1. • Female Sexual Orientation and Pubertal Onset
• Journal article; Developmental Neuropsychology, Vol. 14, 1998
Female Sexual Orientation and Pubertal
Onset
Wendy N. Tenhula and J. Michael Bailey Department of Psychology Northwestern
University
Both sexual orientation and pubertal onset are sexually dimorphic. Biologic theories of
sexual orientation emphasize the role of early androgens in sexual differentiation of
panner preference. If homosexual individuals have been subject to atypical
androgenizing influences, such influences may also affect other sexually dimorphic
traits, such as pubertal timing. Based on this rationale as well as promising evidence
from a prior twin study, we examined the onset of puberty in lesbians. We
hypothesized that lesbians would have a later (i.e., more masculine) age of pubertal
onset compared to heterosexual women. We investigated this hypothesis in a sample
of community volunteers and a second sample of discordant twins. Contrary to our
hypothesis, we found no significant differences in pubertal onset between homosexual
and heterosexual women.
Human sexual orientation is highly sexually dimorphic, with the vast majority of men
preferring female partners, and women preferring male partners ( Diamond, 1993).
Pubertal timing is also sexually dimorphic, with girls experiencing puberty on average
2 years earlier than boys ( Kulin & Müller, 1996; Wheeler, 1991). The sexual
differentiation of neither sexual orientation nor pubertal timing in humans is well
understood. However, indirect evidence suggests that both may be influenced by the
organizational effects of prenatal androgens (e.g., Herbosa & Foster, 1996; LeVay,
1991). If so, then individuals who have been subject to atypical prenatal
androgenization may be atypical both in their sexual orientation and in their pubertal
onset. For example, lesbians may have masculine (i.e., relatively late)
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Requests for reprints should be sent to J. Michael Bailey, Department of
Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208. E-mail: jm-
bailey@nwu.edu
-369-
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Publication Information: Article Title: Female Sexual Orientation and Pubertal Onset. Journal Title: Developmental
Neuropsychology. Volume: 14. Issue: 2/3. Publication Year: 1998. Page Number: 369.