The order in which your siblings are born might influence your identity and sexuality. In honor of National Siblings Day, guest host Selena Simmons-Duffin explores a personal topic: the impact of having older brothers on one’s sexuality.
Scientific exploration into sexuality carries a complex history, marked by investigations that have often harmed queer communities. Although much early research has been discredited, the ‘fraternal birth order effect’ remains a notable exception. This phenomenon suggests that with each additional older brother, the likelihood of a person being gay increases.
Studies supporting this effect span various regions, including Turkey, North America, Brazil, and the Netherlands. In this episode, Selena delves into the specifics of the fraternal birth order effect. She examines how it is studied and seeks to understand what insights it provides regarding sexuality, alongside its limitations.
If you’re curious about the science behind our closest relationships, NPR’s ‘Science of Siblings’ series offers more intriguing stories. For further engagement, email the Short Wave team at [email protected]. Tune into Short Wave on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.
Support NPR’s ongoing work by subscribing to Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
This episode benefited from the efforts of producer Rachel Carlson, editor Rebecca Ramirez, and fact-checker Brit Hanson. Maggie Luthar served as the audio engineer.
Explore more from the Science of Siblings series:
- The origin story of National Sibling Day celebrating love and grief
- The influence of a brother’s hormones in the womb on his sister’s future
- Different life paths of identical twins both diagnosed with autism
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