Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

New Sexuality Study Claims That Nobody Is 100% 'Straight'—& the 'Proof' Is in Our Eyes

New Sexuality Study Claims That Nobody Is 100% 'Straight'—& the 'Proof' Is in Our Eyes
mark peterson/Getty Images

The idea that sexuality is a spectrum rather than the variation between two extremes (completely homosexual or heterosexual) isn't a new one. In fact, tools like the Kinsey scale and the human sexuality spectrum, which claim that most people fall somewhere in between 100% gay or straight, have both been widely discussed and, to differing degrees, accepted by the LGBTQ community for years, even if they hadn't been demonstrated with cold hard data... until now.

Researchers at Cornell University recently published a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology which claims there's no such thing as a "straight" man or woman.


The team used some interesting methods to gather their data.

Many psychological tests which deal with sexual arousal rely on self-reporting, which can be somewhat unreliable if the test subject has any biases which might skew his or her answers. So, for this study, the researchers decided to measure sexual arousal based on "physical responses" like pupil dilation (human's pupils dilate when they're turned on).

From there, it was a simple matter of showing the test subjects various selections of pornography and taking a close look at their pupil's responses!

Ritch C. Savin-Williams, Director of Developmental Psychology at Cornell University and author of the study, further explained the process to 'Broadly:'

It's basically a study that assesses sexual orientation by looking at the eyes and whether they dilate or not. You can't control your eye dilation. Essentially, that's what the whole project attempts to get at, another way of assessing sexuality without relying on self report. Another way of course is genital arousal, but that gets a little invasive.

The team's results were unexpected!

Women's eyes would dilate when viewing images of a man and woman having sex, or just two women having sex. This was slightly different for lesbians who, like (purportedly heterosexual) men, responded to both sexes, but showed a more prominent preference for women.

Savin-William's also described straight male's responses:

We show straight men a picture of a woman masturbating and they respond just like a straight guy, but then you also show them a guy masturbating and their eyes dilate a little bit. So we're actually able to show physiologically that all guys are not either gay, straight, or bi.

Even among LGBTQ individuals, however, the study has its detractors. Some are skeptical of how effective measuring pupil dilation can be for detecting real sexual attraction.

Though human sexuality is far from completely understood, Savin-Williams is certain a more flexible, spectrum-based understanding of who we're attracted to will make the world a better place:

If you look at women, the self esteem of lesbian women tends to be higher than that of straight women. Maybe they feel like they have more freedom [to be who they really are]. Granted, society may not always like it, but it is your own authentic self.

More from News/lgbtq

Archbishop Thomas Wenski; David and Rena Mourer visit the entrance to "Alligator Alcatraz"
Joe Raedle/Getty Images (both)

Archbishop Rips 'Alligator Alcatraz' In Powerful Statement Condemning Trump's Immigration 'Enforcement Tactics'

Historically conservative Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami issued an official statement on Thursday, July 3, addressing immigration enforcement tactics employed by the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump.

Posted on the Archdiocese's website, it was also shared on the Archbishop's personal X account.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Nancy Mace
David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Hilariously Claps Back At Nancy Mace After Her Cringey 'Don't California My South Carolina' Debate Challenge

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was widely mocked after she challenged California Governor Gavin Newsom to a debate—only for him to directly address her "Don't California My South Carolina' campaign with a list showing the stark differences between their two states.

Mace posted a video on X in which she extends a "FORMAL INVITATION" for Newsom to debate her "common sense policies," chiding him with the following message:

Keep ReadingShow less
office cubicles
Paymo on Unsplash

Things Toxic Coworkers Did That Made The Whole Office Go Silent

Workplaces have professional standards to maintain, or at least they should. While it's great to have fun in the office, there are some things that are appropriate during leisure time that aren't OK at work.

But some people never seem to get the memo.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Screenshot of Andrew Schulz
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Flagrant Podcast

Trump-Supporting Podcaster Andrew Schulz Turns On Trump In Mind-Numbing Rant

Conservative podcaster Andrew Schulz had social media users rolling their eyes after he criticized President Donald Trump, saying Trump is "doing the exact opposite" of everything he promised during his campaign, like stopping wars and shrinking spending.

Which begs the question: why tf did Schulz believe a word Trump said during his campaign, since he is a well-known serial liar and con man?

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @brigchicago's TikTok video
@brigchicago/TikTok

Plane Passengers Floored Over Flight Attendant's Suggestion While Stuck In 130 Degree Heat

Imagine being on time for your flight, only for takeoff to be delayed while the plane sits on the tarmac, with temperatures inside the plane cabin climbing to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Due to sweltering heat and complications, TikToker @brigchicago and her fellow passengers waited for their flight to take off. Whie the flight attendants did what they could to keep everyone calm and patient, some found their comments to be disingenuous.

Keep ReadingShow less