The Effect of Feminist Identification on the Perceived Authenticity of Male Allies

Abstract

Male allies are often described as essential to reducing gender inequity. However, some men may become allies through benevolent sexist beliefs. While some women recognize this as a suboptimal form of allyship, others may interpret it as authentic. We investigated whether the type of allyship (egalitarian vs. benevolent sexist) influences women’s perceptions of authenticity and whether women’s feminist identification moderates this effect. Women (N = 132) undergraduate students completed a pre-screening survey including a measure of feminist identification. They read about and rated the authenticity of a male ally who exhibited egalitarianism or benevolent sexism in his effort to increase women representation in a male-dominated club. Women perceived the egalitarian ally as highly authentic regardless of their feminist identification. However, higher feminist identification was associated with higher perceived authenticity for the benevolent sexist ally. Results are discussed in terms of how feminist identification can influence women’s perceptions of men who help.