Gaydar is not real, and if you think it is, you’re a homophobe.
According to the University of Wisconsin’s study, which was published in the Journal of Sex Research, gaydar is not real. William Cox, an assistant scientist in the Department of Psychology and the lead author, chose to do this study in order to dispel the stereotype that some people might have gaydar and thus can determine who is gay and who isn’t.
In the press release Cox said, “Most people think of stereotyping as inappropriate. But if you’re not calling it ‘stereotyping,’ if you’re giving it this other label and camouflaging it as ‘gaydar,’ it appears to be more socially and personally acceptable.”
The running joke about me is that I have Soviet Era gaydar; anybody less obvious than, say, Paul Lynde or Janet Napolitano goes right by. Story though. Once, I gave my son and a couple of his friends a ride home after a high school dance. And there was one kid who just wouldn’t shut up about his involvement in the Gay-Straight Alliance and how excited he was about the upcoming Spring musical that he was in. I mean, Obama’s Safe School Czar totally would have sent this kid to a bus station.
A few months later, he stole my son’s girlfriend and last I heard they were married.
I never had gaydar much until I moved to DC in the late 1990s. I am rather good at it now. An acquaintance of mine found out that I was gay. He couldn’t believe it, thinking I was straight. I generally pass as straight, but not all the time. His gaydar was inept to say the least.
I have no gaydar.
I know some people who are pretty good at picking up on gay people but it may just be picking up on some clues that I miss or lucky guesses.
Who needs gaydar when the majority normal heterosexual population recognizes the neurotic behavior of less than 2.5% of the population? Some may have enhanced capabilities according to jungian psychology, but seriously, who does not recognize neurotic behavior of the 2-3%ers except those in denial?
I always thought my gaydar was accidentally hardwired to my libido. Turns out it was just me seeing an attractive guy and wishing he swung my way.
That’s a common twentysomething occurrence; don’t worry, you’ll grow out of it. 🙂
@ 4 Still happens to me. Maybe it’s the straight guys are better looking than the gay ones in the Boston area.
I have had success in discerning who is or would be gay.If I don’t have gaydar, then I must be psychic.
Lucky you, Roberto.
It seriously is a skill that develops with time, though; I didn’t figure out my first boyfriend was gay until a week after we slept together.
These days the penny drops a little quicker.