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In the 1920s, the Institute for Sexual Research in Berlin was a haven for queer people, many of whom came to the institute seeking to express their identities without fear of being imprisoned. This undated photo depicts a costume party at the institute; its founder, Magnus Hirschfeld (second from right, in glasses), can be seen holding hands with his partner, Karl Giese (center).
Trans Medicine, 1919
German physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld founded a revolutionary clinic where transgender people could receive gender-affirming care, but he left behind a complicated medical and scientific legacy.
Trans Medicine, 1919
Trans Medicine, 1919

German physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld founded a revolutionary clinic where transgender people could receive gender-affirming care, but he left behind a complicated medical and scientific legacy.

German physician and sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld founded a revolutionary clinic where transgender people could receive gender-affirming care, but he left behind a complicated medical and scientific legacy.

sexual orientation

Illustration of cartoon headshots of people of diverse ethnicities
Survey Finds Lack of Diversity Among Journal Editors
Jef Akst | Jun 14, 2021 | 4 min read
Collecting data on the various races, sexual orientations, and gender identities of editors at 25 scientific and medical journals, researchers document the underrepresentation of minority groups.
Q&A: Study Quantifies LGBQ Representation in STEM Degrees, Jobs
Max Kozlov | Nov 18, 2020 | 7 min read
One of the first analyses of its kind finds a smaller proportion of men in same-sex couples earn STEM degrees than do men in heterosexual couples. It’s a different story for women.
Contributors
Rina Shaikh-Lesko | Jul 1, 2014 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the July 2014 issue of The Scientist
Going Beyond the Lab
Dean Hamer | Jul 1, 2014 | 5 min read
Scientists who study the biological roots of sexual orientation should continue working with educators, policy-makers, and the public to put their data to good use.
To Study Unfettered
Michael Bailey | Jul 1, 2014 | 4 min read
Researching the causes of sexual orientation should be guided by scientific, not social, concerns.
Searching for Gay Genes
Dean Hamer | Jun 30, 2014 | 1 min read
Watch NIH researcher and Critic at Large Dean Hamer describe the nuances of his research into the genetics of sexual orientation.
Can Epigenetics Explain Homosexuality?
Sabrina Richards | Jan 1, 2013 | 4 min read
Scientists propose a new model for how homosexuality develops, but observers say it will be difficult to test.
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