Scientists from the University of California at Berkeley recently released a study that claims lesbians can be identified by the relative lengths of their index and ring fingers.

Researchers noted that men typically have index fingers that are shorter than their ring fingers. A new study has shown that lesbians are more likely than straight women to display this trait. Also, gay men's index fingers are significantly shorter than those of straight men.

The hypothesis is that finger length and sexual orientation are linked to different levels of exposure to the male hormone during fetal development. If this hypothesis is correct, then lesbians and gay men must have been exposed to higher levels of male hormone in utero than their straight counterparts.

The researchers collected data at three different street festivals in San Francisco. They questioned 720 adults, asking them their sexual orientation, and measuring their fingers.

This research continues the ongoing debate of nature vs. nurture with regards to sexual orientation. Earlier research, from studies that show lesbians have similar inner ears to men and that gay men's brains operate differently than those of straight men, also point to a biological basis for homosexuality.

Want to conduct your own field research? Experts advise that you ask your test subjects to press their hands against a tabletop before you measure their index and ring fingers. (It's harder to cheat this way!)

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 [EDIT] here's another article i found on the study : http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/03/29/gay.fingers/

well, my index is definitely shorter.. :p

what about yours??

x-posted to lesbian