Sexual Behavior in the Human Male

 VOICES FROM THE PAST 
Sexual Behavior in the Human Male
| Alfred C. Kinsey, Wardell R. Pomeroy, and Clyde E. Martin. Sexual
Behavior in the Human Male. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders:
1948: 610-666.
HOMOSEXUAL OUTLET
[A] CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF THE
population, perhaps the major portion of the male
population, has at least some homosexual experi-
ence between adolescence and old age. In addi-
tion, about 60 per cent of the pre-adolescent boys
engage in homosexual activities, and there is an
additional group of adult males who avoid overt
contacts but who are quite aware of their poten-
tialities for reacting to other males.
The social significance of the homosexual is
considerably emphasized by the fact that both
Jewish and Christian churches have considered
this aspect of human sexuality to be abnormal
and immoral. Social custom and our Anglo-
American law are sometimes very severe in
penalizing one who is discovered to have had
homosexual relations. . . .
It is, therefore, peculiarly difficult to secure fac-
tual data concerning the nature and the extent of
the homosexual in Western European or Ameri-
can cultures, and even more difficult to find
strictly objective presentations of such data as are
available. . . .
Until the extent of any type of human behavior
is adequately known, it is difficult to assess its sig-
nificance, either to the individuals who are in-
volved or to society as a whole; and until the ex-
tent of the homosexual is known, it is practically
impossible to understand its biologic or social ori-
gins. It is one thing if we are dealing with a type
of activity that is unusual, without precedent
among other animals, and restricted to peculiar
types of individuals within the human population.
Photo of Alfred C. Kinsey, DSc, courtesy of The Kinsey
Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and
Reproduction Inc.
894 | Voices From the Past
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 VOICES FROM THE PAST 
It is another thing if the phenom-
nearly half of the population
ent section of this chapter, are
enon proves to be a fundamental
which has had sexual contacts
based on those persons who
part, not only of human sexual-
with, or reacted psychically to,
have had physical contacts with
ity, but of mammalian patterns as
individuals of their own as well
other males, and who were
a whole.
as of the opposite sex. Actually,
brought to orgasm as a result of
of course, one must learn to
such contacts. By any strict defi-
DEFINITION
recognize every combination of
nition such contacts are homo-
heterosexuality and homosexual-
sexual, irrespective of the extent
For nearly a century the term
ity in the histories of various
of the psychic stimulation in-
homosexual in connection with
individuals.
volved, of the techniques em-
human behavior has been ap-
It would encourage clearer
ployed, or of the relative impor-
plied to sexual relations, either
thinking on these matters if per-
tance of the homosexual and the
overt or psychic, between indi-
sons were not characterized as
heterosexual in the history of
viduals of the same sex. Derived
heterosexual or homosexual, but
such an individual. These are
from the Greek root homo rather
as individuals who have had cer-
not data on the number of per-
than from the Latin word for
tain amounts of heterosexual ex-
sons who are “homosexual,” but
man, the term emphasizes the
perience and certain amounts of
on the number of persons who
sameness of the two individuals
homosexual experience. Instead
have had at least some homo-
who are involved in a sexual re-
of using these terms as substan-
sexual experience. . . .
lation. The word is, of course,
tives which stand for persons, or
In these terms (of physical
patterned after and intended to
even as adjectives to describe
contact to the point of orgasm),
represent the antithesis of the
persons, they may better be used
the data in the present study in-
word heterosexual, which applies
to describe the nature of the
dicate that at least 37 percent of
to a relation between individuals
overt sexual relations, or of the
the male population has some
of different sexes. . . .
stimuli to which an individual
homosexual experience between
It is amazing to observe how
erotically responds.
the beginning of adolescence
many psychologists and psychia-
and old age. This is more than
trists have . . . come to believe
PREVIOUS ESTIMATES
one male in three of the persons
that homosexual males and fe-
OF INCIDENCE
that one may meet as he passes
males are discretely different
along a city street. Among the
from persons who merely have
Satisfactory incidence figures
males who remain unmarried
homosexual experience, or who
on the homosexual cannot be ob-
until the age of 35, almost ex-
react sometimes to homosexual
tained by any technique short of
actly 50 per cent have homosex-
stimuli. Sometimes such an inter-
a carefully planned population
ual experience between the be-
pretation allows for only two
survey. The data should cover
ginning of adolescence and that
kinds of males and two kinds of
every segment of the total popu-
age. . . . These figures are, of
females, namely those who are
lation. . . . In order to secure data
course, considerably higher than
heterosexual and those who are
that have any relation to the real-
any which have previously been
homosexual. But as subsequent
ity, it is imperative that the cases
estimated. . . .
