The Personal is Political: Internalized Sexual Stigma and the Desire for Gender Complementarity in (some) Same-Gender Relationships

Abstract We examined whether gay men (Studies 1–2) and lesbian women (Study 1) who harbor internalized stigma due to their sexuality will desire a romantic relationship that reflects conventional, complementary gender roles where one partner is stereotypically feminine the other masculine, in terms of both personality traits division household labor. Results showed that, among with high (but not low) stigma, self-ascribed masculinity was positively related preferences for an ideal traits. Preferences partners did emerge women, or femininity. Contrary predictions, associated gender-complementary chores. Instead, avoidance tasks are incongruent—women (vs. preferred self) do so-called masculine feminine) chores, whereas masculine) Study 2 also included experimental manipulation test these effects were influenced by societal exclusion acceptance, but there no evidence this.