According to a psychology study, heterosexual males and gay men prefer macho gay men to feminine gay men when applying for high-status positions, indicating that workplace discrimination against feminine gay men may exist.
picture of nine black t-shirted males utilising either their hands or faces in feminine or masculine ways.
The psychological experiment used trained actors. Ben Gerrard photos
According to a recent University of Sydney study, both gay men and heterosexual men favour masculine-presenting men for high-status positions, which disadvantages more gay men who present as women and exposes them to internal bias, Dissertation Writing Service Adelaide prejudice, and potential discrimination in the workplace, including hiring procedures and promotion opportunities.
Considered to be the first experimental study to show status costs for gay men who present with more feminine than masculine features across workplace hierarchies, the study was published in the esteemed peer-reviewed journal Sex Roles. Additionally, it reveals the community of gay men’s implicit prejudice.
This implicit bias may be preventing gay men from advancing one another into leadership roles, he claimed. Males are still expected to follow more conventionally masculine leadership methods, and they suffer status penalties if they don’t sufficiently display these attributes. This is an instance of internalised homophobia among the LGBT community, which limits these gay men’s options.
Gay men, according to Mr. Gerrard, are still at a disadvantage when pursuing high-status opportunities when compared to heterosexual men, despite appearing to enjoy increased equality and representation in Western countries. The results “indicate the need for advocacy and training to prevent apparent bias against gay men with feminine physical characteristics in a variety of professional situations and groups,” he said.
256 gay and straight males were asked to take part in a poll in which they were asked to watch the films and identify any actors who would be viewed as “leaders” who could speak for Australia. They made casting choices for the position after viewing an actor’s feminine or male portrayal. The study’s findings showed that males of all sexual orientations, including gay men, favoured the commercial’s more manly gay male actor.
actors who present as either women or men. Ben Gerrard video
Gay men and heterosexual males with higher levels of sexism and homonegativity both demonstrated a bigger preference for the masculine-gay actor over the feminine-gay actor. These findings have significant ramifications for employment procedures and implicit prejudice.
A homophobic bias
According to Mr. Gerrard, more effort is needed to dispel the widespread belief that being a man means having high status, particularly in light of current leadership theories that contend qualities traditionally viewed as “feminine,” like warmth, can be more useful in managing contemporary workplaces.
Gay men who present as women are under pressure to fit in so they may pass for heterosexual men because of this homophobic prejudice, according to Mr. Gerrard. “What we need is more accurate portrayals of homosexual men who are confident and show themselves as feminine, especially in the media, to combat false stereotypes about their capacity for leadership. There needs to be education and awareness about the possibility of being subconsciously impacted by these unfair biases in the society and throughout recruitment processes.
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