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| '''Simon LeVay''' (born ] ] in ]) is a neuroscientist and author known for his studies about brain structures and |
'''Simon LeVay''' (born ] ] in ]) is a neuroscientist and author known for his studies about brain structures and ]. He is also the co-author of a textbook on ] and has coauthored books on diverse topics such as ]s, ]es, and ]. <ref name="andriette">Andriette, Bill (February 2004). ''The Guide''</ref> | ||
| ==Education and career== | |||
| Degrees: | |||
| *], England (B.A., Natural Sciences, 1966) | *], England (B.A., Natural Sciences, 1966) | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
| LeVay held positions at Harvard from 1974 to 1984, after which he worked at the ] from 1984-1993. While at the Salk institute he was also Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at ]. | LeVay held positions at Harvard from 1974 to 1984, after which he worked at the ] from 1984-1993. While at the Salk institute he was also Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at ]. | ||
| Much of his early work looked at ] in animals, especially ]s. LeVay's textbook on human sexuality (now in its second edition) was described in one review as "an exceptional book that addresses nearly every aspect of sexuality from multiple theoretical, historical, and cultural perspectives." <ref name="bynereview">Byne W (June 7, 2006). ''Human Sexuality'' (book review). ''Journal of the American Medical Association''</ref> | |||
| Much of his early work looked at ] in animals, especially ]s. | |||
| ==''Queer Science'' and controversy== | |||
| In ] LeVay made news by claiming to have discovered that homosexual and heterosexual men have a difference in size in the third ] nuclei of the anterior ]. | |||
| LeVay's work and statements regarding ] have been controversial. <ref name="rogers">Rogers WS, Rogers, RS (2001). ''The psychology gender and sexuality: An introduction''. Open University Press, ISBN 978-0335202256</ref> In ] LeVay claimed to have discovered that homosexual and heterosexual men have a difference in size in the third ] nuclei of the anterior ] (INAH-3). <ref name="inah3">LeVay S (1991). A difference in hypothalamic structure between homosexual and heterosexual men. ''Science'' 253:1034-1037.</ref> The finding was widely reported in the media. <ref name="angier">Angier, Natalie (August 30, 1991). Zone of Brain Linked to Men's Sexual Orientation. '']''</ref> Subsequent studies have failed to replicate LeVay’s findings. <ref name="byneinah">Byne W, Tobet S, Mattiace L, Lasco M, Kemether E, Edgar M, Morgello S, Buchsbaum M, Jones L. 2001. The interstitial nuclei of the human anterior hypothalamus: an investigation of variation with sex, sexual orientation, and HIV status. ''Hormones and Behavior''. 40:86-92.</ref> | |||
| LeVay has acknowledged that samples of gay men's brain tissue were readily available to him because they had died of ]-related illnesses. <ref name="pinel">Pinel JPJ (2007). ''Basics of Biopsychology: International Edition''. Boston: Pearson Educational ISBN 9780205508891</ref> Contemporaries of LeVay have questioned his measurements, noting the structures themselves are difficult to see in tissue slices, and LeVay measured in volume, where others state cell count is more accurate. <ref name="barinaga">Barinaga, Marcia (August 30, 1991). Is homosexuality biological? ''Science''</ref> Nancy Ordover notes "he has also been criticized for his small ] and for compiling inadequate sexual histories."<ref name="ordover">Ordover, Nancy (2003). ''American Eugenics: Race, Queer Anatomy, and the Science of Nationalism''. University of Minnesota Press, ISBN 0-8166-3559-5</ref> Several of his colleagues have noted that the size of the nuclei could be impacted by AIDS, since INAH-3 is dependent on testosterone levels. <ref name="byne">Byne W, Parson B (March 1993). Human sexual orientation: The biologic theories reappraised. ''Archives of General Psychiatry'' 50:3, 235</ref> | |||
| Hubbard and Wald note, "Though, on average, the size of the hypothalamic nucleus LeVay considered significant was indeed smaller in the men he identified as homosexual, his published data show that the range of sizes of the individual samples was virtually the same as for the heterosexual men. That is, the area was larger in some of the homosexuals than in many of the heterosexual men, and smaller in some of the heterosexual men than in many of the homosexuals. This means that, though the groups showed some difference as groups, there was no way to tell anything about an individual’s sexual orientation by looking at his hypothalamus." <ref name="hubbard">Hubbard, Ruth and Elijah Wald (1997) ''Exploding the Gene Myth: How Genetic Information Is Produced and Manipulated by Scientists, Physicians, Employers, Insurance Companies, Educators, and Law Enforcers.'' BeaconPress, ISBN 978-0807004319</ref> Countering LeVay's claims suggesting homosexuality is a genetic predisposition (e.g. a "]"), Brannon points out that "gender identity is a complex concept relating to feelings that are not limited to or congruent with sexual behaviour." Brannon concludes that we simply do not know what this structure does or how it works in humans. <ref name="brannon">Brannon L (1996). ''Gender: Psychological Perspectives.'' Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 020540457X</ref> Byne noted "LeVay’s work has not been replicated, and human neuroanatomical studies of this kind have a very poor track record for reproducibility. Indeed, procedures similar to those LeVay used to identify nuclei have previously led researchers astray." <ref name="byne1994">Byne, William (1994). The Biological Evidence Challenged. '']'' 270:50-55, May.</ref> Biologist ] notes that this is the tiniest of four "rice-grain" sized parts of the brain, and that sex and sexual orientation do not uniformly correspond to the hypothesis that "gay" brains are similar to "female" brains. <ref name="roughgarden">Roughgarden, Joan (2004). ''Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People''. University of California Press, ISBN 978-0520240735</ref> | |||
| LeVay cautions against misinterpreting his findings: "It’s important to stress what I didn’t find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn’t show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain." <ref name="byrd">Byrd, A. Dean, Shirley E. Cox, and Jeffrey W. Robinson (May 27, 2001), '']''</ref> He has also stated in a ''Newsweek'' interview "if I didn’t find anything, I would give up a scientific career altogether," <ref name="gelman">Gelman et al. (February 24, 1992). Born or Bred? '']'' ; 46</ref> a comment critics (especially religious conservatives) claim is evidence of bias. <ref name="r&r">''cf.'' Harrub B, Miller D (August 2004). ''Reason & Revelation'' Apologetics Press, 24:73-79</ref> | |||
| LeVay has been criticized for advocating ] for traits like homosexuality in order to ] fetuses with unwanted traits. A ''New York Times'' book review noted, "Indeed, he cheerfully looks forward to the day when the 'new ]' born of the ] will enable women to abort fetuses likely to be carrying any traits they don't much care for, including homosexuality." <ref name="porter">Porter, Ray (August 11, 1996). '']''</ref> | |||
| == Selected bibliography == | == Selected bibliography == | ||
| *LeVay S (1993). ''The Sexual Brain''. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62093-6 |
*LeVay S (1993). ''The Sexual Brain''. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62093-6 | ||
| *LeVay S (1996). ''Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality''. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62119-3 |
*LeVay S (1996). ''Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality''. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62119-3 | ||
| *LeVay S, Valente SM ( |
*LeVay S, Valente SM (Second ed., 2006). ''Human Sexuality''. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates. ISBN ISBN 0-87893-465-0 | ||
| *LeVay S (1991). A difference in hypothalamic structure between homosexual and heterosexual men. ''Science'' 253:1034-1037. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| Pinel, J., P., J. (2006) Biopsychology: International Edition. Boston: Pearson Educational | |||
| <div class="references-small"> <references/> </div> | |||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * | * | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 18:12, 30 December 2006
Simon LeVay (born 28 August 1943 in Oxford, England) is a neuroscientist and author known for his studies about brain structures and sexual orientation. He is also the co-author of a textbook on human sexuality and has coauthored books on diverse topics such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and extraterrestrial life.
Education and career
- University of Cambridge, England (B.A., Natural Sciences, 1966)
- University of Göttingen, Germany (Ph.D., Neuroanatomy, 1971)
- Harvard Medical School (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 1972-1974)
LeVay held positions at Harvard from 1974 to 1984, after which he worked at the Salk Institute from 1984-1993. While at the Salk institute he was also Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at University of California, San Diego.
Much of his early work looked at visual cortex in animals, especially cats. LeVay's textbook on human sexuality (now in its second edition) was described in one review as "an exceptional book that addresses nearly every aspect of sexuality from multiple theoretical, historical, and cultural perspectives."
Queer Science and controversy
LeVay's work and statements regarding biology and sexual orientation have been controversial. In 1991 LeVay claimed to have discovered that homosexual and heterosexual men have a difference in size in the third interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH-3). The finding was widely reported in the media. Subsequent studies have failed to replicate LeVay’s findings.
