# ? for gay men? Do you have an older brother? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981 "2003-06-01T19:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/1 "2003-06-01T19:38:00Z")
I was just reading the cover article in _Time_ magazine and near the end they had this tid bit, > [@](#): > > "Ray Blanchard at the University of Toronto has found that gay men are more likely than either lesbians or heterosexual men to have older brothers (but not older sisters). He has since confirmed this observation in 14 samples from many places. Something about occupying a womb that has held other boys occasionally results in reduced birth weight, a larger placenta and a greater probability of homosexuality. That something, Blanchard suspects, is an immune reaction in the mother, primed by the first male fetus, that grows stronger with each male pregnancy. Perhaps the immune response affects the expression of key genes during brain development in a way that boosts a boy’s attraction to his own sex. Such an explanation would not hold true for all gay men, but it might provide important clues into the origins of both homosexuality and heterosexuality. [http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030602/story4.html](http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030602/story4.html) So, I’m just wondering how it holds true for our very unscientific sample. Gay men only please, do you have an older brother? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/2 "2003-06-01T20:09:47Z")
I was at the Dr’s office on Friday and read the same article. Very interesting. I am not gay, but do have two older brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/3 "2003-06-01T20:12:33Z")
Yes. One older brother. To add a bit more information: He’s a couple months under two years older than me and, to my knowledge, straight. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/4 "2003-06-01T20:29:25Z")
no. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/5 "2003-06-01T22:47:06Z")
Yes, he’s eight years older than me. And I had a low birth weight. (I was actually supposed to be stillborn, but there you are.) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/6 "2003-06-01T23:28:13Z")
I’m the last of four boys, (and no girls) but contrary to the premise in that article, was the biggest baby. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/7 "2003-06-01T23:49:06Z")
Richard Chamberlain was the second of two boys. (I’m watching “Dateline.”) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/8 "2003-06-02T00:13:56Z")
I am the oldest of 3 children, and the gay one. Also, frankly, “14 samples” doesn’t sound to me like much data to reach such conclusions about “important clues into the origins of both homosexuality and heterosexuality”. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/9 "2003-06-02T01:49:45Z")
I have an older and younger sister, no brothers. ---
**Author:** ![modro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@modro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/modro)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/10 "2003-06-02T03:57:55Z")
Nope. Although as far as birth weight, I was smaller than my younger brother. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/11 "2003-06-02T04:34:15Z")
Yes, I have 1 older brother. ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/12 "2003-06-02T05:24:26Z")
I am the oldest of three and the fag and the biggest. Of course, we don’t _really_ know the whole truth about my younger brother. He’s 32, still single, never has been seen taking much of an interest in females, etc… My mom can’t handle thinking about ME - I’d hate to think about what she’d think if BOTH of her sons were boy’s boys. 🙂 As for my younger sister - a dedicated breeder. Second baby on the way now. ---
**Author:** ![Jeeves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jeeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeeves)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/13 "2003-06-02T06:27:52Z")
Me, first child, gay. My partner, first child, gay. My three best friends, … Well, I think you see the pattern. I have no idea whether the tendacies in that study may or may not be true, in my personal experiance, I don’t know any other gay guys who have older brothers. In fact, all of us are first/only children. ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/14 "2003-06-02T06:43:25Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/15 "2003-06-02T07:19:51Z")
I’m the oldest of the three boys my parents raised. As far as I know, I’m the only gay one, tho I have my suspicions about my youngest brother. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/16 "2003-06-02T07:47:39Z")
Only child… thank the Gods. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/17 "2003-06-02T15:07:31Z")
I have one brother, two years older, who to the best of my understanding is heterosexual. ---
**Author:** ![Zenpea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Zenpea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenpea)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/18 "2003-06-02T16:04:12Z")
Hmmm. It’s an interesting correlation, but I’m dubious about looking for biological reasons for it. I think perhaps a societal one looking at being overshadowed / insecure / reticent etc. may be just as effective in explaining it as the talk of genes. -J ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/19 "2003-06-02T17:04:19Z")
I’m the oldest and gay. My younger brother is apparently straight (he’s on his third wife) although I have suspicions of his frequent camping/fishing trips with a good (male) friend. Probably though, this is just because I know what I would be doing on a camping trip with a friend. Bob ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981/20 "2003-06-02T17:13:03Z")
(My brother is gay.) He has no older brothers. He has two older sisters. He has one younger brother, me (not gay). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-gay-men-do-you-have-an-older-brother/178981.md?page=2)