Gender Roles and Human Sexuality

Abstract

Personality differences among three self-ascribed render-role types (predominantly masculine, predominantly feminine, or no predominant orientation) were investigated within a group of 128 male and female homosexuals. The results, utilizing the Adjective Check List (ACL) and a specially designed questionnaire placed all groups within +/- one standard deviation of the mean on all ACL scales except abasement. A multiple discriminant analysis demonstrated that 10 of the ACL scales significantly discriminated between self-ascribed gender-role types. It was suggested that homosexuality may be appropriately conceived of as an alternate life style rather than a noslogical entity, and that gender-role may, in some instances, be more important than biological sex as regards one's self perceived personality characteristics.

Homosexuality among women: historical and current views in psychology

“…A study by Saghir, Robins, Walbran, and Gentry (1970) showed that their sample of lesbians, which were obtained The majority of the research with nonclinical samples have used women who belong to homophile organ1zations (Armon, 1960;Bene, 1965;Freedman, ·1967;Hopkins, 1969;Kenyon, 1968aKenyon, , 1968bRosen, 1974;s'aghir, et al , 1969Siegelman, 1972Siegelman, , 1973Siegelman, , 1974, while other studies have used college stude_nts (Wilson & Greene, 1971) , personal acquaintances and gay bar pa trans (_Clingman & Fowler, 1976;Hassell & Smith, 1975;Henry, 1941;Loney, 1972;Thompson, et al, 197.3) or adolescents (Kremer & Rifkin, 1969).…”

“…The criteria used for including or excluding subjects from the experimental or controi group are not clear in most of the studies (Armon, 1960;Bene, 1965;Clingman·& Fowler, 1976;Freedman, 1967;Henry, 1941;Kremer & Rifkin, 1969;Loney, 1972;Rosen, 1974;Saghir, et al, 1969Saghir, et al, , 1970Siegelman, 1972Siegelman, , 1973Siegelman, , 1974Thompson, et al,. 1971Thompson, et al,.…”

“…Most of the nonclinical studies have used reliable and valid testing instruments that have been administered under standardized or equivalent conditions to both groups (Clingman & Fowler, 1976;.Freedman, 1967;Saghir, et al, 1969Saghir, et al, , 1970Siegelman, 1972Siegelman, , 1973Siegelman, , 1974Thompson, ~t al., 1971Thompson, ~t al., , 1973.…”

“…. Clingman and Fowler (1976) studied the gender roles of· 62 male and 66 female homosexuals. They were divided into the following groups: a)·FF or· female "fem", b) FB or female ''butch",.…”

“…Anderson (1975) in her reply to a study by Stone and Schneider (1975) Kenyon, 1968aKenyon, , 1968b. Clingman and Fowler (1976) have foun·d significant differences between those who adopt .a masculine or feminine gender role. A genetic theory of' homosexuality is prevalent in early writings (Ellis, 1905;Forel·, 1925;Krafft-Ebing, 196.5) ..…”