data . . . will show, there is only
be derived from as careful a dis-
We ourselves were totally un-
about half of the male population
tribution and stratification of the
prepared to find such incidence
whose sexual behavior is exclu-
sample as the public opinion
data when this research was orig-
sively heterosexual, and there are
polls employ, or as we have em-
inally undertaken. Over a period
a few percent who are exclu-
ployed in the present study. . . .
of several years we were repeat-
sively homosexual. Any restric-
edly assailed with doubts as to
tion of the term homosexuality to
INCIDENCE DATA IN
whether we were getting a fair
individuals who are exclusively
PRESENT STUDY
cross section of the total popula-
so demands, logically, that the
tion or whether a selection of
term heterosexual be applied
The statistics given through-
cases was biasing the results. It
only to those individuals who are
out this volume on the incidence
has been our experience, how-
exclusively heterosexual; and this
of homosexual activity, and the
ever, that each new group into
makes no allowance for the
statistics to be given in the pres-
which we have gone has pro-
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Voices From the Past | 895

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 VOICES FROM THE PAST 
ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL
barked on a massive and meticu-
tercourse, and the techniques of
Americans of the 20th century,
lous Darwinian case study of the
contraception, as were his spirited
Alfred Charles Kinsey conducted
evolutionary taxonomy of the
denunciations of repressive laws
Alfred C.
landmark studies of male and fe-
gall wasp. After identifying sev-
and social attitudes. He also at-
male sexual behavior that helped
eral new species, Kinsey received
tempted to replace conventional
usher in the “sexual revolution”
his doctor of science degree in
ideas of normal sexual behavior
Kinsey:
of the 1960s and 1970s. He was
1919 and joined the faculty of
with a new biological definition:
born in Hoboken, NJ, on June
Indiana University the following
“nearly all the so-called sexual
23, 1894, the son of Alfred
year. In 1924, he married Clara
perversions fall within the range
Seguine Kinsey and Sarah Ann
Bracken McMillen, then an out-
of biological normality.”3(p333) As
Charles. His father, a zealously
standing chemistry student at In-
his recent biographer James H.
religious and intimidating man,
A Pioneer of
diana University. Alfred and
Jones observes, Kinsey was using
and a teacher at Stevens Institute
Clara had 4 children, 3 of whom
the marriage course to “transform
of Technology, insisted that his
survived into adulthood.
his private struggle against
Sex Research
son put aside his early interest in
Kinsey advanced up the aca-
Victorian morality into a public
biology and instead enroll in
demic ranks, becoming full pro-
crusade” and to “protest issues
Stevens to study engineering.
fessor in 1929.2 In 1936, he
that had bedeviled him for
After 2 lackluster years, Alfred
published The Gall Wasp Genus
decades.”3(p335) The Indiana stu-
rebelled and left for Bowdoin
Cynips: A Study of the Origin of
dents responded enthusiastically,
College in Maine, where he en-
Species in 1930 and The Origin
and his course enrollments grew
rolled as a biology student. Fa-
of Higher Categories in Cynips.
to 400 by 1940.
ther and son never reconciled;
Although both were well re-
Kinsey now shifted his re-
when Alfred graduated with high
ceived by specialists, Kinsey was
search focus as well, transferring
honors in 1916, his father re-
deeply disappointed that he was
his obsessive concern with varia-
fused to attend commencement.1
not offered a professorship at a
tion among gall wasps to the vari-
Alfred became a student of ap-
more prestigious university.
eties of human sexual experience.
plied biology at Harvard, where
Perhaps because of this disap-
He required students in his mar-
he came under the influence of
pointment, Kinsey made an un-
riage course to have private con-
William Morton Wheeler, an em-
usual career move in 1938: he
ferences in which he took their
inent field biologist, staunch Dar-
agreed to lead a team-taught
sexual histories. On weekends
winian, and confidant of the ir-
course on marriage and the fam-
and vacations, he conducted simi-
reverent H. L. Mencken. With
ily instituted in response to a stu-
lar interviews in nearby commu-
Wheeler as his mentor, Kinsey
dent petition. High points of the
nities, and later in such cities as
jettisoned most of his religious
course were Kinsey’s illustrated
Gary, Chicago, St. Louis, and
ideas—although not all of his
lectures on the biology of sexual
Philadelphia. Kinsey received re-
repressive upbringing—and em-
stimulation, the mechanics of in-
search support from the National
vided substantially the same
THE HETEROSEXUAL-
an intermediate position be-
sex is correlated with various
data. Whether the histories were
HOMOSEXUAL BALANCE
tween the other groups. It is im-
physical and mental qualities,
taken in one large city or an-
plied that every individual is in-
and with the total personality
other, whether they were taken
Concerning patterns of sexual
nately—inherently—either
which makes a homosexual
in large cities, in small towns, or
behavior, a great deal of the
heterosexual or homosexual. It is
male or female physically, psy-
in rural areas, whether they
thinking done by scientists and
further implied that from the
chically, and perhaps spiritually
came from one college or from
laymen alike stems from the as-
time of birth one is fated to be
distinct from a heterosexual in-
another, a church school or a
sumption that there are persons
one thing or the other, and that
dividual. It is generally thought
state university or some private
who are “heterosexual” and per-
there is little chance for one to
that these qualities make a ho-
institution, whether they came
sons who are “homosexual,” that
change his pattern in the course
mosexual person obvious and
from one part of the country or
these two types represent an-
of a lifetime.
