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VanderLaan DP, Skorska MN, Peragine DE, Coome LA. Carving the Biodevelopment of Same-Sex Sexual Orientation at Its Joints. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:2939-2962. [PMID: 35960401 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sexual orientation is a core aspect of human experience and understanding its development is fundamental to psychology as a scientific discipline. Biological perspectives have played an important role in uncovering the processes that contribute to sexual orientation development. Research in this field has relied on a variety of populations, including community, clinical, and cross-cultural samples, and has commonly focused on female gynephilia (i.e., female sexual attraction to adult females) and male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to adult males). Genetic, hormonal, and immunological processes all appear to influence sexual orientation. Consistent with biological perspectives, there are sexual orientation differences in brain development and evidence indicates that similar biological influences apply across cultures. An outstanding question in the field is whether the hypothesized biological influences are all part of the same process or represent different developmental pathways leading to same-sex sexual orientation. Some studies indicate that same-sex sexually oriented people can be divided into subgroups who likely experienced different biological influences. Consideration of gender expression in addition to sexual orientation might help delineate such subgroups. Thus, future research on the possible existence of such subgroups could prove to be valuable for uncovering the biological development of sexual orientation. Recommendations for such future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Malvina N Skorska
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Diana E Peragine
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Coome
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
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2
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Heterosexual men's pupillary responses to stimuli depicting cisgender males, cisgender females, and gynandromorphs. Biol Psychol 2023; 178:108518. [PMID: 36801358 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Gynandromorphophilia is the sexual attraction and arousal to feminine individuals assigned male at birth, who may or may not have breasts, and who retain their penises. Previous research has suggested that some capacity for gynandromorphophilia may characterize all males who are gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted and aroused to adult cisgender females). This study examined Canadian cisgender gynephilic men's (n = 65) pupillary responses and subjective ratings of sexual arousal when presented with nude images of cisgender males, cisgender females, and gynandromorphs with, and without, breasts. Subjective arousal to cisgender females was highest, followed by subjective arousal to gynandromorphs with breasts, gynandromorphs without breasts and cisgender males. However, subjective arousal to gynandromorphs without breasts and to cisgender males did not differ significantly. Participants' pupils dilated more to images of cisgender females than to all other stimulus categories. Participants' pupils dilated more to gynandromorphs with breasts than to cisgender males, but pupillary response to gynandromorphs without breasts and cisgender males did not differ significantly. If the capacity for gynandromorphophilic attraction is a cross-culturally invariant aspect of male gynephilia, then these data suggest that this capacity may only extend to gynandromorphs with breasts and not gynandromorphs without breasts.
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Kostic B, Scofield JE. Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Sexuality and Mate Choice Criteria. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:2855-2865. [PMID: 35590034 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has documented several reliable differences between men and women in terms of mate preferences regarding age, physical appearance, financial prospects, and more. However, most of the research has been on heterosexual populations. The current study attempted to further explore those differences in non-heterosexual populations. The project was part replication regarding heterosexual populations and part exploratory regarding non-heterosexual populations. The sample contained 3298 participants, including 1863 males (1675 gynephiles, 56 androphiles, 132 bisexuals) and 1435 females (1037 androphiles, 33 gynephiles, 365 bisexuals). Participants responded to questions about mate preferences in terms of good financial prospects, good looks, chastity, ambition/industriousness, youth/age, uncommitted sex, visual sexual stimuli, status, physical attractiveness, jealousy, and interest in short- versus long-term mating. Results replicated typical sex differences between heterosexual men and women in all measures we analyzed. We also found several instances when bisexual respondents were more different from heterosexual respondents than homosexual respondents (specifically regarding interest in uncommitted sex, the importance of chastity, and interest in short-term mating). Despite limitations in data collection, the results demonstrate that homosexual and bisexual individuals do not always form a heterogenous group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Kostic
- Department of Psychology, Missouri State University, 901 S. National Ave., Springfield, MO, 65897, USA.
