Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 07:46:07 -0500 (est) From: Sam Damon Subject: Universal Cross-cultural Features of Homosexuality > >I should point out that in another study published last year in the journal, > >Archives of Sexual Behavior, a researcher found that certain professions are > >"universally" over-represented by gays. The author used six different > >cultures, I believe, to represent this universalism. Among the professions > >that gays seem to favor are ones connected to beauty (i.e. hairdresser, > >makeup artist, etc). I was not surprised by this since I agree with the > >findings of Richard Green et al suggesting that childhood effeminacy among > > Before I say anything else, I just want to say, "Sam, we're in agreement on > something! STOP THE PRESSES! :)" Oh, and I'd love to have a copy of that > study. I found the study in my files so here is the exact reference and a brief summary. Note that I was mistaken about the researcher's use of six cultures; he only used four. And I was way off about the year of publication; I guess I thought it was 1995 because I read it then. Whitam FL. Culturally invariable properties of male homosexuality: Tentative conclusions from cross-cultural research. Archives of Sexual Behavior 1983;12:207-226. Brief summary: Based on gay communities in the US, Philipines, Guatemala, and Brazil. Conclusions: "1) Homosexual persons appear in all societies; 2) the percentage of homosexuals in all societies appear to be about the same and remains stable over time; 3) social norms do not impede or facilitate the emergence of homosexual orientation; 4) homosexual subcultures appear in all societies, given sufficient aggregates of people; 5) homosexuals in different societies tend to resemble each other with respect to certain behaviorial interests and occupational choices; and 6) all societies produce similar continua from overtly masculine to overtly feminine homosexuals."