Adult homosexual men frequently recall feeling different from other boys during early childhood. Their childhood experiences differed significantly from those of heterosexual men. These differences can be divided into two distinct groups:
 

1) Effeminacy

Effeminate mannerism

Cross dressing, using make-up, fascination with women's clothes and hair

Doll play

Expressed desire to be a girl, attempts to hide penis

Fantasy play taking female roles, attraction to female characters in stories

Girls as playmates

More likely to draw pictures of females

2) Chronic, Persistent Unmasculinity

Fear of Injury

Fear of Rough-and-tumble play

Non-participation in group sports

Loner

Body Dissatisfaction - feels fragile, weak, vulnerable to injury

Almost without exception boys with exhibit behaviors in category one also exhibit those in category two. Effeminate boys do not drop their dolls and run off to play soccer with other little boys. However, a substantial portion of homosexual men who exhibited chronic, persistent unmasculinity in childhood showed no symptoms of effeminacy. Some of these boys were labeled as sissies by peers, others were able to avoid the label by various strategies, but still recall feeling unmasculine. These experiences stand in a sharp contrast to the childhood experiences of the vast majority of heterosexual males.

A history of gender identity pathology (including effeminacy and chronic, extreme unmasculinity) is much more common among men who are predominately or exclusively homosexual than among men who are predominately or exclusively heterosexual. This correlation between childhood gender identity disturbance and persistent, predominant homosexuality during adulthood has been noted by many investigators using diverse strategies and methods of research (e.g., Bell, Weinberg & Hammersmith 1978, 1981; Bieber et al, 1962; Green 1985, 1987; Harry 1983; Holeman & Winokur 1965; Money and Russo 1979; Saghir & Robins 1973; Whitam 1977, 1980; Whitam & Zent 1984; Zuger, 1976, 1984). The childhood finding seems to be associated with homosexuality per se, distributed both across all types of psychopathology and among men without significant psychopathology. At present, I believe this is the only correlation between psychopathology and homosexual that may be taken as an established fact. (Friedman 1988, p.35)

Dr. Richard Green, author of Sexual Identity Conflict in Children and Adults and The "Sissy" Boy Syndrome, conducted a longitudinal study of which compared 66 GID boys with 56 demographically matched controls and concluded that while "not all boys with extensive cross gender behavior evolved as bisexual or homosexual men. No boys in the comparison group evolved as bisexual or homosexual."(Green, 1985)

Parents of 55 effeminate boys, who were asked about the aspects of their sons behavior, responded as follows:

Feminine dressing, 50/55

Aversion to boys games. 50/55

Desire to be female, 43/55

Girl playmate preference 42/55

Doll playing, 41/55

Feminine gesturing, 40/55

Wearing lipstick or other makeup, 34/55

In addition, 36 of the mothers volunteered that their son was a loner. (Zuger, 1984)