| | - John E Scofield
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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Semenyna SW, Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL. Intra- and Intersexual Mate Competition in Two Cultures : A Comparison of Women's Response to Mate Competition with Women and Gender-Nonbinary Males in Samoa and among the Istmo Zapotec. HUMAN NATURE (HAWTHORNE, N.Y.) 2022; 33:145-171. [PMID: 35657538 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-022-09424-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The present study examined women's mate competition tactics in response to female and feminine-male rivals in two cultures in which competition against both occurs. In Samoa and the Istmo Zapotec (Southern Mexico), women not only compete with other women (intrasexually) but also compete with rival feminine males (intersexually) in order to access/retain the same masculine men as sexual/romantic partners. Using a mixed-method paradigm, women were asked about their experiences of intra- and intersexual mate competition, and these narratives were recorded. The tactics reportedly employed by participants, and those attributed to mate competitors, were categorized according to established taxonomies of mate competition tactics, and their frequencies compared. Within-culture, the likelihood that participant women had ever experienced intra- and intersexual mate competition did not differ. Furthermore, participants reported a similar pattern of behavioral tactics whether their rival was another woman or a feminine male. These included benefit provisioning tactics during mate acquisition and cost-inflicting tactics during mate retention. Similarly, the mate competition tactics attributed to rival women and rival feminine males bore a striking resemblance, focused on enticing target men. Results highlight the mate competition tactics employed by women outside of a Euro-American context, and the way cultural factors impact mating landscapes presumed to be exclusively heterosexual. The presence of feminine males, alongside masculine men's willingness to engage in sexual activity with them, induces women in such cultures to compete intersexually in comparable ways to intrasexual competition with rival women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, SA8394, Science & Academic Building 4401 University Drive, T1K 3M4, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Francisco R Gómez Jiménez
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, SA8394, Science & Academic Building 4401 University Drive, T1K 3M4, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, SA8394, Science & Academic Building 4401 University Drive, T1K 3M4, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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5
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Vytniorgu R. Effeminate Gay Bottoms in the West: Narratives of Pussyboys and Boiwives on Tumblr. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2022:1-22. [PMID: 35285776 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2022.2048167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Recent discussions of gay male bottom identity have been cautious about positioning bottoms in relation to a gendered identity, and thereby colluding with stereotypes about gay bottoms being effeminate and effeminate gays being bottoms. In wider LGBTQ media in Europe and North America there is an effort to destigmatize effeminate gay men in a dating culture that privileges "masc4masc." While this is welcome, it obscures the existence of effeminate gay bottom fantasies that are gender stratified and which insist on a connection between sex role preference, sex object choice, and gender presentation. This paper analyses sexual fantasy narratives on the social media platform, Tumblr, and interrogates a deep structure of gender-stratified male androphilia that finds thematic similarities in non-Western settings, where "egalitarian" or Western "gay" expressions of male same-sex unions compete with traditional "heterogender" forms. It concludes by reaffirming the need to consider gender positionality among gay bottoms' narratives in Western contexts, and for further research on Western gay men to recognize the heterogeneity of gay identities and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Vytniorgu
- Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health (Department of English and Film), University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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6
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Gómez Jiménez FR, Vasey PL. Kin-directed altruism and the evolution of male androphilia among Istmo Zapotec Muxes. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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8
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Coome LA, Skorska MN, VanderLaan DP. Direct Reproduction and Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity in Thailand. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:2449-2460. [PMID: 32885360 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01830-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Human same-sex sexual attraction is considered to be an evolutionary paradox. This paradox rests on same-sex attracted individuals having lowered direct reproduction, indicating reduced direct fitness of genes that influence same-sex attraction. Yet, relatively few empirical studies have examined the relation between same-sex sexual attraction and direct reproduction. The present study examined direct reproduction (i.e., number of children produced) in a diverse Thai sample (N = 1623) of heterosexual men and women, gay and bisexual men, and lesbian and bisexual women, as well as unique Thai gender categories: sao praphet song (i.e., feminine androphilic third-gender males), toms (i.e., masculine gynephilic third-gender females), and dees (i.e., feminine females who are sexually attracted to toms). In males, heterosexual men were more likely to have produced children than other groups, especially as they aged, and none of the gay men or sao praphet song reported having children. In females, there was some degree of reproduction in each of the groups considered. On average, heterosexual and bisexual women had similar numbers of children, whereas heterosexual women had significantly more children than lesbian women, toms, and dees. Number of children was significantly positively associated with age among heterosexual women, bisexual women, toms, and dees. With age, the discrepancies in average number of children produced between heterosexual women and each of lesbian women and toms became significantly more pronounced. Discussion focuses on how these findings, in conjunction with those of prior studies, inform our understanding of evolutionary selection pressures related to human same-sex sexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Coome
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Malvina N Skorska
