Brain waves:
Gay men aroused by sweet smell of sweat
Vol. XIV, No. 6
Serving the Gay and Lesbian Community of the Inland Northwest
June 2005
Floating on Cloud 9
compiled from various reports STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Researchers here have discovered what gay men have known, at least subconsciously, for a long, long time – that a section of the brain that may be linked to sexual arousal responds to male aromas. What gay men either didn’t realize or didn’t care about is that their reactions were different from straight men. Swedish neuroscientists, using chemical scents extracted from male and female sex hormones, last month reported findings that show the hypothalamus region of the brain responded
Study by Swedish neuroscientists gives credence to gay-at-birth theory in a similar way in separate groups of gay men and heterosexual women after both groups sampled odors obtained from male perspiration. Brain functions of the study subjects were examined through positron emission tomography (PET) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests. Identical tests given heterosexual men showed their brains did not respond similarly to the odor from male perspiration but did respond to an odor obtained from an estrogen-like substance found in women’s urine, according to the study. In turn, the gay men and heterosexual women showed no significant neurological response to the odor from the female substance known as EST. The study was conducted by a research team from the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, and was published in the May 10 edition of the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. The researchers used 36 people as subjects for their study, divided equally into three groups of all-gay men, allheterosexual men and all-heterosexual women. All participants, they said, were healthy, un-medicated, righthanded, HIV-negative, within a similar age range and with a similar level of education. Continued on page 20
staff photo
Members of Odyssey Youth Center applied their painting and carpentry skills in late May to construct the first motorized float ever included in Spokane’s annual Pride Parade. Under the tutelage of Volunteer Coordinator Julie Amo, top, the construction crew included, from left, Elerie Dial, Corinna Verdugo, Megan Cuilla and Kelly Stevens. They christened their creation “BGF” (Big Gay Float). “It will look much better with people, balloons, tassels and frillies,” advised Amo, whose pickup will tow the decorated flat-bed through downtown streets for the noon-hour parade on Saturday, June 11. This year’s Pride Parade completes the event’s evolution from 1992, when police escorted an estimated 500 marchers along downtown sidewalks in 1992. Stonewall News Northwest’s extensive coverage of Pride Week in Spokane begins on page 7.
Jewish groups pledge support for gay equality compiled from various reports BELLEVUE – With the single-vote defeat of a bill that would have outlawed discrimination of gay people in Washington state barely one month old, representatives from some 15 local Jewish temples and groups meeting here revealed plans aimed at convincing legislators in three key districts to support House Bill 1515 next year. The key bill, which the Senate voted down 25-24 on April 21, would prohibit discrimination in housing, insurance and employment based on sexual orientation. The Jewish communal leaders and a broad spectrum of clergy revealed
their campaign plans at a press conference here on May 25, just a month after a self-absorbed, local conservative Christian pastor claimed that Microsoft withdrew its support of the bill this year after the pastor threatened a nationwide boycott of Microsoft products. The software giant insisted its position had nothing to do with the pastor and has since recanted, saying it would support the bill in 2006. “We want to make clear to all Americans that people of faith do support justice and equality for all,” said Rabbi Jonathan Singer of Seattle’s Temple Beth Am, according to the Seattle Times. “Fifteen-fifteen for Jews is personal,” said Rabbi Harley Karz-
Wagman of Everett’s Temple Beth Or, joining other speakers in emphasizing that Jews have experienced similar discrimination for decades. They recalled that, even recently, restrictive covenants prohibited the Continued on page 6
INSIDE 10 Days of Pride .................... 7 Arts & Entertainment .......... 24 Business Directory ............. 21 Calendar .............................. 27 Classifieds ........................... 26 International News .............. 22 National News ..................... 18 Regional News .................... 10 Spokane News ...................... 4 Tell Trinity ............................ 23 Voices ..................................... 2