Enhancing masculinity by slandering homosexuals: The role of homophobic epithets in heterosexual gender identity

We investigate the effects of homophobic labels on the self-perception of heterosexual males, hypothesizing that, when exposed to homophobic epithets, they are motivated to underline their masculinity and claim a distinctly heterosexual identity by taking distance from homosexuals and, to a lesser degree, from women. Heterosexual male participants were subliminally (Study 1) and supraliminally primed (Study 2) either by a homophobic epithet or by a category label, and completed the Traditional Beliefs about Gender and Gender Identity scale. Participants stressed their heterosexual identity, but not their gender distinctiveness, when exposed to homophobic epithets, compared to category labels. Study 2, demonstrated that the relation between the homophobic label and the participants’ heterosexual identity was mediated by how negatively they reacted to the anti-gay label. Heterosexual identity was enhanced in reaction to homophobic labels, but not to an equally derogatory label referring to regional identity. Results are discussed within an intergroup framework.