When Cisgender, Heterosexual Men Feel Attracted to Transgender Women: Sexuality-Norm Violations Lead to Compensatory Anti-Gay Prejudice

Abstract

Cisgender, heterosexual men’s adherence to gender norms and prejudice against sexual minorities increases after observing sexuality-based gender norm violations of others (i.e., non-normative sexual attractions). No research to date has investigated whether similar effects occur after experiencing sexuality-based gender norm violations of the self. This study investigated the effects of one such norm violation—attraction to transgender women—on adherence to gender roles and attitudes toward gay men. Photographs of female models were shown to cisgender, heterosexual men (N = 135, M age ± S.D. = 28.12 ± 8.81) who rated their attractiveness. Half the participants were informed (accurately) that the models were transgender women (transgender condition). Other participants were not offered this information, leaving them to assume the models were cisgender. All participants then reported their support for traditional gender norms and attitudes toward gay men. As expected, participants in the transgender condition reported less positive attitudes toward gay men, an effect mediated by increased support for traditional gender norms, and only present when the participants had rated the women as highly attractive. These results suggest a strategy to compensate for gender norm violations to reestablish men’s masculinity.