Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why

What causes a child to grow up gay or straight? Neuroscientist Simon LeVay summarizes a wealth of scientific evidence that points to one inescapable conclusion: Sexual orientation results primarily from an interaction between genes, sex hormones, and the cells of the developing body and brain. LeVay takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of laboratories that specialize in genetics, endocrinology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, and family demographics. He describes, for instance, how researchers have manipulated the sex hormone levels of animals during development, causing them to mate preferentially with animals of their own gender. In this second edition, LeVay adds a chapter on bisexuality, reviews some uncommon forms of sexuality, and considers whether there could be a biological basis for subtypes of gay people such as "butch" and "femme" lesbians.

Simon LeVay, PhD, has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. He has written eleven books, including the New York Times best-seller When Science Goes Wrong (2008) and the textbook Discovering Human Sexuality (2015).

Introduction
Chapter 1: What Is Sexual Orientation? Criteria for sexual orientation Sexual orientation in men and women Stability of sexual orientation Prevalence of different orientationsAre there categories?Sexual orientation across cultures
Chapter 2: Why We Need Biology Psychoanalytic theories Learning theories-influence of early sexual experiences Childhood abuseLearning theories-gender learning Is it a choice? The biological alternative
Chapter 3: The Outline of a TheoryMale and female brains Male and female behaviors Development of sex differences in animals Sexual partner preference in animals Origins of variation within each sex Relevance to human sexual orientation Sexual orientation in nature
Chapter 4: Childhood Development of gendered childhood traits Childhood traits associated with adult sexual orientation: retrospective studies Prospective studies Contrasting models
Chapter 5: Characteristics of gay and straight adults Gendered traits in adulthoodOrigin of gendered traits Sexual orientation and cognitive traits: visuospatial abilitiesVerbal fluency Memory tasks HandednessOlfaction Intelligence Personality traits: Masculinity-femininity Occupational preferences Other personality traits Sexuality Overview
Chapter 6: The role of sex hormones Hormone levels in gay and straight adults Why focus on prenatal sex hormones? Hormone levels during development Congenital adrenal hyperplasia Finger length studies The inner ear Central auditory system Action of sex hormones on the developing brain Possible causes of variability in prenatal androgen levels
Chapter 7: The role of genes Sibling studies Is the family clustering caused by genes? Twin studies Molecular genetics-candidate-gene studies Genome scans Genes and sexuality in fruit flies Genes, homosexuality, and evolution Kin selection The "fertile female" hypothesis Beneficial effects on same-sex relatives
Chapter 8: The brain A brief tour of the brain The hypothalamus and sexual orientation Other brain regions Brain activity ChemosignalsStress responseFunctional lateralizationSheep Inhibition and sexual orientationOverview
Chapter 9: The body Body size and shape Trunk and limb length Penis size Sturcture of the faceHair whorl direction Gaydar Overview
Chapter 10: The older-brother effect How well established is the older-brother effect? How strong is the older-brother effect? The older-brother effect and handedness What causes the older-brother effect?
Chapter 11: Beyond gay and straightBisexuality in menBisexuality in womenAsexualityAge preference and pedophiliaButch-femme and top-bottomTransgender/transexuality
Chapter 12: Conclusions Sexual orientation is linked to other gendered traits A common origin for gender-shifted traits? The role of genes Does the older-brother effect work through prenatal hormones? Is there a random biological influence? How does sexual orientation become categorical? Unconscious processes in sexual attraction and arousalChanges in the prevalence and nature of homosexuality What is sexual orientation?Sexual orientation and gender: the social fallout Glossary Bibliography