These scientists are searching for innate traits that might not appear to be related to sexual orientation or even to standard clichés. The preferred term is “sexual orientation correlates.”
But some scientists are, in a way, working on gaydar, the supposed ability to discern whether a person is homosexual by reading subtle cues from their appearance. John McCain dropped by “Saturday Night Live,” drawing laughs from his promise, if elected president, to fight expensive federal projects - such as, he spoofed, a Department of Defense device to “jam gaydar.”