Recent research from the Institute of Psychiatry in London, and published in the January issue of Neuropsychology, suggests that the brains of gay men work like those of heterosexual women, while those of lesbians act more like those of heterosexual men, at least when performing certain neurocognitive tests and other mental tasks generally seen to show a bias toward one gender.
Interestingly, the researchers go on to theorize that this might also explain "the cross-sex shifts in their presentation of certain mental health problems in gay men, such as higher levels of anxiety disorders, depression and eating disorders usually found in women."
Interesting comments on the study. I'd be interested in knowing more about the methodology.
I wonder if there were gay males in the study
who did not fit the results.
I also am curious if the tests involve activites that gay men normally avoid. For example, if you feel that people will make fun of your throwing, then you don't throw. So if there were a throwing test, you'd do poorly.
Speaking of which, I remember a test in statistics class in college that included a lot of questions
about baseball scoring. I didn't understand any of it. But I was not about to get up and say,
"I'm a gay. What is this baseball shit? Is that the one with the six guys in shorts or the one with
14 guys in tight pants on the lawn?"
Always enjoy your journal. By the way, I dig the
elf costume.
Hey, rainhawk. Thanks for the comments.
I actually haven't read the full study myself, only the abstract on the journal web site and the interpretations of various (mostly gay) media sources. My understanding is that this dealt only with some neurocognitive tasks, specifically involving spatial processing, and didn't look at the types of motor skills I jokingly referenced in my title or preferences for or against certain activities.
These days, in fact, at least from scanning personal ads, it seems like those of us who /don't/ participate in a sports activity --or at a minimum live in the gym-- are in the minority within the queer male community.
I was a top pitcher in highschool but realize my only good pitch was the slider which is more of a fastpitch softball type pitch...And i loved to twirl the baton. Now im a Registered Nurse.