FEMALE SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND PUBERTAL ONSET

Both sexual orientation and pubertal onset are sexually dimorphic. Bio logic theories of sexual orientation emphasize the role of early andro gens in sexual differentiation of partner preference. If homosexual in dividuals have been subject to atypical androgenizing influences, such influences may also affect other sexually dimorphic traits, such as p ubertal timing. Based on this rationale as well as promising evidence from a prior twin study, we examined the onset of puberty in lesbians. We hypothesized that lesbians would have a later (i.e., more masculin e) age of pubertal onset compared to heterosexual women. We investigat ed this hypothesis in a sample of community volunteers and a second sa mple of discordant twins. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no sign ificant differences in pubertal onset between homosexual and heterosex ual women.