Handedness is a biomarker of variation in anal sex role behavior and Recalled Childhood Gender Nonconformity among gay men

Developmental theories of the biological basis of sexual orientation suggest that sexually differentiated psychological and behavioural traits should be linked with sexual orientation. Subgroups of gay men delineated by anal sex roles differ according to at least one such trait: gender expression. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	PloS one 2017-02, Vol.12 (2), p.e0170241-e0170241
Main Authors:	Swift-Gallant, Ashlyn, Coome, Lindsay A, Monks, D Ashley, VanderLaan, Doug P
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult Anal intercourse Anal sex Analysis Analysis of Variance Androgens Archives & records Asymmetry Biology and Life Sciences Biomarkers Birth order Brain research Child Children Cognitive style Computer and Information Sciences Conformity Females Festivals Functional Laterality - genetics Functional Laterality - physiology Gay men Gays & lesbians Gender Gender differences Gender Identity Gender nonconforming Genetics Handedness Homosexuality, Male - genetics Humans Left- and right-handedness Male Males Men Mens health Neurosciences People and Places Personality traits Physical Sciences Psychological aspects Psychology Questionnaires Research and Analysis Methods Sex Sex Differentiation - physiology Sex role Sexual behavior Sexual Behavior - physiology Sexual Behavior - psychology Sexual orientation Siblings Social Sciences Subgroups Testosterone - metabolism Variation Women
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Summary:	Developmental theories of the biological basis of sexual orientation suggest that sexually differentiated psychological and behavioural traits should be linked with sexual orientation. Subgroups of gay men delineated by anal sex roles differ according to at least one such trait: gender expression. The present study assessed the hypothesis that handedness, a biologically determined sexually differentiated trait, corresponds to differences in subgroups of gay men based on anal sex role. Furthermore, it assessed whether handedness mediates the association between gender nonconformity and male sexual orientation. Straight and gay men (N = 333) completed the Edinburgh Inventory of Handedness and the Recalled Childhood Gender Nonconformity Scale. Gay men also completed measures of anal sex role preference. As in previous studies, gay men showed greater non-right-handedness and gender nonconformity than straight men. Also, among gay men, bottoms/versatiles (i.e., gay men who take a receptive anal sex role, or who take on both a receptive and insertive anal sex role) were more gender-nonconforming than tops (i.e., gay men who take an insertive anal sex role). In support of the hypothesis, bottoms/versatiles were more non-right-handed than tops and handedness mediated the male sexual orientation and anal sex role differences in Recalled Childhood Gender Nonconformity. Together, these findings suggest that developmental processes linked to handedness underpin variation among men in sexual orientation and gender nonconformity as well as variation among subgroups of gay men that are delineated by anal sex roles.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203