Seven years ago a study made headlines for finding that men with older brothers are more likely to be gay[1] . Today the study has resurfaced as researchers extend upon the original findings by looking deeper into the possible biological basis of homosexuality.


Published in New Scientist magazine[2] , the 2006 study was conducted by sexologist Anthony Bogaert, a Community Health Sciences chair and professor at Ontario's Brock University. His research led him to conclude that having more older brothers makes it more likely a man will be gay[3] . Each older brother raises the odds of homosexuality by a third, potentially going from a 3 percent chance with the first son to a 6 percent chance with the fourth.


Bogaert studied 944 gay and straight men, including some who were raised with non-biological male siblings, to pit prenatal against postnatal factors. His research, which reappeared in a Sept. 4 New Scientist article, ultimately determined that fraternal birth order[4] seems to have a connection to sexual orientation. "That means for each male gestation that occurs, something changes in a woman’s body that makes her more likely to give birth to a gay son[5] ," as Brock University explains Bogaert's findings.


An abstract[6] from the study, published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, summarizes the research:


Only biological older brothers, and not any other sibling characteristic, including nonbiological older brothers, predicted men’s sexual orientation, regardless of the amount of time reared with these siblings. These results strongly suggest a prenatal origin to the fraternal birth-order effect.

Today, Bogaert is looking to determine that prenatal origin.


"[The 2006 study] was an important study and it does suggest there is probably a biological basis to the older brother effect[7] ," he told The Huffington Post during a phone conversation from Canada Thursday afternoon. "It's an important study in the context of sex orientation development. We have additional research going on right now testing specifically the underlying biological effect of the older brother. ... There are no results yet. We are collecting samples of mothers of gay men and comparing them to mothers of heterosexual men and looking to see if there is evidence of a biological factor that differs between the two groups."


Bogaert explained that the 2006 study never determined a specific "mechanism" -- a biological factor or process -- behind the older brother effect. He suggested this mechanism could be a maternal immune response, a hormone change in the womb, a gestational factor during pregnancy or even genes.


"The 2006 study really strongly suggests that there is biological mechanism but it never really tested the specific mechanism itself in terms of determining what factor is in fact influencing a change in a mother's development during pregnancy," he explained to HuffPost. "What we're doing now is we're looking at the specific mechanism and seeing if we can find evidence for that. We have a study looking at ... mothers of gay and heterosexual men and seeing if there is a maternal immune response. So, that's something very unique and new."


Bogaert says that isolating the exact biological mechanism or process will support the "nature" side of the Nature v. Nurture debate[8] . If successful, his new research could provide a biological backing for homosexuality.


"I think there's strong evidence that people who believe that there's a biological basis to sexual orientation tend to be more tolerant to sexual minorities, and that's one of the more positive [possible] social outcomes," he said. "And I am in that camp. I don't believe that homosexuality is a disorder or immoral."


The overarching purpose of the new study is to delve deeper into the origins of sexuality. Bogaert says he is trying to understand sexual variability, human sexuality and sexual orientation as a piece of the larger puzzle.


"Unerstanding the biological mechanisms may have some social ramifications, and for me that's great if it ends up being positive," he added. "But a larger motivation is just trying to understand sexuality, and understanding sexuality has its own benefits from a scientific perspective."





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  • Bruno Mars


    Rumors that the pop star had come out of the closet began after CNN iReport -- a subsection of the media outlet comprising 'citizen journalists' from around the world -- <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2012/04/bruno-mars-did-not-come-out-of-the-closet.html" target="_hplink">posted a since-removed story</a> that stated, "The famous pop-star Bruno Mars admits his homosexuality," which caused the Mars' name to trend on Twitter. Nonetheless, Mars' rep called the report "completely fabricated" and "false," <a href="http://www.gossipcop.com/bruno-mars-gay-out-of-closet-homosexual-april-2012/" target="_hplink">according to Gossip Cop</a>.




  • Oprah Winfrey


    Speculation has swirled over the talk show queen's long-standing kinship with TV anchor friend Gayle King for years. But as Winfrey <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-12-08/gossip/27083713_1_oprah-winfrey-network-gayle-king-stedman-graham" target="_hplink">told Barbara Walters last year</a>, "I'm not even kind of a lesbian. And the reason why [the rumor] irritates me is because it means that somebody must think I'm lying. That's No. 1. No. 2 ... why would you want to hide it? That is not the way I run my life."




