“Straight-Acting Gays”: The Relationship Between Masculine Consciousness, Anti-Effeminacy, and Negative Gay Identity

Abstract

Some gay men are preoccupied with traditional notions of masculinity and express negative feelings towards effeminate behavior in gay men. Various scholars have speculated that such attitudes by gay men reflect internalized negative feelings about being gay. Thus, we sought to assess the importance of masculinity among gay men, to compare their ideal versus perceived masculinity-femininity, to ask how gay men assess masculinity, and to test whether masculine consciousness and anti-effeminacy could predict negative feelings about being gay. Results from an online survey of 751 gay men in the United States (MAge=32.64 years, SD=11.94) showed that the majority rated masculinity for themselves and in a same-sex partner as important, and they ideally wished that their behavior was more masculine (Cohen's d=.42) and less feminine (d=.42) than they perceived it to be. Furthermore, one's behavior was more important than how one looks when assessing masculinity. A multiple regression analysis showed that the degree to which they were preoccupied with masculinity and expressed anti-effeminacy accounted for 30% of the variance in negative feelings about being gay. These finding further support the idea that masculinity is an important construct for gay men and that masculine consciousness and anti-effeminacy are related to negative feelings about being gay.

“Not Hiding, Not Shouting, Just Me”: Gay Men Negotiate Their Visual Identities

“…There was more than a hint of what has variously been described as 'sissyphobia' 2006) or 'femiphobia' (Sánchez & Vilain, 2012) -negative attitudes towards feminine men (Clarkson, 2006) -in the data. A number of masculinity scholars have noted a hierarchical organisation of gay masculinities based on the valorisation of hyper-masculinity (Levine, 1998;Nardi, 2000).…”

“…A number of masculinity scholars have noted a hierarchical organisation of gay masculinities based on the valorisation of hyper-masculinity (Levine, 1998;Nardi, 2000). Explanations for sissyphobia or antieffeminacy vary -one explanation is that it reflects negative feelings about being gay or 'internalised homophobia' (Sánchez & Vilain, 2012). For example, Sánchez & Vilain (2012) found that most of the gay men they surveyed rated masculinity (for themselves and their partner) as important and wished their behaviour was less masculine and more feminine.…”

Smashing back Doors in: Negative Attitudes toward Bottoms within the Gay Community

“…Sanchez and Vilain (2012) found that gay men rated masculinity as an important quality when assessing the self and potential romantic partners. They also found that gay men had a desire for their behavior to be less feminine and more masculine.…”

“I don’t want to be seen as a screaming queen”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of gay men’s masculine identities.

“…Hegemonic masculinity can explain the antagonism some gay men show towards gay men who subvert normative masculinity: Anti-effeminacy is pervasive in some fields within the gay community (Brennan, 2016;Eguchi, 2009;Sánchez & Vilain, 2012;Taywaditep, 2001).…”