Gender Atypicality and Anxiety Response to Social Interaction Stress in Homosexual and Heterosexual Men

Abstract

Gender non-conforming behavior and a homosexual sexual orientation have both been linked to higher levels of anxiety. This study examined the independent and interactive effects of gender atypicality and sexual orientation on levels of state anxiety immediately following a stressful social interaction task among a sample of homosexual and heterosexual Israeli men (n = 36). Gender atypicality was measured via both self-report and observer ratings. State anxiety was measured via both self-report immediately subsequent to the stressful social interaction task and pre- to post task changes in salivary cortisol. Results showed that self-reported gender atypicality and heterosexual sexual orientation predicted higher levels of self-reported social interaction anxiety, but not changes in cortisol. There were no sexual orientation by gender behavior interactions and there were no significant effects for observer rated gender atypicality. These findings suggest that gender atypicality, not homosexuality, place individuals at risk for increased anxiety.

Stigmatization of ‘gay‐sounding’ voices: The role of heterosexual, lesbian, and gay individuals’ essentialist beliefs

“…Believing voice as a SO-trait is immutable and discrete was expected to relate to LG participants' perceptions of sounding less gender typical, confirming common stereotypes (path d and e; Hypothesis 5a), whilst controllability beliefs were expected to be associated with higher perceptions of sounding gender typical (path f; Hypothesis 5b). Self-perceptions of gender-atypical traits have been found to trigger stress (Jacobson, Cohen, & Diamond, 2016;Martin-Sotrey & August, 2016) and internalized stigma (Salvati, Pistella, & Baiocco, 2018), and to be relevant for wellbeing (Rieger & Savin-Williams, 2012). Thus, we predicted that sounding less gender typical would be related to more rejection expectancy and vigilance (path i and j; Hypothesis 6).…”

The Trier Social Stress Test: Principles and practice

“…Participants were exposed to a TSST modified to ensure maximisation of sex differences in stress response (the panel were placed behind a one-way mirror; this is associated with reduced HPA axis response compared to standard TSST in heterosexual females but not males). However, another study did not find an impact of sexual orientation on salivary cortisol in men ( Jacobson et al., 2016 ). Sexual orientation may exert a greater influence in regions where social stigma towards homosexuality is particularly high; structural stigma (operationalised using factors such as level of exclusion of homosexual people from social institutions) was associated with a blunted response to the TSST in homosexual and bisexual young adults ( Hatzenbuehler and McLaughlin, 2014 ).…”

Mental Health Issues Related to Sexual Orientation in a High School Setting

“…Contradicting results were seen in that some studies found significant differences in the levels of cortisol between self-identified heterosexuals and LGB and unsure populations. Other studies found that cortisol levels were not significantly different and depended more on other factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, or level of stigmatization (Austin et al, 2016; Cook, Juster, Calebs, Heinze, & Miller, 2017; Hatzenbuehler et al, 2014; Jacobson, Cohen, & Diamond, 2016; Juster et al, 2013, 2015). The current study adds to the existing literature by including ninth-grade high school students in a comparison study of self-identified heterosexuals with LGB and unsure students.…”