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Some People Really Might Have 'Gaydar'

Some People Really Might Have 'Gaydar'

Some people actually may have "gaydar," a widely used slang term for the ability to assess quickly another person's sexual orientation, a new study suggests.

Researchers asked 129 college students to look at 96 photos of young men and women and to identify them as either gay or straight. The participants were 65 percent accurate in identifying gay and straight women and 57 percent accurate in identifying gay and straight men.

Faces in photos were free of glasses or jewelry, as well as scars, facial hair and non-earlobe piercings.

When the faces were viewed upside down, the participants' accuracy slipped to 61 percent in identifying gay/straight women and 53 percent in identifying gay/straight men.

Still, that accuracy rate is higher than would be expected by chance alone, the researchers said. [continue]

Tags: LGBT, gaydar, gays, lesbians, study

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on May 16, 2012 at 8:36pm

I really prefer viewing people upside down even if I can't identify their sexuality. It's much more interesting.

Permalink Reply by Shannon Equality Barber on June 15, 2012 at 7:25pm

I have gaydar. I am never wrong.

Permalink Reply by David Philip Norris on June 20, 2012 at 9:09pm

I'm right more often than I trust myself to be. It takes a while to unlearn the "keep your head down" mentality.

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on June 20, 2012 at 10:38pm

I need to have Shannon with me when I'm out and about. It's good to have someone whose gaydar is never wrong.

When I moved from the midwest to the pacific northwest, at first I thought almost all men here seemed gay. Later, others who made the same move, said the same thing to me. Not sure why. then I moved to Chicago, and I thought the gay men who I met were really straight men who just fooled around with guys. But they really were gay. Then I moved back to the northwest, and now I just dont notice.

Permalink Reply by Shannon Equality Barber on June 20, 2012 at 10:41pm

LOL SB, I should clarify- never wrong with WOMEN. No matter if they are butch or femme, there is a certain..I don't know what it is..bold, brazen ability to stare other queer girls down. And there is also the sense of sturdiness that has nothing to do with butch or femme. Lots of little non traditional things that make me hit it on the nose.

I'd say I am pretty on target with guys when I notice, but no guarantees there.

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