Too Feminine? Bash Gays

Here's some interesting human psychology research and disturbing insight into the male psychie: If people think you're a girly man, just bash the gays. Researchers at Cornell University have found that's exactly what MOST men do when their masculinity is threatened.

The finidings, presented at the American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting in August, bolster the theory that men who are insecure about their masculinity overcompensate with machismo. Cornell's Robb Willer gave more than 100 Cornell undergrads a gender identity survey and then randomly told them their responses indicated they had a masculine or feminine identity. The "feminine" men then gave much more homophobic responses on a political questionnaire. They were also more likely to support the war in Iraq and to be interested in buying a SUV.

I remember hearing about this a few months ago in the newspaper. It reminds me of a similar theory an English professor told our class about, where a possible reason for men displaying homophobic tendencies was actually as a kind of coverup, unconscious or not, for their own homosexual tendencies.

In a more general context, I think that this survey is one example of many concerning how people will put on an act in order to be perceived in the way that society thinks they should behave.

Can you provide a link to the research in question please?

Thanks

well there you go. that would explain why so many hate gays.

Originally posted by FredT
Can you provide a link to the research in question please?

Thanks

Oh sorry I didnt actually get it from the internet... (who actually gets ALL their resources from the internet anyways?!?) I got it from the American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting held last August.

Anyways, maybe it explains why despite the gas prices, there's a new Hummer dealership just under construction a few blocks away.

Originally posted by jupiter869
Oh sorry I didnt actually get it from the internet... (who actually gets ALL their resources from the internet anyways?!?) I got it from the American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting held last August.

convention2.allacademic.com
Author:
*Robb Willer (Cornell University)

Abstract:
This paper explores the empirical validity of the masculine overcompensation thesis, or the assertion that men react to threats to their masculinity with extreme demonstrations of masculinity. Though masculine overcompensation is often cited as a popular account for exaggerated male-typed behaviors, it is also supported by theoretical work in the masculinities and identity theory literatures. I test the masculine overcompensation thesis in an experiment in which I gave men and women feedback on a gender identity survey suggesting that they were either masculine or feminine. While women showed no change as a result of feedback on the gender identity survey, men showed consistent and diverse effects. Men given feedback threatening their masculinity expressed greater homophobia, were more supportive of the Iraq war, and showed greater interest in purchasing an SUV compared with men given masculinity-confirming feedback. Masculinity threatened men also reported feeling more ashamed, guilty, upset and hostile than did masculinity confirmed men. The results of the study strongly support the masculine overcompensation thesis.

Here's an article:

www.sciencedaily.com...

I'll get my cowboy gear wearing self back into my giant 4x4 and head on down to the local saloon for a night of catcalling, beer drinkin', and maybe even a a good bar room brawl now...

Cowpensation Monkeys, not just for making up for childhood ballet lessons anymore...

Cowboy gear? you're definately gay

makes sense to me - being 100% gay (zero attraction to, or contact with a female) I remember how homophobic I used to act just to hide my true colors. I'm much more ashamed of my past behavior than being gay.

I didn't want anyone to think I might be a "homo-gay", so the best (and easiest) way was to show no sympathy for, and even downright disgust towards feminine acting guys, wheather they were known to be "gay" or not. It was just a teenage "fitting in" behavior, one I now realize was totally wrong - Now, I know that there are girly acting straight men, butch acting gay men, and all variations in-between.

I don't look "girly" - I have a deep voice - I have 5 o'clock shadow at 9 AM. I look more like I should be riding a motorcycle across the desert than an accountant. I don't primp and pamper and tan or go to the gym, which all seem to be requirements to fit in to the gay or metrosexual community these days. I know nothing of "the theater" or Broadway - I hate musicals, or any kind of singing in a movie - I'm not "pretty" enough to be gay, so most people assume I'm straight, another stereotype that makes it even harder for me to fit in to the gay world -

on the other side of that coin -

I've never had any interest in or played any sport, but because of my build and size everyone always assumes I played football. I don't know the first thing about football - I don't even know what "first and ten" means, other than it was the name of a show about football on HBO years ago. I never "chased tail" or "womanized" - I've always been able to do the cooking and the cleaning and any household work that my college roommates were sometimes amazed by (guess mommie always did for them, huh? ) I can cut hair and decorate and put together a 10-teir wedding cake, all on the day of your wedding. - I just look like a gorilla in a tuxedo while I'm doing it.

So I never know where I fit in, or what people are thinking of me - I just know I'd better butch it up when I'm around alot of masculine men. And I kinda have to try to be flamboyant when I'm around gay people, so they can be comfortable around me, otherwise, they think I'm another "straight" out to "get 'em".

