Despite these facts, slightly more of the men than of the women reported an unhappy adolescence, as shown in Figuro IV. As stated in the original report, one would expect an unhappy adolescence in a largely deviant group; and it is possible that the psychological impact of facing this deviance may be greater for the adolescent male in our soci ety than it is for the female.

% OF TOTAL GROUP

60

201

REARED BY BOTH PARENTS

·

=

MEN

BY ONE PARENT

BY NEITHER PARENT

WOMEN

FIG. BY WHOM REARED

A majority of the men, as of the women, had a favorite parent. But whereas 55% of the women with preferences preferred the mother, a much greater majority of the men with preferences (85%) did so. This tends to bear out psychiatric views as to the special relationship of the mother to male children.

The men came from somewhat larger families than did the women: the average male responding had 1.9 brothers and/or sisters (siblings), compared to 1.7 for the women. Furthermore, more men reported having 2 siblings than any other number, while for women one sibling was the most common. Again, only 17% of the men were "only children," whereas 22% of the women were. If it is true, as suggested in the original study, that the data for females do not indicate unusually small-sized families, then this is all the more true of the present data.

The ratio of total number of brothers to total number of sisters is interesting, 'in the light of various possible hypotheses which may be formulated as to genetic or environmental influences on homosexuality. It may be recalled that the survey on females revealed 148 brothers to 116 si sters, or a ratio of 128 brothers for every 100 sisters. Since publication of the original report, it has been pointed out to the committee that this ratio is not unusually low in brothers, as we had incorrectly argued, and is in fact some what higher in brothers than might be expected on the basis of chance alone, though not significantly higher.

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