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Skorska MN, Coome LA, Saokhieo P, Kaewthip O, Chariyalertsak S, VanderLaan DP. Handedness and Birth Order Among Heterosexual Men, Gay Men, and Sao Praphet Song in Northern Thailand. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:2431-2448. [PMID: 32623540 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01774-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has examined handedness and birth order to inform sexual orientation and gender identity/role expression development; however, sexual orientation and gender identity/role expression have rarely been disentangled to provide a more nuanced perspective. In Thailand, we investigated sexual orientation and gender identity simultaneously via comparison of 282 heterosexual men, 201 gay men, and 178 sao praphet song-i.e., androphilic, markedly feminine males recognized as a "third" gender. Handedness was examined as: extremely left-handed, moderately left-handed, ambidextrous, moderately right-handed, or extremely right-handed. Birth order was examined as numbers of older and younger brothers and sisters, by using Berglin's, fraternal, and sororal indices, and by examining the older brother odds ratio and sibling sex ratio. Compared with heterosexual men, gay men and sao praphet song were more likely to be extremely right-handed. Sao praphet song were also more likely to be extremely left-handed than heterosexual and gay men. Heterosexual men and sao praphet song had later sororal birth order compared with the expected Thai population value, suggesting stopping rules influenced when probands' mothers ceased having children. These findings provide new insights and replicate previous findings in a non-Western sample. Regarding handedness, in males, mechanisms related to extreme right-handedness likely influence the development of androphilia, whereas mechanisms related to both extreme right- and extreme left-handedness likely explain the combination of androphilia and feminine gender identity/role expression. Regarding birth order, similar to the conclusions of some prior research, stopping rules pose a challenge for testing the fraternal birth order effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malvina N Skorska
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Coome
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Pongpun Saokhieo
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Oranitcha Kaewthip
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Suwat Chariyalertsak
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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10
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Hunt CJ, Morandini J, Dar-Nimrod I, Barlow FK. Why Do Some Gay Men Identify as "Straight-Acting" and How Is It Related to Well-Being? ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:1713-1723. [PMID: 32319034 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01702-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Recent literature has described the phenomenon of "straight-acting" gay men: gay men who identify with traditional heteronormative masculinity. The current study examined predictors of "straight-acting" identification in gay men and how identifying as straight-acting relates to well-being. A sample of Australian gay men (N = 966) provided self-report data on two potential predictors of straight-acting identity: self-perceived masculinity and internalized homophobia. A path analysis assessed how these variables related to straight-acting identification. While masculine self-presentation positively predicted well-being and internalized homophobia negatively predicted well-being, straight-acting identification, which positively correlated with both, did not independently predict either psychological distress or physical well-being. Analyses further suggested that internalized homophobia had particularly deleterious effects among gay men who were more feminine. Implications for clinical and public health interventions among gay men are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Morandini
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Ilan Dar-Nimrod
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
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11
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Meyer-Bahlburg HFL. "Diagnosing" Gender? Categorizing Gender-Identity Variants in the Anthropocene. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2019; 48:2027-2035. [PMID: 30607711 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-018-1349-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, two interrelated major controversies have been unfolding in the area of sex/gender research. (1) Are gender-identity variants to be understood as psychopathology or natural variation? (2) Is gender (and perhaps even sex) better conceptualized as binary or non-binary? The answer depends on the conceptual context and related considerations of utility. In the context of evolutionary biology, marked variants of sex and gender decrease reproductive success and are, thereby, deemed pathologic. In the present era of the anthropocene, however, the material conditions underlying the traditional division of labor between the sexes and the role of reproductive success have dramatically changed. These changes decrease the psychosocial importance of the binary gender distinction, provide more freedom for non-binary gender expression and identity formation, and render the distinction of pathologic and non-pathologic less useful, unless gender dysphoria develops secondary to a psychiatric condition. Although most people state their gender identity in the form of a nominal category, most self-report or interview-based ratings and multi-item scales of gender expression and/or identity show continuous distributions, either unimodal-asymmetric or bimodal, depending on whether they are designed for one or both of the traditional genders. Similarly, the rating scales of androgen-influenced variants of the genitalia-usually designed for one of the traditional sexes-typically represent a unipolar-asymmetric continuum. However, the binary gender system remains the primary framework against which individuals evaluate themselves. For those who develop gender dysphoria, assistance by mental-health service providers continues to be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heino F L Meyer-Bahlburg
- Department of Psychiatry, NYS Psychiatric Institute, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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12