  • Matt Damon And Ben Affleck


    Hollywood juggernauts and best friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, are <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/matt-damon-talks-gay-rumors-playboy-article-1.1220585#ixzz2Kz1uVL4Z">no strangers when it comes to gay rumors</a>. Their seemingly more than a bromance, which stems from their Boston upbringing, had never been denied, causing people to further believe the gossip until Damon decided to speak up about it in December 2012. Damon proclaimed: "I never denied those rumors because I was offended and didn’t want to offend my friends who were gay. As if being gay were some kind of f--king disease. It put me in a weird position in that sense."




  • John Travolta


    Maybe it's the "Saturday Night Fever" syndrome, but Travolta, who has been married to Kelly Preston since 1991, has been<a href="http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/12/everyone-knows-john-travolta-gay-says-carrie-fisher" target="_hplink"> dogged by gay rumors and reports</a> since the late 1980s. Last year, his attorney Marty Singer sent a five-page letter to Gawker threatening to sue over posting "false and outrageous" claims in a story <a href="http://gawker.com/5685811/the-secret-sex-life-of-john-travolta" target="_hplink">the site ran in a post called</a> "The Secret Sex Life of John Travolta." In recent months several men have come forward alleging that Travolta sexually assaulted and harassed them. While Travolta denies the claims, lawsuits against the star are currently pending.




  • Jessie J


    The British pop star, who is openly bisexual,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/jessie-j-lesbian-rumors-biography-_n_1438372.html" target="_hplink"> faced allegations in an unauthorized biography</a> that she'd been ordered to withhold the fact that she was a lesbian by her record label. "Jessie might have been with boys in the past -- but she is 100 per cent gay," author Chloe Govan <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/thevoice/4265487/Voice-coach-Jessie-Js-100-gay-but-bi-is-more-trendy.html" target="_hplink">wrote in an excerpt of the book</a>. "Jessie was openly lesbian and didn't hide it." The singer <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/jessiejofficial/status/192975509381066752" target="_hplink">quickly took to Twitter</a> to deny the accusations, noting, "I'm really a lesbian?! Ha! Thanks for writing yet another boring untrue story."




  • Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino


    The "Jersey Shore" star reportedly hit back at housemates Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWoww" Farley after they speculated about his sexuality and hinted he might be gay in <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/07/jersey-shore-snooki-and-jwoww-bisexual-feminism_n_1255913.html" target="_hplink">an interview with HuffPost Gay Voices</a>. "Mike really ripped both Snooki and JWoww a new one," a show insider <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/10514733-421/situation-to-snooki-and-jwoww-stop-hinting-that-im-gay.html" target="_hplink">told <em>The Chicago Sun-Times</a></em>. Noting that Sorrentino is concerned such comments could hurt his brand endorsements, which are focused on straight male customers, the source added, "He's extremely upset." In the interview, both JWoww and Snooki implied that despite his playboy reputation, Mike has questioned his own sexuality. "He brings it up," JWoww said. "He'll say, 'People think I'm gay and I don't know what they're talking about.'" Added Snooki: "He told me one time, '[All the talk is] making me wonder.'"




  • Jeremy Renner


    The hunky star of "The Avengers" blasted persistent rumors about his sexuality -- as well as probes into his personal life in general -- earlier this month. "I want my personal life to be personal, and it's not f***ing true," Renner, 41,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/jeremy-renner-blasts-gay-rumors_n_1403859.html" target="_hplink"> is quoted as saying</a>. "And I don't care if you're talking about things that are true, you're still talking about my personal life.. How about I go peek in your window, take what underwear you wore last night, whose husband you were f***ing, and shove that in the megaphone throughout your neighborhood? How does that feel?"




