Study: Masculinity linked to homophobia

A new study by researchers at Cornell University has found that men whose masculinity is threatened respond by adopting more macho attitudes, including increased homophobia. Cornell researcher Robb Willer put to the test the theory that men insecure about their masculinity overcompensate with macho attitudes.

Willer gave more than a hundred Cornell undergraduate students a gender identity survey and then randomly told them their responses indicated they had a masculine or feminine identity. Then the subjects were interviewed about political opinions, car preferences, and feelings toward gay people. Willer says men who were told they were feminine gave much more homophobic responses. They were also more likely to support the war in Iraq and to be interested in buying an SUV. Women's responses were unchanged by the masculine-feminine rating. Willer will present his findings at the American Sociological Association's 100th annual meeting later this month. (Sirius/OutQ)

Reader Comments

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Name: Bing0
Date posted: 2008-11-15 9:48 PM
Hometown: Aiken

Comment:

Labeling someone a homophobe (In my opinion) is a tactic employed by homosexuals as a response to people who disagree with their lifestyle. The term homophobe applied to someone who disagrees with the morality of the homosexual lifestyle, is rather interesting because it requires the person who is attacked by the proponent of homosexuality to move automatically to a defensive posture. i.e. "I am not a homophobe!" This doesn't leave any room for "I disagree with your lifestyle choice and think it is immoral." Therefore, in my opinion, when that tactic is used, 90% of the time it is bogus. I personally disagree with the premise that homosexuality is a morally valid lifestyle choice. This position, understandably infuriates homosexuals. I am fully persuaded that a person is and always should be free to choose for themselves what lifestyle they are going to live. It has to be noted and recognized that homophobia is only a tactic that does an end run around the question of morality.

Name: jason
Date posted: 2008-11-14 5:35 AM
Hometown: birmingham alabama

Comment:

Homophobia is a nonsense word which was coined by an idiot who did 'nt even know what its two part etymological Greek and Latin derivatives are. 'Homo' is related to man ... in Latin i.e Home Sapiens Homo Erectus. 'Phobia' or 'Phobic' are the Greek derivatives meaning fear or fearing. So what are they saying here? That heterosexuals are afraid of Gays???????Which Gays? Who is afraid and why? No they are saying that heterosexuals abominate gays or they dislike them or they hate them. Now if thats true.So what do the gays advocate?Yes, banning hatred; the trouble is they only want to ban hatred against themselves which is to say the least rather unfair.How the heck can you ban hatred anyway???What planet are these people on? If some heterosexuals hate or dislike gays ;which in part i'm sure is true; but only part, then It should be called something like 'MisoHomic' or 'MisoGayic', but if all Greek to you then it should be 'MisoAnthropic.

Name: kewara
Date posted: 2008-11-13 4:13 PM
Hometown: KC

Comment:

Not "no duh". The complexities of masculinities are not as apparent as the generalizations most people attribute to them. This is a prime example of how problematic normative Western masculinity is. The popular (normative) view of what it is to be a man in the U.S. is based in opposition of what it is to be feminine. As if women were a bad thing. Of course, what a majority of men base their masculinity against are normative female roles that are found throughout many cultures performed and cherished by both sexes; such as cleaning or childcare. The more stringently these problematic roles are accepted and institutionalized the more problematic society becomes. Humans are not pegs to be fit into a male or female slot. Yes, we have a particular biological reproductive function dependent upon our genitalia but this doesn't prescribe to us a means of acting in the world, more so for those that find themselves outside of even biologically constraints (i.e. hermaphrodites).

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