recognizable to any one who
from another, the incidence data
titheses in the sexual world, and
It is quite generally believed
has a sufficient understanding
on the homosexual have been
that there is only an insignificant
that one’s preference for a sex-
of such matters. Even psychia-
more or less the same. . . .
class of “bisexuals” who occupy
ual partner of one or the other
trists discuss “the homosexual
896 | Voices F
Vo
rom the P
ices F
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rom the P
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 VOICES FROM THE PAST 
Research Council and the Rocke-
tained many revelations about
class parents enshrouded
NY: Oxford University Press; 1999:
feller Foundation, which allowed
such matters as women’s mastur-
sex in shame, heaping
944–949.
him to hire research assistants,
batory practices, premarital sexu-
more than enough guilt on
2.
DuBois W. E. B. The Philadelphia
young people to mangle
Negro: A Social Study. New York, NY:
expand the geographic scope of
ality, and orgasmic experiences.
and twist them. This was
Benjamin Blom; 1899.
his work, and found the Institute
As before, Kinsey documented
particularly true for those
3.
Hoffman FL. Race Traits and Ten-
of Sex Research at Indiana Uni-
an enormous gap between social
like Kinsey who aspired
dencies of the American Negro. New
versity in 1947.
attitudes and actual practices.
but failed to achieve moral
York, NY: American Economic Associa-
tion; 1896.
In January 1948, Kinsey and
Also as before, the book was a
perfection. His great ac-
complishment was to take
his collaborators published Sex-
media sensation, but this time
4.
Rampersad A. DuBois, William Ed-
his pain and suffering and
ward Burghardt. In: Garraty JA, ed. Dic-
ual Behavior in the Human Male,
the counterattack was so fero-
use it to transform himself
tionary of American Biography. Suppl. 7,
the source of the excerpt
cious—including a congressional
into an instrument of so-
1961–1965. New York, NY: Charles
reprinted here. It made the best-
investigation of his financial sup-
cial reform, a secular evan-
Scribner’s Sons; 1981:200–205.
seller list within 3 weeks, despite
port—that the Rockefeller Foun-
gelist who proclaimed a
new sensibility about
its 804 pages, generally dry sci-
dation terminated its funding.
human sexuality.3(p772)
entific style, and ponderous
Kinsey’s health deteriorated
weight of statistics, tables, and
under the strain of public attack
Theodore M. Brown
graphs. By mid-March, it had
and uncertainty about the future
Elizabeth Fee
sold 200 000 copies. The book,
of his institute. He suffered from
based on over 5000 sexual his-
heart disease and, after a brief
tories, provided a series of reve-
hospitalization for pneumonia,
lations about the prevalence of
died in Bloomington on August
About the Authors
masturbation, adulterous sexual
25, 1956. In his own mind, his
Theodore M. Brown is with the Depart-
ments of History and of Community and
activity, and homosexuality. One
principal legacy was to have
Preventive Medicine at the University of
religious leader attacked Kinsey
brought scientific rigor to the
Rochester, NY. Elizabeth Fee is with the
for publishing “the most anti-reli-
study of human sexuality. But as
History of Medicine Division, National
Library of Medicine, National Institutes of
gious book of our times.”4 Some
his biographer James H. Jones
Health, Bethesda, Md.
criticized his methods (and con-
points out, Kinsey was not only a
Requests for reprints should be sent to
clusions) because of inadequate
scientist; he was a reformer who
Theodore M. Brown, PhD, Department of
History, University of Rochester, Rochester,
sampling techniques; others ex-
sought to rid himself of his per-
NY 14627 (e-mail: theodore.brown@
travagantly praised him as an-
sonal sexual demons, while at
urmc.rochester.edu).
other Galileo or Darwin.
the same time revolutionizing the
This contribution was accepted
October 9, 2002.