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Gómez FR, Semenyna SW, Court L, Vasey PL. Familial patterning and prevalence of male androphilia among Istmo Zapotec men and muxes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192683. [PMID: 29466410 PMCID: PMC5821324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to other adult males) is known to cluster within families. Some studies demonstrate that male androphilia clusters in both the paternal and maternal familial lines, whereas other studies demonstrated that it clusters only in the latter. Most of these studies were conducted in Euro-American populations where fertility is low and the sexual orientation of male relatives can sometimes be difficult to ascertain. These two factors can potentially confound the results of such studies. To address these limitations, we examined the familial patterning of male androphilia among the Istmo Zapotec of Oaxaca, Mexico--a high fertility, non-Euro-American population where androphilic males are known locally as muxes, a third gender category. The Istmo Zapotec recognize two types of muxes--muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu--who typify the transgender and cisgender forms of male androphilia, respectively. We compared the familial patterning of male androphilia between muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu, as well as between gynephilic men and muxes (both cisgender and transgender forms combined). Istmo Zapotec muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu exhibit similar familial patterning of male androphilia. Overall, muxes were characterized by significantly more muxe relatives than gynephilic men. This familial patterning was equivalent in both the paternal and maternal lines of muxes. The population prevalence rate of male androphilia was estimated to fall between 3.37-6.02% in the Istmo Zapotec. This is the first study that has compared cisgender and transgender androphilic males from the same high fertility population and demonstrated that the two do not differ with respect to the familial patterning of male androphilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco R. Gómez
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Scott W. Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lucas Court
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paul L. Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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Valentova JV, Varella MAC, Bártová K, Štěrbová Z, Dixson BJW. Mate preferences and choices for facial and body hair in heterosexual women and homosexual men: influence of sex, population, homogamy, and imprinting-like effect. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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14
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Rind B. Hebephilia and Other Chronophilic Puzzles. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:47-51. [PMID: 27815644 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0889-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
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15
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VanderLaan DP, Petterson LJ, Vasey PL. Elevated Kin-Directed Altruism Emerges in Childhood and Is Linked to Feminine Gender Expression in Samoan Fa'afafine: A Retrospective Study. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:95-108. [PMID: 27987088 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0884-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Androphilia refers to sexual attraction toward adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction toward adult females. The kin selection hypothesis posits that androphilic males help kin increase their reproductive output via kin-directed altruism, thus offsetting their own lowered reproduction and contributing to the fitness of genes underpinning male androphilia. Support for this hypothesis has been garnered in several Samoan studies showing that feminine androphilic males (known locally as fa'afafine) report elevated willingness to invest in nieces and nephews in adulthood. Also, recalled childhood kin attachment and concern for kin's well-being are elevated among Canadian androphilic males (i.e., gay men) and positively associated with childhood feminine gender expression. This study examined whether these childhood patterns were cross-culturally consistent and associated with adulthood kin-directed altruism in a Samoan sample. Samoan gynephilic men, androphilic women, and fa'afafine (N = 470) completed measures of recalled childhood kin attachment and concern for the well-being of kin, recalled childhood gender expression, and willingness in adulthood to invest in nieces and nephews. Fa'afafine recalled elevated anxiety due to separation from kin relative to men and elevated concern for kin's well-being relative to both men and women. Within groups, these characteristics were most robustly associated with childhood feminine gender expression and willingness in adulthood to invest in nieces and nephews among fa'afafine. These findings are consistent with the kin selection hypothesis and the adaptive feminine phenotype model, which proposes that a disposition toward elevated kin-directed altruism among androphilic males is associated with feminine gender expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Deerfield Hall, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Underserved Populations Research Program, Child, Youth and Family Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Lanna J Petterson
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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16
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Hames R, Garfield Z, Garfield M. Is Male Androphilia a Context-Dependent Cross-Cultural Universal? ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:63-71. [PMID: 28028666 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0855-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 08/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The cross-cultural ethnographic literature has traditionally used the label male "homosexuality" to describe sexual relationships between biological males without considering whether or not the concept encompasses primary sexual attraction to adult males. Although male androphilia seems to be found in all national populations, its universal existence in tribal populations has been questioned. Our goal is to review previous cross-cultural classifications and surveys of male same sex behavior to present a system that does justice to its varied expressions, especially as it is informed by contemporary sexuality research. Previous comparative research does not effectively distinguish male same sex behavior from male androphilia. Using the standard cross-cultural sample (SCCS) as a sampling frame and the ethnographic sources in the human relations area files and elsewhere, we present distributional data on various forms of male same sex behavior. The SCCS is useful because it is designed to be representative of all historically known social formations and the sample is designed to reduce similarities as a consequence of common descent or historical origin as well as reduce the probability of diffusion of sociocultural practices from one culture to another. Our results show that male same sex behavior as well as male androphilia is much more common than previously estimated in the SCCS. With our findings, we make an argument that male androphilia is a context-dependent cross-cultural universal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond Hames
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA.
