Abstract
Recent literature has described the phenomenon of “straight-acting” gay men: gay men who identify with traditional heteronormative masculinity. The current study examined predictors of “straight-acting” identification in gay men and how identifying as straight-acting relates to well-being. A sample of Australian gay men (N = 966) provided self-report data on two potential predictors of straight-acting identity: self-perceived masculinity and internalized homophobia. A path analysis assessed how these variables related to straight-acting identification. While masculine self-presentation positively predicted well-being and internalized homophobia negatively predicted well-being, straight-acting identification, which positively correlated with both, did not independently predict either psychological distress or physical well-being. Analyses further suggested that internalized homophobia had particularly deleterious effects among gay men who were more feminine. Implications for clinical and public health interventions among gay men are discussed.
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Notes
Other measures included in the survey but not used in the current study include questionnaires about participant’s sexual history, family competition, handedness, partner status, sex role preference, sexual orientation uncertainty and “outness” to family, peers and co-workers. Participants were also asked to upload a voice sample and a photograph of their right hand.
Following an anonymous reviewer’s suggestion, we explored the possibility that masculinity moderates the relationship between straight-acting identification and psychological stress to assess whether the straight-acting identity is associated with greater distress among individuals who are more feminine (and thus may be less successful in coming across as behaving like a straight man). We found no support for this interesting possibility (p = .88).
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Hunt, C.J., Morandini, J., Dar-Nimrod, I. et al. Why Do Some Gay Men Identify as “Straight-Acting” and How Is It Related to Well-Being?. Arch Sex Behav 49, 1713–1723 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01702-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01702-1