Finger ratios and you

Look at your hands. Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? Or is your index finger longer than your ring finger? Some scientists believe that the amount of estrogen and testosterone we’re exposed to in our mother’s wombs can influence which digit is longer than the other.  The theory is that a longer ring finger is the male pattern (more testosterone); a longer index finger is the female pattern (less testosterone).

Unfortunately, because scientists can’t safely sample blood from early fetuses, they can’t confirm a correlation between fetal hormone levels and variations in finger lengths. The subject is controversial. Nevertheless, some studies on finger ratios have shown the following:

• Men’s running speed, skiing speed, and football ability are strongly linked to longer ring fingers.  Usain Bolt, “the world’s fastest man,” has exceptionally long ring fingers.
• Financial traders with longer ring fingers made more money than their short-ring-fingered colleagues. They're also thought to be more aggressive, and more likely to take risks.
• Lesbian women tended to have the more masculine (long ring, short index) finger arrangement.
• Women with longer ring fingers did better in a driving skills test than those whose ring fingers were equal to, or shorter than, their index fingers.
• Women who have a longer ring finger have higher grip strength. 

Apparently, genetics plays a role. 23andMe tells me, “Constance, the combination of your genetics and other factors makes you likely to have longer ring fingers than index fingers.” Well, yes and no. On my right hand, my ring finger is clearly longer than my index finger (male pattern). But on my left hand, my index finger is a tad longer than my ring finger (female pattern).

Maybe there’s something to this finger ratio theory. I’m not a very girly girl. I don’t own any jewelry and there are no dresses in my closet.

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