LeVay has acknowledged that samples of gay men's brain tissue were readily available to him because they had died of AIDS-related illnesses. Contemporaries of LeVay have questioned his measurements, noting the structures themselves are difficult to see in tissue slices, and LeVay measured in volume, where others state cell count is more accurate. Nancy Ordover notes "he has also been criticized for his small sample size and for compiling inadequate sexual histories." Several of his colleagues have noted that the size of the nuclei could be impacted by AIDS, since INAH-3 is dependent on testosterone levels. Hubbard and Wald note, "Though, on average, the size of the hypothalamic nucleus LeVay considered significant was indeed smaller in the men he identified as homosexual, his published data show that the range of sizes of the individual samples was virtually the same as for the heterosexual men. That is, the area was larger in some of the homosexuals than in many of the heterosexual men, and smaller in some of the heterosexual men than in many of the homosexuals. This means that, though the groups showed some difference as groups, there was no way to tell anything about an individual’s sexual orientation by looking at his hypothalamus." Countering LeVay's claims suggesting homosexuality is a genetic predisposition (e.g. a "gay gene"), Brannon points out that "gender identity is a complex concept relating to feelings that are not limited to or congruent with sexual behaviour." Brannon concludes that we simply do not know what this structure does or how it works in humans. Byne noted "LeVay’s work has not been replicated, and human neuroanatomical studies of this kind have a very poor track record for reproducibility. Indeed, procedures similar to those LeVay used to identify nuclei have previously led researchers astray." Biologist Joan Roughgarden notes that this is the tiniest of four "rice-grain" sized parts of the brain, and that sex and sexual orientation do not uniformly correspond to the hypothesis that "gay" brains are similar to "female" brains.
LeVay cautions against misinterpreting his findings: "It’s important to stress what I didn’t find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay. I didn’t show that gay men are born that way, the most common mistake people make in interpreting my work. Nor did I locate a gay center in the brain." He has also stated in a Newsweek interview "if I didn’t find anything, I would give up a scientific career altogether," a comment critics (especially religious conservatives) claim is evidence of bias.
LeVay has been criticized for advocating fetal screening for traits like homosexuality in order to abort fetuses with unwanted traits. A New York Times book review noted, "Indeed, he cheerfully looks forward to the day when the 'new eugenics' born of the human genome project will enable women to abort fetuses likely to be carrying any traits they don't much care for, including homosexuality."
Selected bibliography
- LeVay S (1993). The Sexual Brain. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62093-6
- LeVay S (1996). Queer Science: The Use and Abuse of Research into Homosexuality. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-62119-3
- LeVay S, Valente SM (Second ed., 2006). Human Sexuality. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates. ISBN ISBN 0-87893-465-0
References
- Andriette, Bill (February 2004). Sex on the Brain: Talking with Simon Levay. The Guide
- Byne W (June 7, 2006). Human Sexuality (book review). Journal of the American Medical Association
- Rogers WS, Rogers, RS (2001). The psychology gender and sexuality: An introduction. Open University Press, ISBN 978-0335202256
- LeVay S (1991). A difference in hypothalamic structure between homosexual and heterosexual men. Science 253:1034-1037.
- Angier, Natalie (August 30, 1991). Zone of Brain Linked to Men's Sexual Orientation. New York Times
- Byne W, Tobet S, Mattiace L, Lasco M, Kemether E, Edgar M, Morgello S, Buchsbaum M, Jones L. 2001. The interstitial nuclei of the human anterior hypothalamus: an investigation of variation with sex, sexual orientation, and HIV status. Hormones and Behavior. 40:86-92.
- Pinel JPJ (2007). Basics of Biopsychology: International Edition. Boston: Pearson Educational ISBN 9780205508891
- Barinaga, Marcia (August 30, 1991). Is homosexuality biological? Science
- Ordover, Nancy (2003). American Eugenics: Race, Queer Anatomy, and the Science of Nationalism. University of Minnesota Press, ISBN 0-8166-3559-5
- Byne W, Parson B (March 1993). Human sexual orientation: The biologic theories reappraised. Archives of General Psychiatry 50:3, 235
- Hubbard, Ruth and Elijah Wald (1997) Exploding the Gene Myth: How Genetic Information Is Produced and Manipulated by Scientists, Physicians, Employers, Insurance Companies, Educators, and Law Enforcers. BeaconPress, ISBN 978-0807004319
- Brannon L (1996). Gender: Psychological Perspectives. Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 020540457X
- Byne, William (1994). The Biological Evidence Challenged. Scientific American 270:50-55, May.
- Roughgarden, Joan (2004). Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People. University of California Press, ISBN 978-0520240735
- Byrd, A. Dean, Shirley E. Cox, and Jeffrey W. Robinson (May 27, 2001), Homosexuality: The Innate-Immutability Argument Finds No Basis in Science. Salt Lake Tribune
- Gelman et al. (February 24, 1992). Born or Bred? Newsweek ; 46
- cf. Harrub B, Miller D (August 2004). This is the Way God Made Me"—A Scientific Examination of Homosexuality and the "Gay Gene." Reason & Revelation Apologetics Press, 24:73-79
- Porter, Ray (August 11, 1996). Born that way? New York Times