# Do Homosexual Men Have Larger Penises Than Heterosexual Men? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163 "2004-12-16T15:52:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/1 "2004-12-16T15:52:44Z")
Is it true that gay men, on average, have been shown to have larger penises than straight men, and that this difference was shown to be statistically significant? If so, why might this be the case? Were differences (if any) in average age, levels of obesity, and frequency of sexual intercourse taken into account in conducting this study?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/2 "2004-12-16T16:05:55Z")
According to the conversations I’ve had with my gay male friends the answer is a resounding **"no"** Other penile myths: Not all black men are hung and not all Asians are small. It’s most likely a combination of genetics and the luck of the draw. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/3 "2004-12-16T16:26:13Z")
There is a joke waiting to be made about your OP and your location but I’ll be damned if I know what it is. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/4 "2004-12-16T16:36:54Z")
The purpose of the boards is to stamp out ignorance. So men, get out your rulers, and something to measure with too.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Deschain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/5 "2004-12-16T16:46:23Z")
Yes, but there are racial variations which likely have a genetic component. For example the bone density of Asians and Inuits is markedly lower than African Americans on average (cetaris paribus). It is not unreasonable to believe that African Americans may indeed have penis sizes larger (on average) than your average Caucausion male. However, I not aware of any formal proposition to support this hypothesis. As for homosexuals it is conceivable that higher levels of circulating male hormones might correlate with a tendency towards homosexuality and that this might further have some correlation with having a larger than average penis size (or maybe there is some undefined self selection bias associated with having a larger penis and becoming a homosexual). Again however I’m not aware of any research to support this proposition. Furthermore, since this is such a non “PC” question with no clear medical benefits such research is not likely to occur. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/6 "2004-12-16T17:09:40Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > Other penile myths: Not all black men are hung and not all Asians are small. Is this statement supposed to illustrate the myth, or stand in contradiction to it? ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Deschain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/7 "2004-12-16T17:21:35Z")
> [@aahala](#): > > The purpose of the boards is to stamp out ignorance. > > So men, get out your rulers, and something to measure with too.😃 You know if thirty or so homosexual males, and thirty or so self selected hetero males did this it would go along way to address the question ( I think that the distribution starts to approach a Normal curve at about N=15 with a true random selection does’t it?). No it wouldn’t be a random sample, and yes in this case I think self selection would probably mean the guys with the bigger penises were the one’s that measured. However, it would be a good place to start. Let me get the ball rolling. About three and half flaccid and about six and half erect for this hetero male (I’d swear that it used to be seven). ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/8 "2004-12-16T17:25:47Z")
Well, a while back I posted a link to this [article](http://www.jsonline.com/alive/news/mar00/fingers30032900.asp) about finger length and sexual orientation. The last paragraph of the article reads: > [@](#): > > Breedlove said his findings also are consistent with other research suggesting that gay men have been “hypermasculinized” with higher levels of testosterone circulating in their blood, **larger genitalia** and subtle differences in brain structure as compared with straight men. (bolding mine) So that seems to indicate that, yes, on average gay men do have larger penises. But I haven’t seen the original research and I’m not about to search for “gay men” and “penis size” at work… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/9 "2004-12-16T17:33:50Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#): > > Yes, but there are racial variations which likely have a genetic component. For example the bone density of Asians and Inuits is markedly lower than African Americans on average (cetaris paribus). It is not unreasonable to believe that African Americans may indeed have penis sizes larger (on average) than your average Caucausion male. However, I not aware of any formal proposition to support this hypothesis. The problem with that is defining how much Africa a person needs to be called an “African” american. How do you judge? Amount of pigmentation, nose width, hair texture? If I’m a Caucausion with a 12 incher and dark curly hair, does that mean I may have a coffee in my cream? Are all Caucasusions the same size? Is there an ethnic difference? How are we to know if its isn’t really the American in the African American that may give penis size? Do we know how African Americans stand up against Africans? Which Africans? Which Caucausions get to be representive? Swedes, East Asians, Spainards? Certainly not Americans, the mutts of the world. When you have a study showing how **genetically** isolated people stack up in penis size let me know…until them, it’s unreasonable and tainted science…on average. