Where are All the Bisexual Men?: Analyzing the Effects of Belief in Traditional Gender Roles and Strength of Gender Self Concept on Attitudes Towards Homosexuality Compared Between College-Aged Men and Women

Author: Mari McLaughlin

Field of Study: Psychology

Program Affiliation: Binghamton Human Sexualities Lab

Faculty Mentors: Ann Merriwether, Sean Massey, Melissa Hardesty

Easel: 81

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: Prior research has suggested that traditional masculinity, unlike traditional femininity, imposes inherent homophobia due to perceived feminine gender nonconformity. Research has found that although rates of same-sex attraction are increasing among women, rates in men are staying mostly the same; concurrently, straight men consistently express higher levels of homophobia than straight women. Using data from the Hookup Survey, this study examines how belief in traditional gender roles and the strength of gender self concept – the centrality of and confidence in one’s gender identity – moderates attitudes towards homosexuality across men and women, and how these factors may correlate with static levels of male same-sex attraction. Preliminary analysis may suggest that traditional gender roles constrain male same-sex attraction, contributing to its persistent stagnation. This research offers a novel perspective on gendered patterns of sexual orientation by incorporating measures of gender self-concept, and is particularly relevant in the current conservative political atmosphere.