Link Is Cited Between Smell and Sexuality

Lesbians react to the smell of certain bodily odors in ways similar to heterosexual men and different from heterosexual women, new research suggests.

Building on their previous studies that showed significant differences in the ways heterosexual and homosexual men's brains process odors, the researchers may be narrowing the search for the elusive human pheromone.

The existence of pheromones, the sex-specific chemicals that send messages by smell to other members of the species, is well known in animals, but their existence among humans is in dispute.

The authors do not claim that they have discovered human pheromones or even that odors are a major factor in human sexual choices. But they have found suggestive differences in physiological responses to odor. The study appeared online on May 8 in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/16/health/16lesb.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

on that study (I did read about it in the newspaper).

Another example of well-educated people working day and night, spending great amounts of money, to restate the obvious and already well-known.

Redstone

I can't count the times I've told right wingers that it's not a choice. For example, I'm straight. I can't be lesbian if I tried. A bisexual can't stop being bisexual. A gay can't stop being gay. Right wingers keep saying it's a choice. Maybe it's a choice for them.

being ignorant. I think that's genetic as well.

You simply can't try to reason with those people.

Redstone

The old news was the correlation between certain smells and reactions in homosexual men. This one is about lesbians.

Apparently, sweat is a drug. ((sniff!!)) Damn, I feel so giddy. Must be a lifestyle side-effect. ((grin))

On another board I am on, people were using this as "proof" for the "genetics" argument. I balked. Because once again, human beings are exceptionally complex creatures, and are affected by many factors. Genetics, environment, and choice all play a role in sexuality, that's established and obvious with minimal investigation.

Is it not enough that people should be free to choose--if it's a choice, that people should be free to experience--if it's environmental, and people should be free to express--if it's their nature? There's no point in digging for a cause, since this isn't a behavior that we need OR HAVE A RIGHT to attempt to change.

In the end, it usually boils down to unaddressed homosexual desire coupled with envy. ;)

Some women liked the smell of a sweaty T-shirt and even get aroused. A man would either not smell anything or maybe gag at the same odor.

IIRC.

By the way, sweaty t-shirts.... Mmmmmm.