Institutionalized Male Transvestism, the Couvade, and Homosexual Behavior

Abstract

Hypothesized that there is a negative association between the presence of the couvade in a society and the frequency of male homosexual behavior and that there is a positive association between the presence of institutionalized male transvestism in a society and the frequency of male homosexual behavior. Measures of the presence or absence of the couvade were taken from the Gilyak, Jivaro, and Nambicuara and other groups; measures of frequency of male homosexual behavior were taken from published codes; and institutionalized male transvestism was taken from human relations area files. Results show that males in societies with couvade compartmentalized the expression of feminine identity (including homosexual behavior) in the context of the birth cycle; males in societies with institutionalized male transvestism exhibited a higher rate of homosexual behavior than males in couvade societies. It is suggested that Western males who exhibit a large number of, or intense couvade like symptoms manifest a greater degree of homophobia than Western males who do not exhibit such symptoms. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)