The length of your fingers could indicate your sexuality

The length of your finger could provide clues to your sexuality, according to a study published in the newspaper Records of sexual behavior.

In females, the index (the second finger) and the ring finger (the fourth) usually have the same length, while in humans, the difference between the two is usually greater (index shorter and longer annular).

Previous studies have suggested that there may be a link between prenatal hormone levels and differences in finger length, with people exposed to higher hormone levels, testosterone, being more likely to have "typically male hands". In the womb, men and women are exposed to testosterone.

For their research, a team from the University of Essex in the UK examined sets of identical twins (14 men and 18 women) of different sexuality, finding differences in their hands.

Among the twins, it was found that bisexual or lesbian sisters had a "typically male" finger length ratio significantly higher than their heterosexual counterparts. Meanwhile, among male twins, bisexual or homosexual brothers had more "typical men" hands than straight – contrary to what the researchers predicted – although the difference is not significant.

Stock image of a woman displaying her fingers iStock

"Because identical twins, who share 100% of their genes, may differ in their sexual orientations, factors other than genetics must take this into account," wrote the authors of the study.

For example, different exposures or reactions to hormones in the uterus, specific to each pair of twins, could contribute to the differentiation of their sexual orientations.

"Research suggests that our sexuality is determined in the womb and depends on the amount of male hormone we are exposed to or how our body reacts to this hormone, with people exposed to higher levels of testosterone being more likely to be bisexual or homosexual, "wrote the authors." Because of the link between hormone levels and the difference in finger length, looking at someone's hands can provide a clue to their sexuality."

The last study is not the first to suggest a link between finger length and sexuality. However, it is important to note that the evidence is currently not strong enough to predict whether a person is gay, heterosexual or bisexual based on the relationship between his or her fingers.