Lefty's

[Benji]

Never heard this one before (maybe I should stick my head out of the closet more often). But I caught part of a conversation in which Barbata Walters stated "That a new survey found that 50% of all gays are left-handed" Huh!! (I guess I'll stop using this analogy when telling people being gay is genetics like being left-handed.) So I asked a couple of friends and got 50%. So what do you think?

[colinian]

Never heard this one before (maybe I should stick my head out of the closet more often). But I caught part of a conversation in which Barbata Walters stated "That a new survey found that 50% of all gays are left-handed" Huh!! (I guess I'll stop using this analogy when telling people being gay is genetics like being left-handed.) So I asked a couple of friends and got 50%. So what do you think?

 

Hmmm...

 

Righties:

1. Colin (me)
   
2. Doug (my BF)
   
3. Chris (my bro)
   
4. Ron (my best friend)
   
5. Eric (Ron's BF)
   
6. Joel (my friend in WI)
   

Lefties:

1. Steve (Chris's BF)
   

That's only 1 out of 7.

 

 

Colin

[shadowgod]

Never heard this one before (maybe I should stick my head out of the closet more often). But I caught part of a conversation in which Barbata Walters stated "That a new survey found that 50% of all gays are left-handed" Huh!! (I guess I'll stop using this analogy when telling people being gay is genetics like being left-handed.) So I asked a couple of friends and got 50%. So what do you think?

 

There was an article in The New Yorker, it can be found by going to The Science of Gaydar topic.

 

I cant claim my hair whorl... but I'm right handed

[Benji]

There was an article in The New Yorker, it can be found by going to The Science of Gaydar topic.

 

I cant claim my hair whorl... but I'm right handed

 

 

Thanks!

That makes sense and probably where Ms. Walters was refering to in her quote, I still got 3 out of six.from here in Vegas

[Graeme]

There are a lot of wild statements made at times. Often they flow from one statement like "gay men are more likely to be ...." which may be accurate (eg. the percentage in gay men may be 10% while in the wider community it may only be 5%), but then someone misinterprets it to mean a majority of gay men.

 

It is why I'm always curious about the raw data for some of the claims. One that I'm interested in is the claim that second and subsequent sons are more likely to be gay. This one caused a lot of questions when it was first raised, because it didn't fit most peoples anecdotal evidence. For example, there are several gay guys here at GA who are first sons.

 

Now, if the percentages were something like (I have no idea what the real percentages are):

 

1st son: 4%

2nd son: 6%

3rd son: 8%

4th son: 10%

 

You can see that, yes, there is an increased probability, but those probabilities are still so low that a small random sampling won't show it. A first son can still be gay, and a 4th son still has a good chance of not being gay. But you need to see these raw figures to put the original statement (that subsequent sons are more likely to be gay) into context.

[rknapp]

I'm left-handed... It should be noted that left-handed people are not as few as many people think. I had a customer the other day who noticed that I was left-handed, and made the comment that when she was young she only knew right-handed people, but nowadays she knows more left-handed people than right.

[colinian]

Hmmm...

 

Righties who are gay:

1. Colin (me)
   
2. Doug (my BF)
   
3. Chris (my bro)
   
4. Ron (my best friend)
   
5. Eric (Ron's BF)
   
6. Joel (my friend in WI)
   

Lefties who are gay:

1. Steve (Chris's BF)
   

That's only 1 out of 7 in my group of gay friends.

Colin

 

There are a lot of wild statements made at times. Often they flow from one statement like "gay men are more likely to be ...." which may be accurate (eg. the percentage in gay men may be 10% while in the wider community it may only be 5%), but then someone misinterprets it to mean a majority of gay men.

 

It is why I'm always curious about the raw data for some of the claims. One that I'm interested in is the claim that second and subsequent sons are more likely to be gay. This one caused a lot of questions when it was first raised, because it didn't fit most peoples anecdotal evidence. For example, there are several gay guys here at GA who are first sons.

 

Now, if the percentages were something like (I have no idea what the real percentages are):

 

1st son: 4%

2nd son: 6%

3rd son: 8%

4th son: 10%

 

You can see that, yes, there is an increased probability, but those probabilities are still so low that a small random sampling won't show it. A first son can still be gay, and a 4th son still has a good chance of not being gay. But you need to see these raw figures to put the original statement (that subsequent sons are more likely to be gay) into context.

 

First-born gay sons:

1. Colin (me)
   
2. Chris (my bro) *
   
3. Steve (Chris's BF)
   
4. Ron (my best friend)
   

Second-born gay sons:

1. Doug (my BF)
   
2. Eric (Ron's BF)
   
3. Joel (my friend in WI)
   

OK, that's 57% first-born gay sons vs 43% second born gay sons. No third- or fourth-born gay sons in my group of gay friends.

