Finger Poll Results

Well, let's have a look at the results for the finger length ratio poll (still running in the right-hand margin by the way). After over a hundred responses, it is clear that an unusual pattern is present.

Remember, in the normal population, we would expect men to have longer ring fingers than index fingers. In women, the two fingers should be the same length with the index finger sometimes longer. Population stats are hard to come by (for me, anyway) but I tracked down one report that suggests that 61% of men should have this longer-ring-finger pattern. What emerges from the poll is that only 42% of the male transvestites who responded have the typical male pattern, while 58% have the typical female ratio. This is almost the exact opposite of the usual distribution.

It's a very strong result and in the direction predicted, so I'm feeling quite pleased about it (because it suggests I'm right in thinking that pre-natal hormonal conditions in the womb may be a cause of transvestitism). However, the study is way too loosely-controlled to be anything other than suggestive. For a start, there may have been some bias in the way people took the test or in the way they reported their results. It could be, for example, that people wanting to find a biological cause for their condition unconsciously skewed their measurements, or were more likely to report a 'feminine' finger length ratio. It could also be that not everyone who took the test were transvestites, or even males! I'll just never know.

However, if there are any scientists reading this, I believe you now have a prima facie reason to suspect there are hormonal influences at work here. Do the experiment under controlled conditions and see if it replicates. There must be a PhD in this for someone – or at least a couple of publications.

Meanwhile, I'll leave the poll running – and a huge thank you to everyone who participated!

Take The YBATV Finger Poll

Yet another report has appeared in the scientific literature (summarised here) of a sex difference which may be linked to hormonal 'surges' in the womb during the development of the foetus. The 'marker' often looked for in these studies is the ratio of the length of the index finger to that of the ring finger. In males, the ring finger tends to be longer than the index finger. In females the two fingers are more likely to be of equal length. Finger length ratio not only correlates with a person's sex but unusual ratios (e.g. men with equal-length fingers) also correlate with unusual sex-related attributes such as homosexuality, depression, and verbal ability.

It is believed that during development, the changing hormonal environment in the womb influences many aspects of a child's growth, not just their overt sexual appearance but more subtle things such as their finger length ratios and the way their brains are wired. In brain development in particular, timing is very important and an ill-timed change in hormonal mix is thought to lead to gender-inappropriate brain development. This has always seemed to me to be the most likely cause of transvestitism and transsexuality.

So, to put this to the test, I'd like each of you genetic males, who are transvestites or transsexuals, to measure your fingers and enter the results in my finger length poll on the right of this page (you may need to scroll down a bit). Measure as accurately as you can because the differences in length we are looking for are very small. Measure from the palm side of the finger, from the crease where the finger meets the palm up to the very tip of the finger.

You may only enter your result once so tell all your T*girl friends to have a go so we can get as much data as possible.

I'll leave the poll running for a few months and then see what we have.

My own index and ring fingers are exactly the same length, by the way.

Thanks.