Physical development and sexual orientation in men: Height, weight and age of puberty differences

Abstract

This study examined the relations between sexual orientation and certain physical development variables in men. The participants were 318 homosexual and 318 heterosexual men closely matched on age. The participants completed an anonymous, 10-minute, self-report questionnaire that included items on their sexual orientation, height, weight and age of puberty. The results extended previous findings that, compared with heterosexual men, homosexual men are shorter, lighter and younger at the onset of puberty. These results add to an existing body of literature indicating that homosexual men often score in the female-typical direction on sex-dimorphic somatic characteristics.