title: Handedness, sexual orientation, and somatic markers for prenatal androgens: Are southpaws really that gay?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some evidence suggests that prenatal androgens influence both handedness and sexual orientation. This study sought to clarify how androgens, handedness, and sexual orientation are interrelated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from large samples of students enrolled at universities in Malaysia and the US, including self-reported information on handedness, sexual orientation, and five somatic markers of prenatal androgen exposure (2D:4D, height, strength, muscularity, and athletic ability). Factor analysis of these somatic markers yielded two factors: a muscular coordination and a bone growth factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In women, but not in men, ambidextrousness was more prevalent among those with homosexual tendencies. Modest and often complex associations were found between the androgen factors and handedness. Clear links between the androgen factors and sexual orientation were found, especially for muscular coordination. For males and females, intermediate sex-typical androgen exposure was associated with heterosexual preferences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ambidextrousness appears to be somewhat more common among females with homosexual tendencies, but left-handedness is nearly as strongly associated with heterosexual preferences, particularly in males, as is right-handedness. Factors indicative of prenatal androgen exposure are associated with sexual orientation in theoretically predictable ways, especially for muscular coordination, but associations between prenatal androgens and handedness are complex.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Anthropology and Sociology , University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Malvina N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Skorska
authors.affiliation: b Department of Psychology , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada.|c Department of Health Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bogaert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000502:physiology*; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens
keywords: 2D:4D; Handedness; adult height; androgen exposure; muscularity; sexual orientation