (a masculine pattern) in homosexual women due to increased levels of prenatal androgens. We further measured observer- and self-ratings of psychological masculinity–femininity as possible proxies of prenatal androgenization. Homosexual women responded more strongly to female stimuli than male stimuli and therefore had more male-typical sexual responses than heterosexual women. However, they did not have more male-typical digit ratios, even though this difference became stronger if analyses were restricted to white participants. Still, variation in women's digit ratios did not account for the link between their sexual orientation and their male-typical sexual responses. Furthermore, homosexual women reported and displayed more masculinity than heterosexual women, but their masculinity was not associated with their male-typical sexual arousal. Thus, women’s sexual and behavioral traits, and potential anatomical traits, are possibly masculinized at different stages of gestation.

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Gender nonconformity of identical twins with discordant sexual orientations: Evidence from childhood photographs.

Cited by 13 publications

References 44 publications

Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations

Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations

Familiality of Gender Nonconformity Among Homosexual Men

Sexual Orientation, Sexual Arousal, and Finger Length Ratios in Women

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