The 2D:4D ratio has been used as a marker of exposition to androgens during prenatal development, especially the organization effect of testosterone. Studies suggest that testosterone affects sexual differentiation on physical, psychological, and behavioral domains. On adulthood, testosterone has been associated with an activation effect on those domains changed prenatally. Furthermore, both organizational and activating effects of testosterone, has been suggested to affect mate preference in same and opposite-sex partners, as well as preferences for mate personal characteristics, with a particular premium on physical features. Males show a different pattern on preference of physical features of their mates when compared to females. Likewise, masculine style female homosexuals, known as butch, show a similar, but not identical to heterosexual men suggesting a relationship between hormones and mate preference. Moreover, mate choice studies indicate differences between homosexual and heterosexual women regarded to their preferences over some attributes of their partners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of both prenatal (2D:4D) and adult testosterone (saliva) on mate choice preference in homosexual (butch and femme – more feminine homosexual) and heterosexual women. 172 reproductive subjects (21 butch, 43 femme, 108 straight) were sampled, aged from 18 to 39, in a Northern Brazilian large capital. Subjects were recruited on LGBT pubs, associations, or by snowball sampling. Data collection consisted of a series of protocols starting with a sample selection questionnaires distributed among women, after that, they were contacted lately for collection of 2D:4D taken by digital calipers, testosterone concentration in saliva samples, and finally they were requested to complete a questionnaire to assess their mate choice preferences. Results show that butch homosexuals do not differ from heterosexual women on mate choice criteria; all groups placed a particular premium on physical attractiveness in short-term relationships when compared to long-term, however, they differ on salivar testosterone and in the way as testosterone, both intrauterine and in adulthood, correlated with their preferences for long and short-term relationships. We concluded that women, regardless of their sexual orientation, maintain similar mate choice mechanisms of their female ancestors, although there is a biological differentiation distiguinshing these groups, and perhaps they are related to these preferences. We suggest that environmental factors such as lifestyle, physical exercises, may account for such differences, so that some of these environmental factors need more investigation.
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