No evidence that partnered and unpartnered gay men differ in their preferences for male facial masculinity

Abstract

Women's preferences for masculine characteristics in men's faces have been extensively studied. By contrast, little is known about how gay men respond to masculine facial characteristics. One area of disagreement in the emerging literature on this topic is the association between gay men's partnership status and masculinity preference. One study found that partnered gay men showed stronger preferences for masculine faces than did single gay men, while another study found that partnered gay men showed weaker preferences for masculine faces than did single gay men. We reexamined this issue in a sample of 618 gay men, finding no significant difference between partnered and single gay men's masculinity preferences. Together with the mixed previous findings, our null result suggests that the effect of partnership status on gay men's face preferences is not robust.

Preferences for facial sexual dimorphism is related to frequency of pornography consumption among heterosexual‐identifying men and homosexual‐identifying men: A mediating role of sociosexuality

“…Homosexual‐identifying men favoured more masculine male faces, whereas heterosexual‐identifying men preferred more feminine female faces, consistent with prior studies (Cassar et al, 2020; Lippa, 2007a, 2007b; Welling et al, 2013; Zheng & Zheng, 2016). This pattern of results is also consistent with the idea that heterosexual‐identifying men's preferences for feminine females are potentially adaptive since women's faces displaying feminine characteristics are generally considered to be more attractive and linked to reproduction (Glassenberg et al, 2010; Little et al, 2011; Thornhill & Gangestad, 1999).…”

“…This study explored a new perspective on the understanding of the possible relationship between pornography consumption and preferences for facial dimorphism in a combination of social learning and trade-off mate choice (attractiveness or faithfulness) perspectives, revealing that heterosexual-identifying and homosexualidentifying men demonstrated similar psychological mechanisms in dimorphic preference. Homosexual-identifying men favoured more masculine male faces, whereas heterosexual-identifying men preferred more feminine female faces, consistent with prior studies (Cassar et al, 2020;Lippa, 2007aLippa, , 2007bWelling et al, 2013;Zheng & Zheng, 2016). This pattern of results is also consistent with the idea that heterosexual-identifying men's preferences for feminine females are potentially adaptive since women's faces displaying feminine characteristics are generally considered to be more attractive and linked to reproduction (Glassenberg et al, 2010;Little et al, 2011;Thornhill & Gangestad, 1999).…”