| | - Zachary Garfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington-Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA
| | - Melissa Garfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington-Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA
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17
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Stief M. The Sexual Orientation and Gender Presentation of Hijra, Kothi, and Panthi in Mumbai, India. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:73-85. [PMID: 27878410 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0886-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cultural categories related to sexuality and gender vary considerably cross-culturally. While Western cultures categorize people primarily in terms of sexual attractions (i.e., gay, straight, bisexual), many cultures distinguish between groups based on additional issues such as gender role presentation and position preference in anal sex (i.e., insertive/receptive). The current study gathered data on three categories of natal males in Mumbai, India-hijra, kothi, and panthi (N = 93). Hijra are androphilic (sexually attracted to adult men), typically sexually receptive, transgender, sometimes castrated, and live in fictive kinship networks that are hierarchically organized. Kothi are also androphilic, typically sexual receptive and relatively feminine but less so than hijra; unlike hijra, kothi are never castrated. Hijra and kothi were understood by some participants to be mutually compatible, and so three groups were identified-those endorsing hijra only (n = 11), kothi only (n = 22), and both hijra and kothi (n = 22). Panthi (n = 38) are the masculine insertive partners of hijra and kothi. Measures employed were self-report and viewing time measures of sexual attraction, sexual behavior and position preference, self-described masculinity/femininity, recalled childhood gender atypicality, gendered occupational preferences, and gender presentation milestones (i.e., wearing female clothes, castration). All hijra and kothi groups were found to be exclusively androphilic in viewing time and self-reported sexual attractions, and to be gender-atypical on all measures. Panthi were found to be relatively male-typical and to have a bisexual pattern of viewing time and self-reported sexual attractions. Kothi were found to be less extreme in their female typicality and to report less female gender presentation milestones than hijra or hijra/kothi. Most hijra and hijra/kothi and all kothi said that they were not castrated. Contrary to the manner in which they are socially defined, a third of panthi report having been receptive in anal sex, and a third of all hijra and kothi groups report having been insertive at some time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Stief
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, G77 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Petterson LJ, Wrightson CR, Vasey PL. Recalled Gendered Behavior in Childhood: A Comparison of Androphilic Men, Gynephilic Men, and Androphilic Women in Japan. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:119-127. [PMID: 27527875 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0781-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2013] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The current study tested the hypothesis that men who are androphilic (sexually attracted to adult men) in a non-Western, developed country-Japan-would recall engaging in more female-typical behavior, and less male-typical behavior, in childhood, compared to men who are gynephilic (sexually attracted to adult women). Androphilic men, androphilic women, and gynephilic men (N = 302) responded to the Female-Typical Behavior Subscale and the Male-Typical Behavior Subscale of the Childhood Gender Identity Scale, which asked participants to recall their childhood behavior. Results indicated that gynephilic men scored highest on the Male-Typical Behavior Subscale and lowest on the Female-Typical Behavior Subscale. Androphilic women scored the highest on the Female-Typical Behavior Subscale and lowest on the Male-Typical Behavior Subscale. Androphilic men scored intermediately for both the Male- and Female-Typical Behavior Subscales. The results supported the hypothesis that Japanese androphilic men would recall greater gender-nonconforming childhood behavior compared to gynephilic men. These results further reinforce the conclusion that childhood gender-nonconforming behavior is a cross-culturally universal aspect of psychosexual life course development in androphilic men. We discuss why this may be the case, as well as why cross-cultural variation occurs in the magnitude with which recalled childhood gender nonconformity is reported by androphilic males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanna J Petterson
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Chelsea R Wrightson
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
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Bailey JM, Vasey PL, Diamond LM, Breedlove SM, Vilain E, Epprecht M. Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science. Psychol Sci Public Interest 2016; 17:45-101. [DOI: 10.1177/1529100616637616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Summary Ongoing political controversies around the world exemplify a long-standing and widespread preoccupation with the acceptability of homosexuality. Nonheterosexual people have seen dramatic surges both in their rights and in positive public opinion in many Western countries. In contrast, in much of Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Oceania, and parts of Asia, homosexual behavior remains illegal and severely punishable, with some countries retaining the death penalty for it. Political controversies about sexual orientation have often overlapped with scientific controversies. That is, participants on both sides of the sociopolitical debates have tended to believe that scientific findings—and scientific truths—about sexual orientation matter a great deal in making political decisions. The most contentious scientific issues have concerned the causes of sexual orientation—that is, why are some people heterosexual, others bisexual, and others homosexual? The actual relevance of these issues to social, political, and ethical decisions is often poorly justified, however.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Eric Vilain