 

* Note: I consider Chris to be my brother, but he's actually my cousin who lives with us and my folks are his guardians.

 

 

Colin

[Graeme]

I'm a 3rd son (and fifth of six children).

[colinian]

OK, that's 57% first-born gay sons vs 43% second born gay sons. No third- or fourth-born gay sons in my group of gay friends.

 

I'm a 3rd son (and fifth of six children).

 

Doug, Eric, and Joel each have one older brother and one older sister. Interesting.

 

 

Colin

[Matthew]

I'm a left handed second child, and now I'm working at Starbucks. I'm becoming a stereotype.

 

Now that I think about it, I do know more left handed than right handed gay people. That's kind of weird, since left handed people are only supposed to be about 10% (I think) of the population.

 

I do agree with you Graeme, that numbers often get tossed around or inflated. Or just made up like when one author claimed that eating disorders claim the lives of 100,000 Americans each year, which is utterly absurd.

[Lugh]

crooning... Bo-orn to be bi-iiii!

 

 

lemme see I'm ambidexterious, and I got two swirls, one clockwise and one counterclockwise.... and um... um.. i"m the 5th boy out of seven pregnancies and I was born the lastest... oh wait that would make me queer....

[Jack Scribe]

crooning... Bo-orn to be bi-iiii!

lemme see I'm ambidexterious, and I got two swirls, one clockwise and one counterclockwise.... and um... um.. i"m the 5th boy out of seven pregnancies and I was born the lastest... oh wait that would make me queer....

I'm the only kid. No swirls...but I'm left-handed (Although I played golf right handed and batted right handed.). And my idex finger is longer than the ring finger. I won't go into any other dimensional aspects.

 

Jack

[shadowgod]

I'm the only kid. No swirls...but I'm left-handed (Although I played golf right handed and batted right handed.). And my idex finger is longer than the ring finger. I won't go into any other dimensional aspects.

 

Jack

 

and he witholds the more interesting findings....

 

[colinian]

I'm a left handed second child, and now I'm working at Starbucks. I'm becoming a stereotype.

 

Now that I think about it, I do know more left handed than right handed gay people. That's kind of weird, since left handed people are only supposed to be about 10% (I think) of the population.

 

I do agree with you Graeme, that numbers often get tossed around or inflated. Or just made up like when one author claimed that eating disorders claim the lives of 100,000 Americans each year, which is utterly absurd.

 

My granddad gave me his copy of great little paperback book he got when he was in high school, How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff. The copyright date is 1954, and the price is stamped in the front of the book: $2.00. It's still in print, with the same copyright date, the same exact table of contents including page numbers. But it has a different cover, and is $9.56 on amazon.com. Anyway, it's a great little book, funny and interesting. It's sort of the Eats, Shoots and Leaves of using (and misusing) statistics. Recommended.

 

 

Colin

[Jay]

This sounds like a good topic for a poll if someone who knows how would set one up.

[Menzoberranzen]

I'm a clockwise-swirled, right-handed first born whose ring finger is longer than his index. Perhaps I've been deluding myself all these years...

[Conner]

I'm the only kid. No swirls...but I'm left-handed (Although I played golf right handed and batted right handed.). And my idex finger is longer than the ring finger. I won't go into any other dimensional aspects.

 

Jack

 

 

Sounds like my kind of man!!!

 

I don't know if I have a hair whorl (I'm too embarrassed to ask anyone). I'm right-handed. My index and ring finger are the same size. I'm a second son (2nd of 5 kids). My younger brother (3rd son - 4th of 5) was gay too. My older brother is straight but he's the only one of 5 who's left-handed.

 

Conner

[AFriendlyFace]

I'm left-handed... It should be noted that left-handed people are not as few as many people think. I had a customer the other day who noticed that I was left-handed, and made the comment that when she was young she only knew right-handed people, but nowadays she knows more left-handed people than right.

Yeah, back in the day they used to force leftys to be rightys. I still doubt seriously that she really knows more left-handed than right-handed people, but it's undoubtedly the case that she knows more.

 

 

I'm a left handed second child, and now I'm working at Starbucks. I'm becoming a stereotype.

You didn't tell me you were working at Starbucks, Matty! I've been totally digging you guys' herbal teas lately!

 

I do agree with you Graeme, that numbers often get tossed around or inflated. Or just made up like when one author claimed that eating disorders claim the lives of 100,000 Americans each year, which is utterly absurd.

I agree about the stats for things being inflated and tossed around too, but just to point out it can easily be said that eating disorders claim 100,000 American lives (or more) each year. It all depends on what you determin to be an "eating disorder" and what you determin to be the cause of death. If obesity is included as an eating disorder (which it usually is) and if weight related deaths are taken into account (heart disease, cancer, stroke, etc.) then I'm sure that's a completely reasonable, if not conservative, estimate.

