Ben Gerrard, MPhil, a researcher in Psychology
Ben Gerrard is a researcher in gender and sexuality in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney. He defines feminine-presenting traits as a more feminine vocal quality, body language and posture.
Mr Gerrard says the finding that gay men prefer a more “straight-acting” gay man for high-status roles is disappointing and potentially creating a gay glass ceiling in workplaces.
“Gay men are potentially blocking each other from positions of power and leadership due to this implicit bias,” he said. “Men are still expected to conform to more traditional masculine styles of leadership and if they fail to sufficiently project masculine traits they are at risk of status penalites. This is an example of internalised homophobia among the gay community and it impacts opportunities for these gay men.”
Mr Gerrard said while gay men appear to enjoy increasing equality and representation in Western cultures, they are still disadvantaged in pursuing high-status opportunities, compared to heterosexual men. “The findings point to the need for advocacy and training to counter apparent bias against feminine-presenting gay men in a range of professional contexts and populations,” he said.