  • Kristin Stewart


    In 2009, gossip sites went wild with headlines that suggested the "Twilight" star was a lesbian. However, a closer look at Stewart's quotes <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/6508461/Twilight-star-Kristen-Stewart-on-dating-Robert-Pattinson-We-are.-We-arent.-Im-a-lesbian.html" target="_hplink">reveals how she was actually responding to a question </a>over the nature of her relationship with co-star Robert Pattinson:
    <blockquote>"I've thought about this a lot. There's no answer that's not going to tip you one way or the other. Think about every hypothetical situation. 'OK, we are. We aren't. I'm a lesbian.' I probably would've answered if people hadn't made such a big deal about it. But I'm not going to give the finding an answer."</blockquote>




  • Tom Cruise


    Despite three high-profile marriages, the "Top Gun" star has been the subject of gay speculation for years. In 2003, he won a $10 million default judgment in a case against a gay porn actor who claimed the two had an affair, and two years earlier, he sued Los Angeles-based publisher Michael Davis for $100 million after Davis claimed to have a videotape of Cruise engaged in homosexual acts. As <em>People</em> <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,625389,00.html" target="_hplink">reported</a>, the suit was eventually dropped, and Davis eventually stated that Cruise "is not, and never has been, homosexual and has never had a homosexual affair."




  • Vin Diesel


    When <a href="http://www.hollywood.com/news/Diesel_Slams_Gay_Rumors/3487636" target="_hplink">asked about the long-standing rumors</a> on his sexuality, the "Fast And The Furious" star proclaimed, "I was like, 'How could you say that? Why would you say that?'" He went on to note, "I'm not gonna put it out there on a magazine cover like some other actors. I come from the Harrison Ford, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino code of silence. I'm not gonna do that."




  • Kelly Clarkson


    Appearing on "The View," the pop star lamented the fact that she's never been in love and has difficulty dating, which <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/kelly-clarkson-denies-lesbian-rumors-on-the-view_n_1034814.html" target="_hplink">prompt many people to speculate that she's a lesbian</a>. "I'm from a small town so, like, everyone's married with children or about to have children," she said. "So it's a little hard when you go home and people are like -- and that's why people think I'm gay -- because they're like 'Why aren't you married?' And I'm like, 'it doesn't happen for everyone right off the bat.'"




  • Tom Hardy


    The "Inception" hunk <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/28/inception-star-tom-hardy_n_662907.html" target="_hplink">sent the blogosphere into overdrive</a> after he was quoted as saying, "I'm an actor for f**k's sake. I've played with everything and everyone." Still, a source now claims Hardy, who is engaged to British actress Charlotte Riley, <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/the_awful_truth/tom_hardy_source_sex_quotes_taken_out/192935" target="_hplink">had been taken out of context</a>: "He was discussing a gay role and quotes coming from the character."




  • George Clooney


    After <em>Esquire</em> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/08/george-clooney-responds-t_n_90530.html" target="_hplink">uncovered a website</a> that referred to the Oscar-winning hunk as "gay, gay, gay," the good-natured actor quipped, "No, I'm gay, gay. The third gay -- that was pushing it." Friend Manuele Malenotti <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/8622173/George-Clooney-gay-rumours-are-untrue-claims-friend.html" target="_hplink">has also defended Clooney</a>, noting, "You never know in life, and men are having an identity crisis but I can tell you George is not gay. All I can say is that George, when it comes to love, has decided that he is not going to get married again and he is not going to have any children and he won't change his mind."




  • The 'Gossip' Guys


    Tabloid speculation over the button-handsome young stars of "Gossip Girl" has been rampant, <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/06/chace_crawford_and_ed_westwick.html" target="_hplink">particularly given the fact </a>that Chace Crawford (right) and Ed Westwick (middle) were roommates for some time, according to <em>New York Magazine</em>. Westwick <a href="It's funny because I love this f**king dude dearly. I would die for this f**king dude. He's my brother. But, by God, we are so into our f**king women it's ridiculou" target="_hplink">later blasted the rumors</a>, saying, "It's funny because I love this f**king dude dearly. I would die for this f**king dude. He's my brother. But, by God, we are so into our f**king women it's ridiculous."




  • Michelle Rodriguez


    When asked earlier this year if there <a href="http://www.afterellen.com/people/2011/03/michelle-rodriguez-wants-you-to-know-shes-not-a-lesbian" target="_hplink">were any rumors she wanted to clear up</a>, Rodriguez quipped, "I'm not a lesbian. Yeah! Mitchie likes sausage."




  • Zac Efron


    Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2011-11-29-zac-efron-aiport-lax-sexy-blue-outfit-sunglasses?relate=#.TtkXgHNPkqU" target="_hplink">made no secret of his admiration</a> for the "High School Musical" star, while other gossip sites have openly speculated about Efron's sexuality. Still, Efron <a href="http://www.ivillage.com/zac-efron-addresses-gay-rumors-0/1-a-26706" target="_hplink">has laughed it off</a>: "I know it's very addictive to read that kind of stuff. It's entertainment. Honestly, if the worst [Perez Hilton] can say about me is that I'm gay, then I think I'll be fine. I can handle it."




