The cross-cultural correlates and evolution of male androphilia

Abstract

The present thesis attempts to address two outstanding questions regarding male androphilia (i.e., sexual attraction to adult males): 1) Do transgender and cisgender androphilic males share similar sex-atypical behavioral and psychological traits across cultures? and 2) How do genes associated with male androphilia persist throughout evolutionary time despite this trait reducing reproduction? I addressed these questions with research among the Istmo Zapotec of southern Mexico. Cognitive abilities were also examined in Samoa. Results demonstrated that both cisgender and transgender androphilic males among the Istmo Zapotec exhibit elevated sex-atypical behavior and psychology in childhood and adulthood. Sex-atypical cognitive abilities were also observed among transgender androphilic males in Samoa, but not among the Istmo Zapotec. Finally, Istmo Zapotec androphilic males were found to have elevated kin-directed altruism and female kin with elevated reproduction. These findings can help explain how genes associated with male androphilia can persist throughout evolutionary time.