Taking the pill for past 40 years 'has put women off masculine men'By David Derbyshire
08th October 2009
It ushered in the 1960s sexual revolution and gave women control over their own fertility.
But the Pill may also have changed women's taste in men, according to a study.
Scientists say the hormones in the oral contraceptive suppress a woman's interest in masculine men and make boyish men more attractive. Although the change occurs for just a few days each month, it may have been highly influential since use of the Pill began more than 40 years ago.
50s
If the theory is right, it could partly explain the shifting in tastes from macho 1950s and 1960s stars such as Kirk Douglas and Sean Connery to the more wimpy, androgynous stars of today, such as Johnny Depp and Russell Brand.
Dr Alexandra Alvergne, of the University of Sheffield, says the Pill could also be altering the way women pick their mates and could have long-term implications for society.
Read more at the UK Daily Mail
this study is actually mentioned on a .gov site - Department of Health and Human Services:
Birth Control Pills Might Alter Mate Selection: StudyReview suggests it could hinder reproduction in the future.WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Could birth control pills be taking human evolution in a whole new, and possibly detrimental, direction?
A review of past research finds that, by altering hormonal cycles, the pill might affect choice of mates among members of both genders in a way that could hinder successful reproduction in the future.
"The use of the pill by women, by changing her mate preferences, might induce women to mate with otherwise less-preferred partners, which might have important consequences for mate choice and reproductive outcomes," said Alexandra Alvergne, lead author of a study appearing in the October issue of Trends in Ecology & Evolution.
Read more here.
This does make so much sense. And also makes me wonder if this explains the uptick in kids with more ambivalent sexuality.
this study is actually mentioned on a .gov site - Department of Health and Human Services:
This does make so much sense. And also makes me wonder if this explains the uptick in kids with more ambivalent sexuality.