  • Alicia Keys


    The singer-songwriter acknowledges <a href="http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/38024/alicia-keys-i-can-understand-lesbian-rumours" target="_hplink">why many thought she was a lesbian</a> shortly after her Grammy Award-winning debut: "I was definitely rough around the edges. I look back at certain interviews and I'm like, 'Damn! Did I have to look that hard? Did I have to do my hair that way?' More recently, <a href="http://www.theimproper.com/4623/alicia-keys-wants-lesbian-rumors-put-to-rest" target="_hplink">she said</a>, "I'm comfortable in my own skin - comfortable enough to know when something is right for me and when things need to change. All that comes in time, because when I first started out, I hadn't a clue."




  • Kate Hudson


    The "Almost Famous" star, who is currently dating Muse singer Matthew Bellamy and was previously married to Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, said she was baffled by <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/01/09/kate_hudson_baffled_by_lesbian_rumors_" target="_hplink">rumors she'd embarked on a steamy lesbian affair</a>. "No, no, no," she was quoted as saying. "Strictly boys for me!"




  • James Franco


    The 21st century actor, artist, intellectual and overall "renaissance man" has believably played gay characters onscreen numerous times (most memorably as Harvey Milk's lover in the Oscar-winning "Milk"), but Franco <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/05/james-franco-gay-roles/" target="_hplink">has downplayed the rumors</a> about his real-life sexuality. "There are lots of other reasons to be interested in gay characters than wanting myself to go out and have sex with guys," he is quoted by <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> as saying.




  • Ryan Seacrest


    Speculation about the well-groomed TV's host sexuality has been so rampant, even his girlfriend Julianne Hough <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/21/julianne-hough-ryan-seacrest-gay-dinner-dating-north-carolina-mortons/" target="_hplink">thought he was gay</a>: "He totally wasn't my type," she said, according to TMZ.com. "I thought he was gay." Several years earlier, Seacrest himself had addressed the rumors, noting, "I know a lot of gay males who I work with that are fantastic people and I love hanging out with them. But because I hang out and bring gay men into my life, does that mean that I'm gay? I promise you that I very much love women."




  • Zoe Saldana


    Addressing speculation she might be a lesbian, the self-professed tomboy said she <a href="http://www.shewired.com/g-spot/avatars-zoe-saldana-opens-about-her-lesbianism" target="_hplink">wasn't bothered by the reports</a>, adding, "People have sometimes told my grandmother, 'Your granddaughter has a bit of lesbianism in her,'" Saldana said. "It's that my sisters and I spent all our time among men. We were very popular with them. Our way of thinking is very masculine."




  • Queen Latifah


    In a 2008 interview with <em>The New York Times</em>, Queen Latifah addressed the rumors surrounding her sexuality, saying, "I don’t have a problem discussing the topic of somebody being gay, but I do have a problem discussing my personal life...I don’t care if people think I’m gay or not. Assume whatever you want. You do it anyway.” More recently, in 2012, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/04/queen-latifah-did-not-come-out-pride_n_1529566.html">Latifah gave her first Gay Pride performance</a> in Long Beach, Calif., where many were quick to say that the Hollywood A-lister had finally come out. Latifah spoke with <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> after the event and dispelled those thoughts, saying “that definitely wasn’t the case."




  • Taylor Lautner


    Heartthrob Taylor Lautner, best known for his role as "Jacob Black" on "The Twilight Saga," may have gotten the worst of it all when a <a href="http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/pop-cult-1.811972/taylor-lautner-gay-rumors-spread-online-with-fake-people-cover-1.3412970">fake People magazine cover</a> leaked in 2011 with him on the cover and a caption that read: "Out and Proud." Lautner <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/taylor-lautner-im-straight-20111410">spoke with <em>GQ Australia</em></a> earlier that year and refused those claims about his sexuality and proclaimed, "I'm straight."




