Did Science Unlock the Mystery of ‘Gaydar’?

It's all about symmetry, people!

Over on G Philly, editor Natalie Hope McDonald wrote a post yesterday about research at Albright College in Reading on face symmetry and sexual orientation. Researchers found that self-identified heterosexuals had more symmetrical features than their gay counterparts. And when it came to assessing onlookers’ perceptions of sexual orientation—i.e., gaydar—researchers found that the more likely onlookers were to think a person was heterosexual, the more symmetrical that person’s face turned out to be.

Cue the money quote:

“We were surprised to find that symmetry played a larger role than masculine/feminine features in assessing sexual orientation,” says Hughes. “But it appears that individuals use cues of symmetry to make assessments about one’s sexual orientation and may be one of the features that comprise a person’s ‘gaydar’ abilities.”

Read more about the study here.