Study: Even Gay Men Discriminate Against Effeminate Gay Men
Study Reveals Internal Bias in Gay Community Against Feminine Men
New research indicates that discrimination against feminine gay men is prevalent not only among heterosexual men, but also within the gay community itself. Talk about
internalized homophobia!
Study Reveals Internal Bias in Gay Community Against Feminine Men
New research indicates that discrimination against feminine gay men is prevalent not only among heterosexual men, but also within the gay community itself.
The Masculine Preference: A Barrier to High-Status Roles?
According to this groundbreaking study from the University of Sydney, both gay and heterosexual men seem to favor their masculine counterparts for high-status roles.
This implicit bias could potentially disadvantage feminine-presenting gay men, subjecting them to workplace discrimination, including biases in hiring practices and promotion opportunities.
A Milestone Study in Sex Roles Journal
This pioneering research, appearing in the renowned peer-reviewed journal 'Sex Roles', marks the first empirical study demonstrating the status penalties associated with a feminine presentation among gay men across professional hierarchies. It crucially brings to light the prevalence of internal bias within the gay community.
Ben Gerrard: Shining Light on Implicit Bias
Researcher Ben Gerrard, an expert in gender and sexuality studies at the University of Sydney, defines feminine traits as encompassing aspects such as a more feminine vocal quality, body language, and posture.
Gerrard's study uncovers a disappointing truth: a pronounced preference among gay men for individuals presenting as more 'straight-acting' in high-status roles. This internalized bias among the gay community, he suggests, is potentially creating a 'gay glass ceiling' in workplaces.
Moreover, Gerrard points out that even as gay men increasingly achieve equality and representation in Western cultures, they continue to face challenges in pursuing high-status opportunities as compared to heterosexual men. This emphasizes the urgent need for advocacy and training efforts to combat bias against feminine-presenting gay men across professional contexts and populations.
A TV Commercial Casting Experiment
In this fascinating experiment, Gerrard devised a fictitious casting call for a TV tourism ad. The mission? Sell Sydney overseas. The casting requirements? An actor who screams "leader" and who could charm the audience.
So, Gerrard, a professional actor himself, went ahead and filmed six of his fellow actors. Each one, a gay man in reality, performed the same script twice: once as a feminine-gay character, and once as a masculine-gay character. Everything remained identical, apart from voice, mannerisms, and posture.
Example of more feminine-presenting gay men.
Example of more masculine-presenting men.
Survey Says: Go Macho
A mixed bag of 256 gay and heterosexual men were then roped in to watch these performances. Their task? Pick out a "leader" to represent Australia. No surprises here, both gay and straight men leaned toward the more masculine-gay performance, showing clear discrimination against the feminine-gay actor.
Homonegativity and Misogyny at Play
The straight men with a higher degree of homonegativity and the gay men with a higher degree of misogyny showed an even stronger bias towards the masculine-gay actor. These trends bring into focus the role of implicit biases in hiring decisions.
Challenging the Masculinity-High Status Norm
It's time for a reality check, says Gerrard. We need to question our deep-seated association of masculinity with high status. Especially when modern leadership theories suggest that "feminine" traits, like warmth, are invaluable in today's collaborative workplaces.
"I Don't Want To Be Seen As a Screaming Queen!"
Femme and Fit for Leadership
As Gerrard puts it, "We now operate in team-based workplaces where feminine traits such as warmth, empathy, and good communication are key. A feminine-presenting gay man could, in fact, be an ideal leader." But the problem lies in the lingering bias towards traditional masculinity in senior leadership, deeming feminine traits as too soft.
The Struggle for Authenticity
This internalized homophobic bias forces feminine gay men to put up a "straight" act to fit in. What's really needed is more authentic representation of empowered feminine-presenting gay men, especially in media.
Gerrard emphasizes the importance of education and awareness around these subconscious biases during recruitment processes. It's time we consciously worked against these unfair biases.
