Body-build of male homosexuals.

Abstract

Studies of body-build of homosexual patients have produced conflicting reports. Weil (1924), in Germany, reported that homosexuals had a narrower biacromial diameter and a wider intertrochanteric diameter than a control group had. The latter unfortunately was obtained from a different part of country and measured by a different observer. Wortis (1937) could lind no abnormality in body-build of homosexuals. Sheldon (1949) found there are no distinctive features of homosexual physique recognizable from a somato typing He states, however, that majority of homosexuals are recognizable by what he terms secondary gynandromorphy?that is, the measures of femininity of face, hands, skin, and skin appendages ; manner of movement and co-ordination ; voice and facial behaviour ; in short, covert gynandromorphy that escapes photograph. This is in agreement with common clinical impression that effeminate appearance that many male homosexuals show is result of mannerisms of gait and dress affected consciously or unconsciously by subject rather than due to any abnormality of body-build. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether homosexuals have an abnormal discriminant androgyny score?an index of body-build ?which, as is shown below, is related to sexual development of individual. The discriminant androgyny score (Tanner, 1951, 1955) of a patient is obtained by measuring biacromial and bi-iliac diameters and substituting in following formula: 3 x biacromial 1 x bi-iliac diameters (in cm.)