Sometimes I envy the flamboyant ones that get to just show it off, seem to be so proud of it, don't care what anyone thinks and are not going to take any crap from anyone. Even though they might be looked down upon, they're SURE about where they fit, they know who their people are, they have their "community" - Then again, living in such a rural, homophobic area,I consider myself lucky to be so masculine looking, so when I'm out in public, I can just blend in and not show my shame if I don't want to.

The only time I'm totally myself is when I'm alone, I get to watch Star-Trek re-runs on SPIKE all day, and pretty much anything on the comedy channel. I am, at heart, a couch-potato who happens to be gay who happens to look striaght. I don't know where I fit in, but I do know my butt fits on that couch pretty good

Just my point of view.

Originally posted by R988
Cowboy gear? you're definately gay

Spoken from experience no doubt. :shk:

Gee, I would have thought it was the ballet lessons that would have tipped you off...

Lets stick with the topic at hand and not member sexual orientation.

I've got a friend who calls the big SUV's and Hummers "penis extenders". Kind of an off color remark but there is some definate truth to it. Those drivers CANT possibly be serious about just driving them especially in this day and age with the cost of gas. How could they act so irresponsibly unless they HAD to prove something... to themselves.

I'm The only person Who can walk into a "gay" Bar. And get hit On By no one.
Mr. Gay has this innate sense (Gaydar) that I could "care less."

I've been friends with people for years. And never knew they were "gay". They were just ordinary people who liked Men, and never mentioned it. And when they, told me they were Gay. My response- "So What."

My insight.
In My youth, My Family raised "Stud" horses. Some mated only with mare's, Some humped Round Bales of Hay, And other mated with other "Stud's".

Usually the "biggest stallion" would always Go for the Smaller "stallion".

The larger Humped the Smaller. And this was a Sign of dominance and power. The Animals (Alpha Male) status was "proven" too other Mares. By the sure Domination of Rival (Beta Male) Stallions. The Beta Male either became Rogue animals searching for their own herd. Or were Dominated by the Alpha Male.

That is why it doesn't surprise me. That a lot of Alpha "masculine" men have "gay" tendencies. The above exp I have heard happens in monkeys, and properly in Humans as well. (Though at a much lesser extent. Exp Jail inmates)

Originally posted by msnevil
I'm The only person Who can walk into a "gay" Bar. And get hit On By no one.
Mr. Gay has this innate sense (Gaydar) that I could "care less."

I've been friends with people for years. And never knew they were "gay". They were just ordinary people who liked Men, and never mentioned it. And when they, told me they were Gay. My response- "So What."

My insight.
In My youth, My Family raised "Stud" horses. Some mated only with mare's, Some humped Round Bales of Hay, And other mated with other "Stud's".

Usually the "biggest stallion" would always Go for the Smaller "stallion".

The larger Humped the Smaller. And this was a Sign of dominance and power. The Animals (Alpha Male) status was "proven" too other Mares. By the sure Domination of Rival (Beta Male) Stallions. The Beta Male either became Rogue animals searching for their own herd. Or were Dominated by the Alpha Male.

That is why it doesn't surprise me. That a lot of Alpha "masculine" men have "gay" tendencies. The above exp I have heard happens in monkeys, and properly in Humans as well. (Though at a much lesser extent. Exp Jail inmates)

So you are saying alpha males have more of a tendency to have homosexual tendencies? Interesting.

Originally posted by Mirthful Me

Originally posted by R988
Cowboy gear? you're definately gay

Spoken from experience no doubt. :shk:

Gee, I would have thought it was the ballet lessons that would have tipped you off...

Lets stick with the topic at hand and not member sexual orientation.

It wasn't a serious comment I thought that was obvious

Oh well I'll try to make it more obvious when I'm joking next time...

Originally posted by jupiter869
Here's some interesting human psychology research and disturbing insight into the male psychie: If people think you're a girly man, just bash the gays. Researchers at Cornell University have found that's exactly what MOST men do when their masculinity is threatened.

The finidings, presented at the American Sociological Association's 100th Annual Meeting in August, bolster the theory that men who are insecure about their masculinity overcompensate with machismo. Cornell's Robb Willer gave more than 100 Cornell undergrads a gender identity survey and then randomly told them their responses indicated they had a masculine or feminine identity. The "feminine" men then gave much more homophobic responses on a political questionnaire. They were also more likely to support the war in Iraq and to be interested in buying a SUV.

It's called fear of the penis, and it was Zigmund Freud that first described it. That fear makes men agressive in an effort to prove their masculinity.

Originally posted by Holden
I've got a friend who calls the big SUV's and Hummers "penis extenders". Kind of an off color remark but there is some definate truth to it. Those drivers CANT possibly be serious about just driving them especially in this day and age with the cost of gas. How could they act so irresponsibly unless they HAD to prove something... to themselves.

Are there any Hummer buyers or SUV buyers (men, obviously) who would actually anonomously admit to this theory?