The relation between gender and negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians: Do gender role attitudes mediate this relation

This study examined whether traditional gender role attitudes mediated the relation between gender and negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. One hundred and fifty-five heterosexual college students (59 % female; 97% Caucasian) completed questionnaires that assessed their attitudes toward gay men and lesbians and their gender ole attitudes. Although males reported more negative attitudes toward gay men than females, there were no gender differences in attitudes toward lesbians. Traditional gender role attitudes mediated the relation between gender and attitudes toward gay men. These findings suggest hat attitudes toward gay men are more strongly related to gender ole attitudes than to gender. Negative attitudes toward homosexuals, ometimes referred to as homo-phobia, refer to antihomosexual sentiments, prejudices, and stereotypes. Such attitudes are presumed to underlie hate crimes against gay men and lesbians (Herek, 1989). Because the majority of such assaults are committed by juveniles or young adults (1989), we were interested in the negative at-titudes toward gay men and lesbians held by heterosexual young adults. Although previous research as identified several personality and at-titudinal variables that correlate with heterosexual young adults ' negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians (for reviews, see Herek, 1984, 1991, 1994), this study focused on another variable--gender----that s consis-1The authors express their appreciation to Larry Kurdek and Gregory Herek for their helpful input in the early stages of this study and to Larry Kurdek for reviewing an earlier draft of this article