Kinsey’s next major project
repressive society in which he
was Sexual Behavior in the
had grown up:
Human Female, published in
References
His formative years were
1.
Holt TC. W E. B. DuBois. In:
1953. Based on almost 6000
spent in a home and in a
Garraty JA, Carnes MC, eds. American
sexual histories, this book con-
nation where many middle-
National Biography. Vol 6. New York,
personality” and many of them
that there are persons in the
ual histories, both homosexual
and goats. Not all things are
believe that preferences for sex-
population whose histories are
and heterosexual experience
black nor all things white. It is a
ual partners of a particular sex
exclusively heterosexual, both in
and/or psychic responses. There
fundamental of taxonomy that
are merely secondary manifes-
regard to their overt experience
are some whose heterosexual
nature rarely deals with discrete
tations of something that lies
and in regard to their psychic
experiences predominate, there
categories. Only the human mind
much deeper in the totality of
reactions. And there are individ-
are some whose homosexual ex-
invents categories and tries to
that intangible which they call
uals in the population whose
periences predominate, there
force facts into separated pigeon-
the personality. . . .
histories are exclusively homo-
are some who have had quite
holes. The living world is a con-
The histories which have
sexual, both in experience and
equal amounts of both types of
tinuum in each and every one of
been available in the present
in psychic reactions. But the rec-
experience. . . .
its aspects. The sooner we learn
study make it apparent that the
ord also shows that there is a
Males do not represent two
this concerning human sexual
heterosexuality or homosexual-
considerable portion of the pop-
discrete populations, heterosex-
behavior the sooner we shall
ity of many individuals is not an
ulation whose members have
ual and homosexual. The world
reach a sound understanding of
all-or-none proposition. It is true
combined, within their individ-
is not to be divided into sheep
the realities of sex. . . .
June 2003, Vol 93, No. 6 | American Journal of Public Health
Voices From the Past | 897

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 VOICES FROM THE PAST 
SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL
species. That patterns of hetero-
tutional inmate with a homosexual
as those of the rest of the social
IMPLICATIONS
sexuality and patterns of homo-
record, are involved in behavior
level to which they belong. It is
sexuality represent learned be-
that is not fundamentally different
not a matter of the individual
In view of the data which we
havior which depends, to a
from that had by a fourth to a
hypocrisy whichleads officials
now have on the incidence and
considerable degree, upon the
third of all of the rest of the popu-
with homosexual histories to be-
frequency of the homosexual, and
mores of the particular culture in
lation, the activity of the single in-
come prosecutors of the homo-
in particular on its co-existence
which the individual is raised, is a
dividual acquires a somewhat dif-
sexual activity in the commu-
with the heterosexual in the lives
possibility that must be thor-
ferent social significance. . . .
nity. They themselves are the
of a considerable portion of the
oughly considered before there
The difficulty of the situation
victims of the mores, and the
male population, it is difficult to
can be any acceptance of the idea
becomes still more apparent
public demand that they protect
maintain the view that psycho-
that homosexuality is inherited,
when it is realized that these
those mores. As long as there
sexual reactions between individ-
and that the pattern for each indi-
generalizations concerning the
are such gaps between the tradi-
uals of the same sex are rare and
vidual is so innately fixed that no
incidence and frequency of ho-
tional custom and the actual be-
therefore abnormal or unnatural,
modification of it may be ex-
mosexual activity apply in vary-
havior of the population, such
or that they constitute within
pected within his lifetime. . . .
ing degrees to every social level,
inconsistencies will continue
themselves evidence of neuroses
to persons in every occupation,
to exist. . . .
or even psychoses. . . .
SOCIAL APPLICATIONS
and of every age in the commu-
The homosexual has been a
The very general occurrence
nity. The police force and court
significant part of human sexual
of the homosexual in ancient
. . . Social reactions to the ho-
officials who attempt to enforce
activity ever since the dawn of
Greece, and its wide occurrence
mosexual have obviously been
the sex laws, the clergymen and
history, primarily because it is an
today in some cultures in which
based on the general belief that a
business men and every other
expression of capacities that are
such activity is not as taboo as it
deviant individual is unique and
group in the city which periodi-
basic in the human animal.
is in our own, suggests that the
as such needs special considera-
cally calls for enforcement of
capacity of an individual to re-
tion. When it is recognized that
the laws—particularly the laws
spond erotically to any sort of
the particular boy who is discov-
against sexual “perversion”—
stimulus, whether it is provided
ered in homosexual relations in
have given a record of inci-
by another person of the same or
school, the business man who is
dences and frequencies in the
of the opposite sex, is basic in the
having such activity, and the insti-
homosexual which are as high
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