 

crooning... Bo-orn to be bi-iiii!

lemme see I'm ambidexterious, and I got two swirls, one clockwise and one counterclockwise.... and um... um.. i"m the 5th boy out of seven pregnancies and I was born the lastest... oh wait that would make me queer....

That's nifty!

 

My granddad gave me his copy of great little paperback book he got when he was in high school, How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff. The copyright date is 1954, and the price is stamped in the front of the book: $2.00. It's still in print, with the same copyright date, the same exact table of contents including page numbers. But it has a different cover, and is $9.56. Anyway, it's a great little book, funny and interesting. It's sort of the Eats, Shoots and Leaves of using (and misusing) statistics. Recommended.

Colin

That sounds like such a good book! I'd love to read that sometime. I'm going to check it out!

 

This sounds like a good topic for a poll if someone who knows how would set one up.

Consider it done.

 

Anyway personally I'm right-handed, and the oldest (and only) male

 

Take care and have an awesome day all!

Kevin

[Matthew]

You didn't tell me you were working at Starbucks, Matty! I've been totally digging you guys' herbal teas lately!

Yeah, it's pretty recent. I'm still in training.

I agree about the stats for things being inflated and tossed around too, but just to point out it can easily be said that eating disorders claim 100,000 American lives (or more) each year. It all depends on what you determin to be an "eating disorder" and what you determin to be the cause of death. If obesity is included as an eating disorder (which it usually is) and if weight related deaths are taken into account (heart disease, cancer, stroke, etc.) then I'm sure that's a completely reasonable, if not conservative, estimate.

 

That's a valid point, although it could be disputed as those things also have to do with genetics and exercise and I don't see them as having what you eat as an exclusive cause. I know people who eat terribly and a lot and are much thinner (some distubingly thin, like yourself) than people who eat better. But none of this helps the author as she was talking exclusively about anorexia and bulimia and possibly any other (if there are) "thin" related eating disorders. And these claim nowhere near that many lives.

[rknapp]

Yeah, back in the day they used to force leftys to be rightys. I still doubt seriously that she really knows more left-handed than right-handed people, but it's undoubtedly the case that she knows more.

 

I found out a few years ago that my dad tried to force me to be right-handed... until my mom stepped in and stopped it, since doing that is supposedly damaging.

[NaperVic]

I found out a few years ago that my dad tried to force me to be right-handed... until my mom stepped in and stopped it, since doing that is supposedly damaging.

 

My folks tried forcing me to be right handed too. When I was a kid and would put a crayon or pencil in my left hand, they'd smack my left hand and put the crayon in the right hand.

 

So now I write right handed, but I play sports and such left handed.

 

Whenever I need to guilt my parents, I bring up how they abused me that way. Very effective .

[Conner]

My folks tried forcing me to be right handed too. When I was a kid and would put a crayon or pencil in my left hand, they'd smack my left hand and put the crayon in the right hand.

 

So now I write right handed, but I play sports and such left handed.

 

Whenever I need to guilt my parents, I bring up how they abused me that way. Very effective .

 

Well, you're in good company, Vic, especially if you're a baseball fan. From Wikipedia, under "left-handed"

 

An example of such treatment involves baseball players Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, who both hit and threw left-handed and wrote right-handed after enduring left-handed suppression during their formative years.

 

I understand this was a gift from the Catholic nuns they were exposed to.

 

Conner

[NaperVic]

I understand this was a gift from the Catholic nuns they were exposed to.

 

Conner

 

Ahhh, that explains it. My folks are both devout Catholics and my dad even spent a couple years in seminary school.

 

At first I didn't attribute it to their Catholism because I don't remember my hand being hit with a ruler .

[Graeme]

Since it's related to the current topic, the teenage author Grasshopper wrote an essay for the Mail Crew website for their "Authors Speak" section:

 

My Name is Grasshopper and I'm Left-Handed

 

It is definitely worth reading

[colinian]

Since it's related to the current topic, the teenage author Grasshopper wrote an essay for the Mail Crew website for their "Authors Speak" section:

 

My Name is Grasshopper and I'm Left-Handed

 

It is definitely worth reading

 

Graeme,

 

Thank you for reminding me about Grasshopper's article. I'd read it last year and was impressed and very moved. I knew he was talking to ME and thousands, maybe millions, of other kids out there. Today I saved it to my computer HDD so I can go back and read it whenever I feel the need to do so. I've forwarded the link to a bunch of friends, both gay and straight. I think everyone should do that, help spread understanding and acceptance.

 

 

Colin