Homophobic people are more likely to be gay, apparently
By Ross Semple
In news that will surprise not one living person, a study has shown that men who show anti-gay tenancies are more likely to be closeted gay men.
A recently unearthed study from a 2012 edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed higher instances of homophobia in those who identified as straight but showed attraction to members of the same sex, as reported in Indy100.
The study examined the differences between how male college students self-identified their orientation and how they responded to quick timed tasks. These tests uncovered the respondents’ implicit attractions.
The results showed that the men who were more likely to display hostility towards gay people were more likely to be ‘implicitly homosexual’.
Netta Weinstein, the author of the study, wrote: “Individuals who identify as straight but in psychological tests show a strong attraction to the same sex may be threatened by gays and lesbians because homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves.”
Richard Ryan, who also worked on the study, said: “Those people who have such discrepancies, who have really a split between their unconscious attraction and what they consciously say about themselves, are more likely to come from authoritarian homes.
“If you are a parent who really believes your child should be straight, and when you use whatever means you can to convince them them that they’re only good and worthy if they are, that would be very controlling and it creates a lot of conflict in the child.”
A recent study also found that straight men tell homophobic and sexist jokes to mask their own insecurities.
The study, carried out by Western Carolina University, found that “disparaging jokes are a way for some men to reaffirm their shaky sense of self, especially when they feel their masculinity is being threatened.”
This isn’t really news to anyone who has been on the receiving end of these kinds of jokes, but it’s nice to see it backed up with some scientific research.
The research was conducted by asking a group of heterosexual men to fill in an online questionnaire which was “designed to test their social attitudes and personalities, and their prejudice levels and antagonism against gay men and women.”
More stories:
Orlando Gay Chorus honour Pulse shooting victims with moving rendition of ‘True Colours’
Colton Haynes: ‘My management forced me to date women’