Lesbians under the medical gaze: Scientists search for remarkable differences

Abstract

This paper examines research, conducted under the auspices of the Committee for the Study of Sex Variants during the 1930s in New York City, which sought to determine what characteristics distinguished lesbians from heterosexual women. Assuming that marks of difference would appear either on the body or in the mind, researchers x‐rayed skeletons, inspected genitals, and conducted psychiatric interviews looking for indicators of masculinity. This inquiry was intended to establish scientific ways to identify, treat and prevent homosexuality. Although physical findings alone were inconclusive, morphological and experiential patterns were noted. Because lesbians were assumed to be masculine, the research framework failed to explain the cases of “feminine” women who sexually pursued women or who responded favorably to sexual advances by women. Recommendations for prevention identified the family as the appropriate site for establishing and reinforcing proper gender behaviors.