  • Hugh Jackman


    Hugh Jackman is no stranger to rumors about his sexuality. Despite being married with children, the "Les Misérables" leading man recently told the Hollywood Reporter that the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/13/hugh-jackman-gay-rumors-wife-hollywood-reporter_n_2678591.html?ir=Gay+Voices">gossip "bugs" his wife</a>, Deborra-Lee Furness. He went on to talk about his infatuation with Furness, saying that she is "very beautiful" and "unbelievably fun."




  • Whitney Houston


    The late Whitney Houston was subject to rumors about her sexuality dating back to 1985. People speculated about her relationship with her childhood New Jersey friend, Robyn Crawford, who would become Houston's assistant and creative director. In a January interview with Oprah, Houston's mother, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/cissy-houston-whitney-houston-gay-rumors_n_2573718.html">Cissy, spoke up about those rumors</a> and said that she would "absolutely" disapprove if her daughter were gay.




  • Whoopi Goldberg


    Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ally Whoopi Goldberg has long faced scrutiny about her sexuality. The Oscar-award winning actress and "The View" co-host once said in a 2006 <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/magazine/20wwln_q4.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/G/Goldberg,%20Whoopi&_r=0"><em>New York Times</em></a> interview: "No, I am not a lesbian. I describe myself as heterosexual. I think it is hard to have good relationships with anyone."




  • Hulk Hogan


    Even the immortal Hulkster isn't immune to gay rumors. After splitting with his ex, Linda Bollea, the former wife accused Hogan of being gay in her memoir, "Wrestling The Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes." The retired wrestler appeared on "The Wendy Williams Show" last February and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/09/hulk-hogan-gay-rumors-wendy-williams_n_1265982.html">told the TV host</a>, "Just to say something spiteful and hurtful, I don’t get it...if it was true and I was gay, I’d embrace it, and I’d tell you guys about it and I’d celebrate it."




  • Raven-Symoné


    Disney starlet Raven-Symoné has faced years of speculation about her sexuality. The rumors first surfaced when a source told the <em>National Enquirer</em> last May that "Raven has hidden being gay for a long time now" and that she's been linked with "America's Next Top Model" contestant AzMarie Livingston. As a result, the "Cosby Show" child star <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/raven-symone-gay-rumors-twitter_n_1528168.html">took to Twitter</a> and said: "My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I'm datings to know. I'm not one for a public display of my life." She went on adding, "However that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I'm not harming anyone."




  • Jake Gyllenhaal


    Hollywood hunk Jake Gyllenhaal has faced gay rumors since he played a closeted gay cowboy in the academy-award winning film "Brokeback Mountain." Gyllenhaal denounced such accusations when he <a href="http://instinctmagazine.com/blogs/blog/jake-gyllenhaal-tackles-gay-rumors?directory=100011">appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"</a> in 2011, speaking about his relationship with his best friend and stylist whom he calls "baby." Longtime friend <a href="http://www.popeater.com/2010/09/24/adam-levine-out-interview/">Adam Levine called the rumors "very immature and infantile."</a>




  • Mariah Carey


    Despite years of facing people's thoughts that she may be bisexual, Mariah Carey addressed those rumors when she <a href="http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2010/12/13/mariah-unwrapped">spoke with <em>The Advocate</em></a> in 2010. Carey said: "If it makes somebody happy to say that, then whatever, but that’s not the reality. I don’t have a discriminatory policy of who I’m friends with, so yes, I’m friends with women who are gay — gay, straight, it doesn’t matter to me. So I don’t get upset when I hear that, because it is what it is. I guess I could lie about it to seem more exciting."




  • Daniel Radcliffe


    Daniel Radcliffe, who's an outspoke advocate for LGBT rights, has taken the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1632872/daniel-radcliffe-addresses-gay-rumors.jhtml">rumors about his sexuality</a> in good stride. The "Harry Potter" star, who was told that he had a "gay face" by a random commenter on the Internet, said in an interview with MTV in 2010, "If people want to say that, they can. But I'm not. I'm straight."




