[Images: Isaac Mizrahi, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford /Artwork: designslinger]

Is there a gay gene, or even more specifically a gay design gene? Why are so many gay men so
good at decorating, fashion, hair styling and flower arranging? Why are so many gay men so good looking? Do these questions simply affirm long-held stereotypes? The medical and social science communities have focused a lot of attention in the past 15 years studying genetic and behavioral data concerning gay men, that have drawn inconclusive results. No one is willing to say, for sure, that there is a gay gene and that gay men have a much better sense of design than straight men.

Lets face it, for years there were professions that made it easier for openly gay men to earn a living.
Even in the design communities, architecture was out, but decorating was in.  So, in a way, we've socially engineered people into certain professions for generations. Stereotyping breeds stereotypes. Yet some recent studies are showing a degree of truth exists in some of these socially accepted assumptions.

[Images: Todd Oldham, Jonathan Adler, Justin Ryan /Artwork: designslinger]

Okay, some studies show that certain brain patterns in some gay men indicate that they have a
better grasp of symmetry, color and proportion than straight men. The hetero male perceives the world with less detail than their homosexual counterpart, and therefore gives the gay guy an advantage when laying out pattern and spacial relationships. But, is this enough to say that there is a genetic relationship to being gay and a heightened artistic sensibility?

I know, and know of, many gay men who have the best design sense in the world. I just don't know
any straight men who can whip up a beautiful flower arrangement, though I'm sure they exist. I have met, a few but not many, straight men who can decorate up a storm, and plenty of gay boys who'd have their gay card ripped to shreds upon entering their apartment. My own experiences are not scientific by any stretch of the imagination, and I must admit that although I'm inclined to believe the stereotypes, I've encountered to many instances that don't support them.

[Images: Queer Eye's: Thom Felicia, Kyan Douglas, Carson Kressley /Artwork: designslinger]

The popular media on the other hand has bought into, and perpetuated those common assumptions
with a vengeance. I mean, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," how much more obvious can you get?  "Project Runway" and "Shear Genius," have their token straight dude who's sole objective seems to be constantly reminding the audience of their hetero orientation and minority status. However, as each program makes clear, being gay does not automatically give you a design gene. If nothing else, as these few shows go to show you, while many gay men are in design professions, it has nothing to do with an innate sensibility and may be just the result of having found security in numbers.