Do Positive and Negative Stereotypes of Gay and Heterosexual Men Affect Job-Related Impressions?

A Leader Doesn’t Sound Lesbian!: The Impact of Sexual Orientation Vocal Cues on Heterosexual Persons’ First Impression and Hiring Decision

“…Horvath and Ryan (2003) found that lesbian and gay applicants were both perceived as less agentic than heterosexual men but as more agentic than heterosexual women. Gay men have also been perceived as similarly agentic to heterosexual men, but as more communal in other studies (Barrantes & Eaton, 2018; Steffens, Niedlich, Beschorner, & Köhler, 2018). Also, communal men are likely to be perceived as gay and gay men described as communal are perceived as more feminine, suggesting an interplay between communality and femininity when sexual orientation is considered (Kranz, Pröbstle, & Evidis, 2017).…”

“…Other studies found that lesbian women are perceived as equally communal and agentic, but the subgroup of butch lesbian women is seen as more agentic than communal (Brambilla, Carnaghi, & Ravenna, 2011). Moreover, a recent study has demonstrated that gay men were judged less suitable for masculine jobs because they were stereotyped as lacking agency and masculinity (Steffens et al, 2018).…”

“…Ratings of masculinity and femininity have been found to predict sexual orientation discrimination (Fasoli et al, 2017). Competence and sociability resemble agency and communion that predict leadership suitability for typically masculine and feminine type of jobs, respectively (see Barrantes & Eaton, 2018; Steffens et al, 2018). Morality is relevant to group status (Ellemers, Pagliaro, Barreto, & Leach, 2008), is associated with sexuality (Herek & McLemore, 2013), and predicts first impressions that inform hiring recommendations (Brambilla, Sacchi, Rusconi, Cherubini, & Yzerbyt, 2012; Cunningham, Sartore, & McCullough, 2010).…”

Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Typed Work

“…The results of another study demonstrate the nuanced nature of gender stereotypes of gay men and lesbians. Steffens et al (2019), using a German sample, found that gay men were perceived to be less masculine and more communal than heterosexual men but not lower in agency or less able for a job requiring both agency and communion. In a second experiment, they again found the gay applicant was rated higher in communion and lower in masculinity but not lower in agency.…”

“…In tandem, the results if these studies intimate that the gender stereotypes of gay men and lesbian women, and inevitably perceptions of person-job fit, may be more nuanced than simply opposite to those of heterosexuals. As posited by Steffens et al (2019), it may be that heterosexual men are more gender-typed than gay men. Alternatively, some of the gendered traits attributed to gay men and lesbians may differ from heterosexuals but same may be the same.…”