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles
- Joint International Unit on Epigenetics, Data, and Politics, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Marc Epprecht
- Department of History, Queen’s University
- Department of Global Development Studies, Queen’s University
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Semenyna SW, Vasey PL. The Relationship between Adult Occupational Preferences and Childhood Gender Nonconformity among Samoan Women, Men, and Fa’afafine. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2016; 27:283-95. [DOI: 10.1007/s12110-016-9258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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VanderLaan DP, Petterson LJ, Vasey PL. Femininity and Kin-Directed Altruism in Androphilic Men: A Test of an Evolutionary Developmental Model. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2016; 45:619-633. [PMID: 26597647 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-015-0632-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal toward males whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal toward females. This study tested the adaptive feminine phenotype model of the evolution of male androphilia via kin selection, which posits that the development of an evolved disposition toward elevated kin-directed altruism among androphilic males is contingent on the behavioral expression of femininity. Gynephilic men, androphilic women, and androphilic men (N = 387) completed measures of childhood and adulthood gender expression and concern for kin's well-being. Adulthood femininity correlated positively with uncle/aunt-like tendencies among androphilic men and women. Although androphilic women reported greater willingness to invest in nieces and nephews than gynephilic and androphilic men, mediation analyses indicated that adult femininity completely mediated these group differences. In addition, changes in the expression of femininity between childhood and adulthood were associated with parallel changes in concern for the well-being of kin among androphilic men. Thus, these findings suggest that femininity is key to the expression of kin-directed altruism among androphilic males and may have been important in the evolution of male androphilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Deerfield Hall, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Underserved Populations Research Program, Child, Youth and Family Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Lanna J Petterson
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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Hsu KJ, Rosenthal AM, Miller DI, Bailey JM. Who are gynandromorphophilic men? Characterizing men with sexual interest in transgender women. Psychol Med 2016; 46:819-827. [PMID: 26498424 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291715002317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gynandromorphophilia (GAMP) is sexual interest in gynandromorphs (GAMs; colloquially, shemales). GAMs possess a combination of male and female physical characteristics. Thus, GAMP presents a challenge to conventional understandings of sexual orientation as sexual attraction to the male v. female form. Speculation about GAMP men has included the ideas that they are homosexual, heterosexual, or especially, bisexual. METHOD We compared genital and subjective sexual arousal patterns of GAMP men with those of heterosexual and homosexual men. We also compared these groups on their self-ratings of sexual orientation and sexual interests. RESULTS GAMP men had arousal patterns similar to those of heterosexual men and different from those of homosexual men. However, compared to heterosexual men, GAMP men were relatively more aroused by GAM erotic stimuli than by female erotic stimuli. GAMP men also scored higher than both heterosexual and homosexual men on a measure of autogynephilia. CONCLUSIONS Results provide clear evidence that GAMP men are not homosexual. They also indicate that GAMP men are especially likely to eroticize the idea of being a woman.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Hsu
- Department of Psychology,Northwestern University,Evanston, IL,USA
| | - A M Rosenthal
- Department of Psychology,Northwestern University,Evanston, IL,USA
| | - D I Miller
- Department of Psychology,Northwestern University,Evanston, IL,USA
| | - J M Bailey
- Department of Psychology,Northwestern University,Evanston, IL,USA
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Vasey PL, VanderLaan DP, Hames R, Jaidee A. A Problematic Test of the Kin Selection Hypothesis Among the Urak-Lawoi of Ko Lipe, Thailand: Commentary on Camperio Ciani, Battaglia, and Liotta (2015). JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2016; 53:149-152. [PMID: 26752766 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2015.1115808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Camperio Ciani et al. argued that the Urak-Lawoi people of Ko Lipe island live in a "traditional," "subsistence primitive society" reminiscent of the "ancestral" human past and that their socio-cultural situation is "remarkably similar" to Samoa. On this basis, they asserted that the Ko Lipe Urak-Lawoi are an appropriate population for determining the role that kin selection played in the evolution of male androphilia. The purpose of this commentary is to outline some of our concerns with this characterization and with the statistical analyses conducted by Camperio Ciani et al. in their study of the Urak-Lawoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul L Vasey
- a Department of Psychology , University of Lethbridge
| | | | - Raymond Hames
- c Department of Anthropology , University of Nebraska , Lincoln