  • Trey Songz


    Trey Songz, the R&B singer known for such hits like "Bottoms Up" and "Can't Help But Wait," first <a href="http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2010/12/16/trey_songz_stunned_by_gay_rumors_">encountered gay rumors when blogs started writing about the artist's sexuality</a> in 2009. Songz spoke on New York radio station Power 105.1, saying, "The first I heard about it was on a blog about a year ago and I remember the actual day because I was with my manager Kevin. He said, 'Did you hear about this?' He said we ignore stuff like that but I was hot (angry) because I love the ladies. What I've learned in this business is that people will make their own reality of whatever they want to." In December 2012, a <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2012-12-28-trey-songz-denies-hes-the-man-kissing-another-man-in-twitter-pic#.UR49hUJAukB">Twitter pic of two men kissing surfaced</a> that had everyone pointing their fingers, saying Songz was one of the men in the photo. Songz responded on Twitter, tweeting, "On my way to Virginia to spend the holidays with my family. No senselessness, lies or hate can take away my joy. #LOVE" In fact, the picture was taken from Enrique Araujo's, who looks like Songz, Facebook.




  • Harry Styles And Louis Tomlinson


    Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, best friends and One Direction band members, have been <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/one-direction-gay-rumors-harry-styles-louis-tomlinson_n_1687584.html#slide=1250405">subject to gay rumors for a while now</a>. Tomlinson addressed the gossip saying that it's started to affect how he and Styles conduct themselves. "This is a subject that was funny at first, but now is actually hard to deal with in a relationship," Tomlinson said. "Me and Harry are best friends, people look into our every move -- it is actually affecting the way me and Harry are in public," he is quoted as saying. "We want to joke around, but there seems to be a different rumor every time we do anything. I act the same way with Harry as I do [with] any of the other boys and my childhood friend Stan."




  • Will And Jada Pinkett Smith


    He's gay. She's a lesbian. Both are each other's "beards." They are swingers. Hollywood power couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have long faced an <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/jada-pinkett-smith-speaks-out-rumors-about-her-marriage-will-smith-will-and-i-know-truth-437168">onslaught of rumors</a> facing their relationship, hearing just about everything in the book. The two have also faced <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/10/will-smith-jada-pinkett-s_n_1765341.html">multiple divorce rumors</a> with some saying the <a href="http://gawker.com/5834383/which-gay-celebrity-rumors-do-you-believe">cause was due to their closeted sexual identities</a>.




  • Matthew McConaughey


    The Hollywood leading man Matthew McConaughey faced <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/53567/matthew-and-lance-deny-gay-rumors">gay rumors surrounding his close relationship with cyclist Lance Armstrong</a>. McConaughey spoke up and famously joked, "We tried it. Wasn't for us." In May 2012, the actor <a href="http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/current-issue/2012/05/16/matthew-mcconaughey-no-shirt-no-problem?page=0,2">spoke with <em>The Advocate</em></a> and talked at length about his gay fan base, his thoughts on the gay community and how he'd react if he were to have gay children. He also elaborated on his own gay rumors again, saying, "Well, I’m really secure in my skin. I’m heterosexual, and I’m just fine with that. Those rumors have to make the rounds, and I know that I was fun target for them."




  • Dolly Parton


    The country and gay icon Dolly Parton has seen her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/dolly-parton-gay-rumors-drag-queen-contest_n_2197891.html">fair share of gay rumors</a>, despite being married to her husband Carl Dean for 46 years. Parton's relationship with her childhood best friend, Judy, was subject to speculation and the artist compared her rumors with that of Oprah's, saying, "Like Gayle [King], her friend, Judy, my friend...they just think that you just can't be that close to somebody," Parton said. "Judy and I have been best friends since we were like in the third and fourth grade. We still just have a great friendship and relationship and I love her as much as I love anybody in the whole world, but we're not romantically involved."




  • Ne-Yo


    Gay rumors have long swirled around R&B singer Ne-Yo and he's constantly denied them. Ne-Yo, who is a father of two, spoke about all the gossip in a <a href="http://theybf.com/2012/09/04/ne-yo-covers-upscale-magazine-talks-not-being-thirsty-for-fame">2012 interview with <em>Upscale</em> magazine</a>, saying, "That sh-t ate me alive...[I was] like where did that come from? Who are these people that have gone to such heights to try to make people believe this? They went all out with that story."




  • Kenny Chesney


    Country superstar Kenny Chesney, who once was married to actress Renee Zellweger, got most of the heat from the gay rumors when Zellweger cited "fraud" in their annulment papers. Chesney <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021500942.html">went on record in a 2007 "60 Minutes"</a> interview and said, "It's not true. Period. Maybe I should have come out and said, `No, I'm not (gay),' but I didn't want to draw any more attention to it...I didn't have to prove to anybody that I wasn't (gay). I didn't feel like I really did."