Familial Patterning and Prevalence of Male Androphilia in Samoa

Abstract

Previous research established that male androphilia (i.e., sexual arousal and attraction to adult males) clusters in families. Some studies find that male androphilia clusters in both the paternal and maternal lines, while others find that it clusters only in the latter. Most of the research investigating the familial nature of male androphilia has taken place in Western cultural contexts that are problematic for such research because they are characterized by low fertility. To address this, our previous work has examined familial patterning of male androphilia in Samoa, a high-fertility population in which androphilic males are readily identified due to their public status as fa’afafine (a third gender category). Building on this work, the present study replicated the familial nature of male androphilia in Samoa using a sample size that was ~122% larger than the one we previously employed (N = 382, M ±SD age: 29.72 years ±10.16). Samoan fa’afafine had significantly more fa’afafine relatives in their maternal and paternal lines compared to Samoan gynephilic males (p < .001). The prevalence of male androphilia was equivalent across both the paternal and maternal lines (all p > .15). The revised prevalence estimate of male androphilia in Samoa falls between 0.61% and 3.51%.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Paul Ah Kuoi, Resitara Apa, Gardenia Elisaia, Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago Elisala, Vaosa Epa, Sarah Faletoese Su’a, Vester Fido Collins, Liulauulu Faaleolea Ah Fook, Gaualofa Matalavea, Avau Memea, Nella Tavita-Levy, Palanitina Toelupe, the Samoan Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, and the Government of Samoa. Special thanks to Alatina Ioelu and Trisha Tuiloma, without whom this research would not be possible. Various stages of this research were supported by the University of Lethbridge; a Canadian Institute of Health Research Catalyst Grant; a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant; an Alberta Innovates–Health Solutions Grant to PLV; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada CGS–Masters’ Scholarships to both SWS and LJP; and a NSERC Doctoral Canada Graduate Scholarship–D3, a Henry David Travel Grant, and a Ralph Steinhauer Award of Distinction to DPV.

Notes

¹ Etic viewpoints focus on understanding cultural phenomena from an outsider’s perspective, that is, from the perspective of someone who is not a member of the culture in question (Kottak, 2006).