Pink News
Study finds heterosexual men find gay men as repulsive as rotting flesh
Jul 11 2017
Written by Meka Beresford
A scientific study has found that heterosexual men find gay men as repulsive as rotting flesh and maggots.
The study, which was carried out by the American Institute of Bisexuality, found that even those who say they are accepting of the LGBT community have a physical reaction upon seeing two men showing affection for each other.
120 heterosexual men aged 18-45 participated in the study which was conducted by Dr. Karen L. Blair, a psychologist at St. Francis Xavier University.
The participants were shown images of gay men kissing, hugging and engaging in sexual activities.
Scientists then measured the levels of salivary alpha-amylase present in the men’s saliva, which is a type of a digestive enzyme which has links to stress and disgust.
Dr Blair explained that they were shown a series of slideshows of “male couples kissing, male couples holding hands, mixed-sex couples kissing, mixed-sex couples holding hands, boring images e.g., paper clips and disgusting images e.g. maggots”.
The psychologist said that participants were asked questions about their responses to the photos in between the slideshows.
“We also collected saliva samples in order to assess salivary alpha-amylase in response to each slide show,” they added.
Dr Blair and their team found that when they were presented pictures of gay men kissing, the participants produced the same salivary alpha-amylase levels as when they were confronted with images of rotting flesh and maggots.
It also showed that the level of alpha-amylase was the same for those who were shown to be tolerant of gay relationships and those who were not.
Dr Blair said that the results may be a factor of society deeming same-sex couples as immoral.
She said: “Why do people low in prejudice still show an increased physiological response?
“We can’t say definitively, however, it could be that society has socialised the notion of same-sex sexuality and affection as being ‘disgusting’ or immoral so strongly, for so long, that merely witnessing it causes a slight physiological stress response.”
The study had hoped to better understand “the health effects of same-sex vs. mixed-sex public displays of affection” and use science to creative “more inclusive of LGBTQ identities and experiences.”
A totally bizarre study that was self-published
claimed that eating chicken nuggets could turn you gay.
The document, which was sent to PinkNews, attempts to link homosexuality to an unhealthy diet.
It claims: “Homosexuals… [often eat] large amounts of high glycemic index foods and fat, or eating an imbalanced diet, leaning toward carbohydrates. Some studies show an increased rate of obesity among homosexuals.
A separate study claimed that
taking paracetamol during pregnancy makes children “less masculine and less attracted to females”.
