Psychological androgyny, feminine gender identity and self‐esteem in homosexual and heterosexual males

Abstract

Homosexual and heterosexual male college students were provided with three questionnaires designed to measure feminine gender identity, sex role attributes, and self-esteem. No differences were found between homosexual and heterosexual students on self-esteem. Significant differences were found between the two groups on the femininity, masculinity, and androgyny scales of the Bem Sex Role Inventory and on a feminine gender identity scale. The homosexuals scored higher on feminine gender identity, on femininity, and on psychological androgyny. A fairly high number of homosexual students scored as low as did the heterosexual students in feminine gender identity despite the statistically significant differences between the two groups. It was also found that acceptance of instrumental or action oriented attributes by men is related to positive levels of self-esteem, providing that more expressive attributes are not rejected. The relation of these results to other research on gender roles and to possible relationships to psychological well-being is discussed. This investigation compared male homosexuals with male heterosexuals on variables deElned as measuring sex role orientation, gender identity, and self-esteem. It was prompted by recent developments in the conceptualization and assessment of sex role orientation (Bem, 1974; Spence, Helmteich, & Stapp, 1975) that make timely a new look at the traditional stereotypes of male homosexuals as feminine and psychologically poorly adjusted.