Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire

The Biology of Sexual Preference

David A Parker

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781317764502
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Psychologie
• Subtopic: Psychische Gesundheit in der Psychologie

This fascinating new book explores the myriad aspects of biological theories of sexual preference. Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire describes, reviews, and questions recent biological research on sexual preference from the point of view of knowledgeable scientists and of scholars in the social sciences and humanities representing the emerging field of gay studies. The issues involved have a vibrant history, are wide-ranging, and remain the objects of much controversy. This book demystifies biological research on sexual preference and makes it accessible to readers unfamiliar with biological and medical research. Sex, Cells, and Same-Sex Desire is divided into several sections, each of which is introduced by an explanation of key concepts and terms found in that section. The book begins with a discussion of the history of biological theories and sociocultural concepts of gender and sexuality. The next 3 sections explore specialized areas of biological science and related issues: genetics and evaluation, hormones and the endocrine system, and brain physiology and structure. A final section discusses social stigma, science, and medicine. A glossary of terms used by the authors is included, so readers may look up those that may be unfamiliar.

Index

Achilles, 307

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 176

epidemic of, 2, 8, 248

homosexuals’ immunological susceptibility to, 317

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome victims

hypothalamic anatomy of, 292, 293–294, 329

testosterone levels of, 329

Adaptation, 150, 205–206, 210

definition, 431

Additive genetic variance, 125

Adolescents

bisexual male, as prostitutes, 363, 364

homosexual, suicide by, 392

Adrenogenital syndrome, 97–98, 263, 365–367, 369

definition, 431

Advocate, 6, 7, 110, 199

Alexander the Great, 24

Alleles, 123

definition, 431

epistatic interactions of, 123

gene frequency of, 124

Allen, Laura, 5–6

Altruism, of homosexuals, 176, 187–194

relationship to religiousity, 192–193

Ambidexterity. See also Left-handedness

in ancient China, 383, 392

prevalence of, 383

Ambisexuality, 100–101, 109

American Civil Liberties Union, opposition to Depo-Provera therapy, 416

American Journal of Psychiatry, 418–419

American Psychological Association, 2, 24–25n.

Anal intercourse

medical investigations of, 36, 60

nineteenth-century attitudes towards, 36

as preferred homosexual sexual practice, 41

Analogy, human-animal, 33–34, 49, 241

Andrin, 45

Androgen insensitivity syndrome

complete, 97, 261–263, 444

definition, 432

partial, 261

Androgens. See also Testosterone

definition, 432

effect on mammalian sexual behavior, 359

effect on prenatal sexual differentiation, 310, 390. See also Prenatal hormonal hypothesis, of sexual orientation

as homosexuality treatment, 249

as masculinizin...