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/10 "2004-12-16T17:41:53Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Is this statement supposed to illustrate the myth, or stand in contradiction to it? I am calling attention to a myth that has seemed to exist for some time, Based on what my gay male friends, especially three of them who’ve had _numerous_ sex partners, it seems to be just that, a **myth**. This is by no means a scientific study, mind you. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/11 "2004-12-16T17:50:01Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#): > > Let me get the ball rolling. About three and half flaccid and about six and half erect for this hetero male (I’d swear that it used to be seven). Ummm…that is the metric side of the ruler. Please convert to inches. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/12 "2004-12-16T18:09:16Z")
> **[Average Penis Size Comparison Results (Race & Age) -](https://www.sizesurvey.com/result.html)** > > A comprehensive penis size study designed to dissect penile fact from phallic fallacy. Established in 1996, the only reliable average penis size survey online. It’s an internet survey, but it seems pretty well compiled. According to them there is not statistical difference. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/13 "2004-12-16T18:10:38Z")
no statistical difference. Where the hell did that T come from -.-; ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/14 "2004-12-16T18:31:21Z")
> [@Harmonix](#): > > [http://www.sizesurvey.com/result.html](http://www.sizesurvey.com/result.html) > > It’s an internet survey, but it seems pretty well compiled. According to them there is not statistical difference. D’OH!! As a public service announcement, scrolling too far down the page will reveal that it’s N terribly SFW! ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Deschain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/15 "2004-12-16T18:53:00Z")
> [@holmes](#): > > The problem with that is defining how much Africa a person needs to be called an “African” american. How do you judge? Amount of pigmentation, nose width, hair texture? If I’m a Caucausion with a 12 incher and dark curly hair, does that mean I may have a coffee in my cream? > > Are all Caucasusions the same size? Is there an ethnic difference? How are we to know if its isn’t really the American in the African American that may give penis size? Do we know how African Americans stand up against Africans? Which Africans? > > Which Caucausions get to be representive? Swedes, East Asians, Spainards? Certainly not Americans, the mutts of the world. > > When you have a study showing how **genetically** isolated people stack up in penis size let me know…until them, it’s unreasonable and tainted science…on average. I know that we are taught in our nursing tesxbooks to take into account racial differences (such as bone density) when we are conducting health histories, and when we do examinations (including lab value analysis). However, you raise a good point with regard to genetic variation within racial subtypes. Optimally, we would be able to see the “summarized genetic code” with unique health considerations and concerns highlighted before each examination of each individual person. However, that is currently not possible (or at least practical) and we therefore use certain physical characteristics to help in the subjective/objective evaluatory process. Having said that I do believe that many conditions such as hypertension and increased risk of CHD in the American Black community can be attributed much more to diet and lifestyle, than genetic variation. However, mainstream (or shall we say clinically proven) science holds that these differences also have a genetic component. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/16 "2004-12-16T18:57:42Z")
Not quite on target…but with perhaps some relevant data… [The master speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_193.html) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/17 "2004-12-16T19:24:03Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > D’OH!! > > As a public service announcement, scrolling too far down the page will reveal that it’s N terribly SFW! oops, sorry loopy dude. Yea, theres some pictures of flacid and erect penises. Not exactly very purient material, but not work safe nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/18 "2004-12-16T19:26:38Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Is it true that gay men, on average, have been shown to have larger penises than straight men, and that this difference was shown to be statistically significant? > > If so, why might this be the case? Were differences (if any) in average age, levels of obesity, and frequency of sexual intercourse taken into account in conducting this study?? > > Thanks. Yeth 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/19 "2004-12-16T20:09:14Z")
Well, the best actual study I could find on this subject has an abstract [right here](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10410197) which does indicate that homosexuals have larger penises, but note that the data compiled by Bogaert & Hershberger was taken from the Kinsey surveys, which could just mean that homosexuals tend to _report_ larger penis sizes. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163/20 "2004-12-16T20:22:37Z")
Yes, I mean no. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-homosexual-men-have-larger-penises-than-heterosexual-men/280163.md?page=2)