Maternal inheritance and familial fecundity factors in male homosexuality.
This study, following Camperio-Ciani, Corna, and Capiluppi [(2004), Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Biological Sciences, 271, 2217-2221] aimed to examine the familial history of male homosexuality, and test the so-called "fertile female" hypothesis for this trait in a contemporary British sample. Using a comparative survey design, we found that white (comprising those of Anglo-European descent) and non-white (comprising ethnic "Blacks, "South Asians," "East Asians," "Hispanics," and "Others") homosexual men (n = 147) had a significant excess of maternal but not paternal line male homosexual relatives compared to heterosexual men (n = 155). We also found significantly elevated fecundity of maternal aunts of white homosexual men compared to white heterosexual men, whereas non-white heterosexual men showed elevated fecundities of almost every class of relative compared to non-white homosexual men. No significant excess of older brothers was found in homosexual compared to heterosexual men, irrespective of ethnic grouping. These data were discussed in relation to possible population-related factors in evolutionary explanations for human male homosexuality.
School of Psychology, University of East London, The Green, London, E15 4LZ, UK. q.rahman@uel.ac.uk
Qazi
Q
Rahman
Anthony
A
Collins
Martine
M
Morrison
Jennifer Claire
JC
Orrells
Khatija
K
Cadinouche
Sherene
S
Greenfield
Sabina
S
Begum
D001722:Birth Order; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D035781:Siblings; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom