Correlations Between Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Review of Two Recent Studies on Correlations between Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation.

1. Drummond, K. D., Bradley, S. J., Peterson-Badali, M., & Zucker, K. J. (2008). A follow-up study of girls with gender identity disorder. Developmental Psychology. 44(1), 34-45.

A panel of experts infamous for treating gender identity disorder (GID) have recently released data of their longitudinal follow-up with 25 girls who had been diagnosed as gender identity disorder (GID). Standardized assessment data in childhood (mean age, 8.88 years; range, 3-12 years) and at follow-up (mean age, 23.24 years; range, 15-36 years) were used to evaluate gender identity and sexual orientation. At the assessment in childhood, 60% of the girls met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for GID, and 40% were subthreshold for the diagnosis. At follow-up, 3 participants (12%) were judged to have GID or gender dysphoria. Regarding sexual orientation, 8 participants (32%) were classified as bisexual/ homosexual in fantasy, and 6 (24%) were classified as bisexual/homosexual in behavior. The remaining participants were classified as either heterosexual or asexual. The rates of GID persistence and bisexual/homosexual sexual orientation were substantially higher than base rates in the general female population derived from epidemiological or survey studies. There was some evidence of a "dosage" effect, with girls who were more cross-sex typed in their childhood behavior more likely to be gender dysphoric at follow-up and more likely to have been classified as bisexual/homosexual in behavior (but not in fantasy).

2. Rieger, G., Linsenmeier, J. A. W., Gygax, L., & Bailey, J. M. (2008). Sexual orientation and childhood gender nonconformity: Evidence from home videos. Developmental Psychology. 44(1), 46-58.

This interesting study asserted that homosexual adults tend to be more gender nonconforming than heterosexual adults in some of their behaviors, feelings, and interests. Retrospective studies have also shown large differences in childhood gender nonconformity, but these studies have been criticized for possible memory biases. The authors studied an indicator of childhood gender nonconformity not subject to such biases: childhood home videos. They recruited homosesual and heterosexual men and women (targets) with videos from their childhood and subsequently asked heterosexual and homosexual raters to judge the gender nonconformity of the targets from both the childhood videos and adult videos made for the study. Prehomosexual children were judged more gender nonconforming, on average, than preheterosexual children, and this pattern obtained for both men and women. This difference emerged early, carried into adulthood, and was consistent with self-report. In addition, targets who were more gender nonconforming tended to recall more childhood rejection.

See also: “Gender Identity Disorders In Childhood And Adolescence: A Critical Inquiry And Review Of The Kenneth Zucker Research” http://www.narth.com/docs/GIDReviewKenZucker.pdf

What has been concluded from 1000 recent articles on Homosexuality?

John R. Hughes, of the University of Illinois Medical Center reviewed the most recent 1000 Medline searched articles on male homosexuality and lesbianism, up until the time of publication of his article in the 2006 Winter issue of Sexuality and Disability http://www.springer.com/west/home/psychology?SGWID=4-10126-70-35748469-0.

Etiology

After reviewing the studies on biology and social factors, Hughes concluded:

Thus, some individuals develop homosexuality presumably from earlier sexual abuse. As in nearly all diseases/disorders, both physical (genetic) and psychological (environmental) factors may play a role in varying amounts in particular individuals. One gay male may have definite feminine characteristics that would play a role in his sexual orientation, while another gay male with prominent masculine secondary sex characteristics may have in his history environmental factors to account for his homosexuality.(p. 197)

Prevalence

After looking at the recent reports which indicated sexual orientation prevalence, Hughes stated: "In summary, the prevalence of homosexuality is 3-5%, likely 2-4% for lesbians, and 3% for bisexuality, although exceptions can be found in particular groups or countries" (p. 197).

Related Diseases

HIV

Hughes found that the cases of HIV+ in the 1980s that were homosexual were usually around 75%. As of 2005, he noted that "the value in number of HIV+ patients who were gay were reported as 61% although the prevalence depend[ed] on the country involved with the sampling" (p. 198).

Syphilis and other venereal diseases

Hughes found that for gay men, beyond HIV, syphilis, genito-urinary infections and anal carcinomas were significant. Bacterial vaginosis, cerebral vascular disease, polycystic ovaries, and androgehypernism were higher in lesbians than heterosexual women.

Characteristics as a subgroup

Drug and alcohol

As a subgroup, 50% of gays admit to illicit drug use. Lesbians spent more time in bars and drank more alcohol than heterosexual females.

Unprotected anal sex

The hallmark finding was that 50-60% of male homosexuals have engaged in unprotected anal sex and 21% report never using a condom.

Casual partners

Consistency in studies show casual partnering increasing, not decreasing (which might be expected considering there is an increase in society acceptance of homosexuals), as evidenced in reports about weekend resorts, public sex environments, bath houses, e-dating, and circuit parties.

Other characteristics

Suicidation, molestation, and violence were other factors found to be disproportionately higher in the homosexual subgroup.

Fluidity or "Change in sexual orientation over time"

Hughes noted, which I found particularly interesting, that pediatric reports indicated that there appears to be some degree of conditioning and choice in sexual orientation, that it is not necessarily a fixed state. Hughes found that in some instances males appeared to have been homosexual from early childhood onward and in most instances, changes likely would not occur. However, in other cases there appeared to have been some degree of conditioning and choice in sexual orientation. This type of change over time had been carefully studied in 762 self-identified heterosexual, bisexual and gay men and women. Scores were derived in three dimensions (fantasy, romantic attraction and actual sexual behavior). Cumulative scores were determined over consecutive 5-year time periods. There were significant sex differences in reported changes in orientation over time for both gays and heterosexuals, with women reporting greater changes in orientation over time than did men. Specifically, lesbians were far more likely than gay men to report having previously identified themselves as something other than homosexual (65% of lesbians, 39% of gay men). A one-point shift on any dimension over their lives was reported in 48% of gay men and 20% of lesbian women. "Thus," he concluded, "it is a myth, according to these data, that once one discovers that they are gay, they always have been and will be gay."

Hughes did spend some time discussing a controversial study, titled, "Homosexual sex as harmful as drug abuse, prostitution or smoking" by Dr Paul Cameron, which has been citicized by pro-gay groups. The work of Cameron is largely dismissed.

Hughes mentioned in his conclusion that he anticipated opposition to his report, which I agree is understandable given the political environment we live in. He said his findings were objective and that he hoped readers would not "shoot the messenger". Obviously, he is aware of the defensiveness of gay activists!

Reference:

Hughes, John R. (2006). A general review of recent reports on homosexuality and lesbianism. Sexuality and Disability, 24, 195-205.