Psychometric and Faciometric Support for Observable Facial Feminization in Gay Men

Though male homosexuality appears to be evolutionarily paradoxical, phenotypic feminization has been offered as a route for three current models positing a genetic basis for male homosexuality. We tested whether facial feminization is observable in gay men in two studies. In Study 1, using two compo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of homosexuality 2019-02, Vol.66 (3), p.349-367
Main Authors: Robertson, Julia M, Kingsley, Barbara E, Ford, Gina C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Cues
Face
Female
Femininity
Feminization
Gays & lesbians
Gender stereotypes
Genetics
Heterosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Internet
Male
Masculinity
Men
Phenotype
Psychometrics
Quantitative psychology
Stereotypes
Stereotyping
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Summary:Though male homosexuality appears to be evolutionarily paradoxical, phenotypic feminization has been offered as a route for three current models positing a genetic basis for male homosexuality. We tested whether facial feminization is observable in gay men in two studies. In Study 1, using two composite images of gay and of heterosexual men, naive participants (N = 308) rated the "gay" face more highly on stereotypically feminine traits and actual femininity and the "heterosexual" face more highly on stereotypically masculine traits and actual masculinity. In Study 2, faciometrics of 428 Internet images of gay (N = 219) and heterosexual men were analyzed along six sexually dimorphic ratios. The faciometrics of gay men were more feminine, both in gestalt terms and for five of the six individual traits. The studies offer objective support for a more feminized facial phenotype in gay males that is difficult to explain through cultural or behavioral cues.
ISSN:0091-8369
1540-3602
DOI:10.1080/00918369.2017.1411692