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Barthes J, Crochet PA, Raymond M. Male Homosexual Preference: Where, When, Why? PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134817. [PMID: 26267276 PMCID: PMC4534200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Male homosexual preference (MHP) has long been of interest to scholars studying the evolution of human sexuality. Indeed, MHP is partially heritable, induces a reproductive cost and is common. MHP has thus been considered a Darwinian paradox. Several questions arise when MHP is considered in an evolutionary context. At what point did MHP appear in the human evolutionary history? Is MHP present in all human groups? How has MHP evolved, given that MHP is a reproductively costly trait? These questions were addressed here, using data from the anthropological and archaeological literature. Our detailed analysis of the available data challenges the common view of MHP being a "virtually universal" trait present in humans since prehistory. The conditions under which it is possible to affirm that MHP was present in past societies are discussed. Furthermore, using anthropological reports, the presence or absence of MHP was documented for 107 societies, allowing us to conclude that evidence of the absence of MHP is available for some societies. A recent evolutionary hypothesis has argued that social stratification together with hypergyny (the hypergyny hypothesis) are necessary conditions for the evolution of MHP. Here, the link between the level of stratification and the probability of observing MHP was tested using an unprecedented large dataset. Furthermore, the test was performed for the first time by controlling for the phylogenetic non-independence between societies. A positive relationship was observed between the level of social stratification and the probability of observing MHP, supporting the hypergyny hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Barthes
- Human Evolutionary Biology Team, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre-André Crochet
- CNRS-UMR 5175, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France
| | - Michel Raymond
- Human Evolutionary Biology Team, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- CNRS-UMR 5554, Institute of Evolutionary Sciences, Montpellier, France
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Camperio Ciani A, Battaglia U, Liotta M. Societal Norms Rather Than Sexual Orientation Influence Kin Altruism and Avuncularity in Tribal Urak-Lawoi, Italian, and Spanish Adult Males. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2015; 53:137-148. [PMID: 26132515 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2014.993748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Homosexual males could balance their low fitness by increasing benefits to relatives either through kin-directed altruism or by avuncularity (altruistic behavior toward the children of siblings). Evidence in support of kin selection and avuncularity includes the fact that homosexuals seem to be more empathic and altruistic than heterosexuals. Other studies have not confirmed behaviors that increase kin altruism in homosexuals. We explored altruistic behavior and avuncularity in a sample of 278 subjects, either homosexual or heterosexual, from three populations: Italian, Spanish, and Urak-Lawoi, a Southeast Asian tribal population. Among the Urak-Lawoi, the kathoeys, androphilic men who dress and behave as women, were compared with heterosexuals. All populations were rated for societal norms on the expression of affiliative behavior. No greater kin altruism or avuncularity among the kathoeys or in homosexuals in either Mediterranean population was found. Greater avuncularity and kin-directed altruism, independent of sexual orientation, were found among the Urak-Lawoi, and these traits were the least prevalent among the Italians, corresponding to different societal norms. The increase in kin altruism and avuncularity was associated in all males with societal differences and norms on general altruism toward nonkin children, suggesting it is not an adaptive design to maintain homosexuality in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Camperio Ciani
- a Laboratory of Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy, and Applied Psychology , University of Padova
| | - Umberto Battaglia
- a Laboratory of Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy, and Applied Psychology , University of Padova
| | - Marina Liotta
- a Laboratory of Evolutionary Psychology, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy, and Applied Psychology , University of Padova
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Petterson LJ, Dixson BJ, Little AC, Vasey PL. Viewing time measures of sexual orientation in Samoan cisgender men who engage in sexual interactions with fa'afafine. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116529. [PMID: 25679961 PMCID: PMC4332507 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Androphilia refers to attraction to adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to attraction to adult females. The current study employed self-report and viewing time (response time latency) measures of sexual attraction to determine the sexual orientation of Samoan cisgender men (i.e., males whose gender presentation and identity is concordant with their biological sex) who engage in sexual interactions with transgender male androphiles (known locally as fa’afafine) compared to: (1) Samoan cisgender men who only engage in sexual interactions with women, and (2) fa’afafine. As expected, both measures indicated that cisgender men who only engaged in sexual interactions with women exhibited a gynephilic pattern of sexual attraction, whereas fa’afafine exhibited an androphilic one. In contrast, both measures indicated that cisgender men who engaged in sexual interactions with fa’afafine demonstrated a bisexual pattern of sexual attraction. Most of the cisgender men who exhibited bisexual viewing times did not engage in sexual activity with both men and women indicating that the manner in which bisexual patterns of sexual attraction manifest behaviorally vary from one culture to the next.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanna J. Petterson
- Laboratory of Comparative Sexuality, Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Barnaby J. Dixson
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anthony C. Little
- Behaviour & Evolution Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Paul L. Vasey
- Laboratory of Comparative Sexuality, Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Canada
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Vasey PL, VanderLaan DP. Evolving research on the evolution of male androphilia. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN SEXUALITY 2014. [DOI: 10.3138/cjhs.23.3-co1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult females. The manner in which male androphilia is expressed varies cross-culturally. Sex-gender congruent male androphiles occupy the gender role typical of their sex, behave in a relatively masculine manner, and identify as “men.” In contrast, transgendered male androphiles often behave in a highly effeminate manner and identify as neither “men,” nor “women.” Instead, they typically identify as members of a third gender. Despite exhibiting different gender role presentations and gender identities, both forms of male androphilia share numerous biodemographic and developmental correlates, indicating that they have a common etiological basis. Male androphilia represents an evolutionary paradox because it appears to have a genetic component, yet it compromises reproduction. At the same time archaeological and cross-cultural evidence suggest that it has persisted for millennia. The ancestral form of male androphilia was likely the transgendered form. To date, only one population of transgendered male androphiles has been considered when testing hypotheses pertaining to the evolution of male androphilia: the fa'afafine of Samoa. Research indicates that the mothers, paternal grandmothers and maternal grandmothers of fa'afafine produce more offspring than those of male gynephiles, which is consistent with the Sexually Antagonistic Gene Hypothesis. However, definitive support for this hypothesis, in the form of elevated offspring production by the aunts of fa'afafine is lacking at present. Research also indicates that fa'afafine exhibit elevated avuncular tendencies and behaviour compared to women and gynephilic men, which is consistent with the Kin Selection Hypothesis. Also consistent with the Kin Selection Hypothesis is research indicating that the fa'afafine's avuncular cognition exhibits elements of adaptive design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul L. Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB
| | - Doug P. VanderLaan
- Gender Identity Service, Child, Youth and Family Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON
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VanderLaan DP, Garfield ZH, Garfield MJ, Leca JB, Vasey PL, Hames RB. The “female fertility–social stratification–hypergyny” hypothesis of male homosexual preference: factual, conceptual and methodological errors in Barthes et al. [Commentary]. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Response to comment on “Human social stratification and hypergyny: toward an understanding of male”. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL. Evidence of cognitive biases for maximizing indirect fitness in Samoan fa'afafine. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2014; 43:1009-1022. [PMID: 24619652 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-014-0288-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2011] [Revised: 07/27/2013] [Accepted: 10/13/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The kin selection hypothesis posits that male androphilia (i.e., sexual attraction to males), although detrimental to reproduction (i.e., direct fitness), has persisted and evolved because androphilic males compensate by increasing their indirect fitness via increased investment in kin. In previous studies, Samoan androphilic males (known locally as fa'afafine) reported elevated avuncular (i.e., uncle-like) tendencies compared to Samoan gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted to females) men. Their avuncular tendencies were also greater than the materteral (i.e., aunt-like) tendencies of androphilic women. The present study examined whether the avuncular cognition of fa'afafine was enhanced for maximizing indirect fitness. To do so, it examined whether fa'afafine had a stronger propensity than Samoan gynephilic men and androphilic women to invest in kin categories that would result in more reliable and substantive increases in indirect fitness (i.e., young, female kin) in hypothetical investment scenarios. In a forced-choice paradigm, although all individuals showed some degree of bias to invest in adaptive kin categories during non-frivolous investment contexts in which the consequences of investment were relatively non-trivial, fa'afafine showed greater adherence to the predicted pattern. In addition, shifting the context from frivolous investments, in which the consequences of investment were relatively trivial, to non-frivolous investments prompted fa'afafine to exhibit an enhanced preference, relative to Samoan gynephilic men and androphilic women, to invest in adaptive kin categories. These findings were consistent with the kin selection hypothesis and suggest that, although all individuals exhibit cognitive biases for increasing indirect fitness, the avuncular cognition of androphilic males has undergone selective enhancement to maximize the accrual of indirect fitness via kin-directed altruism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug P VanderLaan
- Gender Identity Service, Child, Youth and Family Services, Intergenerational Wellness Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada,
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Vasey PL, Parker JL, VanderLaan DP. Comparative reproductive output of androphilic and gynephilic males in samoa. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2014; 43:363-367. [PMID: 24132776 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-013-0195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Debate exists in the behavioral sciences regarding the extent to which androphilic males reproduce compared to their gynephilic counterparts. Quantitative data that might speak to this debate are surprisingly rare. Here, we compared the reproductive output of 235 transgendered, exclusively androphilic Samoan males (known locally as fa'afafine) to that of 447 exclusively gynephilic Samoan males. Samoan gynephilic male participants fathered significantly more children than fa'afafine participants. In fact, none of the fa'afafine in our sample produced offspring. On the basis of this evidence and anecdotal accounts in the anthropological literature, we contend that absence of reproductive output is a near absolute cross-cultural universal characterizing non-Western, transgendered androphilic ("third-gender") males. Models for the evolution of male androphilia must account for how genes associated with this sexual orientation originated in the past and persisted in populations over time despite the fact that the vast majority of androphilic males have no direct reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada,
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