Abstract
McCormack and Anderson (2014) present a case for using homohysteria as a lens through which to examine the effects of declining homophobia. This commentary addresses limitations of the concept of homohysteria, and offers suggestions on ways to improve the concept as a theoretical lens. We identify two central concerns in this presentation of homohysteria; a definitional problem in operationalizing the construct of homohysteria, and a logical weakness in the construction of the definition of a homohysteric society. We offer suggestions based in psychological and historical data aimed to improve homohysteria as a lens through which to view shifts in attitudes toward sexual orientation minorities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, E. (2009). Inclusive masculinity: The changing nature of masculinities. London: Routledge.
Bluck, S. (2012). Transsexual in Iran: A fatwa for freedom? In C. Pullen (Ed.), LGBT transnational identity and the media (pp. 59–66). Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan.
Boroughs, M., & Thompson, J. K. (2002). Body depiliation in males: A new body image concern? International Journal of Men’s Health, 1, 247–257. doi:10.3149/jmh.0103.247.
Boroughs, M., Cafri, G., & Thompson, J. K. (2005). Male body depiliation: Prevalence and associated features of body hair removal. Sex Roles, 52, 637–644. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-3731-9.
Chauncy, G. (1994). Gay New York: Gender, urban culture, and the making of the gay male world 1890–1940. New York: Basic Books.
Cowie, J. (2010). Stayin’ alive: The 1970s and the last days of the working class. New York: The New Press.
Echols, A. (2010). Hot stuff: Disco and the remaking of American culture. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Fraterrigo, E. (2009). Playboy and the making of the good life in modern America. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hall, E. T., & Hall, M. R. (1990). Hidden differences: Doing business with the Japanese. New York: Anchor books.
Herek, G. M. (1988). Heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men: Correlates and gender differences. The Journal of Sex Research, 25, 451–477. doi:10.1080/00224498809551476.
Herek, G. M. (1994). Assessing heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men: A review of empirical research with the ATLG scale. In B. Greene & G. M. Herek (Eds.), Lesbian and gay psychology: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 206–228). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Herek, G. M. (2002). Heterosexuals’ attitudes toward bisexual men and women in the United States. Journal of Sex Research, 39, 264–274. doi:10.1080/00224490209552150.
Hinrichs, D. W., & Rosenberg, P. J. (2002). Attitudes toward gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons among heterosexual liberal arts college students. Journal of Homosexuality, 43, 61–83. doi:10.1300/J082v43n01_04.
Hofstede, G. (1994). The business of international business is culture. International Business Review, 3, 1–14. doi:10.1016/0969-5931(94)90011-6.
Israel, T., & Mohr, J. J. (2004). Attitudes toward bisexual women and men: Current research, future directions. Journal of Bisexuality, 4, 117–134. doi:10.1300/J159v04n01_09.
Johnson, D. K. (2004). The Lavender scare: The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
King, M. E., Winter, S., & Webster, B. (2009). Contact reduces transprejudice: A study on attitudes towards transgenderism and transgender civil rights in Hong Kong. International Journal of Sexual Health, 21, 17–34. doi:10.1080/19317610802434609.
Kinsey, A. (1948). Sexual behavior in the human male. New York: Random House.
Kras, E. S. (1995). Management in two cultures: Bridging the gap between U.S. and Mexican managers. Yarmouth: Intercultural press.
Martins, Y., Tiggemann, M., & Churchett, L. (2008). Hair today, gone tomorrow: A comparison of body hair removal practices in gay and heterosexual men. Body Image, 5, 312–316. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.04.001.
McCormack, M., & Anderson, E. (2014). The influence of declining homophobia on men’s gender in the United States: An argument for the study of homohysteria. Sex Roles, this issue. doi:10.1007/s11199-014-0358-8.
Meehl, P. E. (1990). Why summaries of research on psychological theories are often uninterpretable. Psychological Reports, 66, 195–244. doi:10.2466/pr0.1990.66.1.195.
Morin, S. F., & Garfinkle, E. M. (1978). Male homophobia. Journal of Social Issues, 34, 29–47. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1978.tb02539.x.
Moses, L. (2013). Millennial guys are turning to makeup. Adweek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/millennial-guys-are-turning-makeup-150313.
Norton, A. T., & Herek, G. M. (2012). Heterosexuals’ attitudes toward transgender people: Findings from a national probability sample of US adults. Sex Roles, 68, 738–753. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-0110-6.
Parent, M. C., Schwartz, E. N., & Bradstreet, T. C. (2014). Men’s body image. In Y. J. Wong & S. R. Wester (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of Men and masculinities. Washington: American Psychological Association.
Rieger, G., Chivers, M. L., & Bailey, J. M. (2005). Sexual arousal patterns of bisexual men. Psychological Science, 16, 579–584. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01578.x.
Riggs, D. W., Webber, K., & Fell, G. R. (2012). Australian undergraduate psychology students’ attitudes towards trans people. Gay & Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review, 8, 52–62.
Rosenthal, A. M., Sylva, D., Safron, A., & Bailey, J. M. (2012). The male bisexuality debate revisited: Some bisexual men have bisexual arousal patterns. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41, 135–147. doi:10.1007/s10508-011-9881-7.
Shibusawa, N. (2012). The Lavender scare and empire: Rethinking cold war antigay politics. Diplomatic History, 36, 723–752. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7709.2012.01052.x.
Shweder, R. A. (1999). Why cultural psychology? Ethos, 27, 62–73. doi:10.1525/eth.1999.27.1.62.
Smith, I., Oades, L. G., & McCarthy, G. (2012). Homophobia to heterosexism: Constructs in need of re-visitation. Gay & Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review, 8, 33–44.
Steffens, M. C., & Wagner, C. (2004). Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men in Germany. The Journal of Sex Research, 41, 137–149. doi:10.1080/00224490409552222.
Strong, S. R. (1991). Theory-driven science and naive empiricism in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 204–210. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.38.2.204.
Szymanski, D. M., Kashubeck-West, S., & Meyer, J. (2008a). Internalized heterosexism: A historical and theoretical overview. The Counseling Psychologist, 36, 510–524. doi:10.1177/0011000007309488.
Szymanski, D. M., Kashubeck-West, S., & Meyer, J. (2008b). Internalized heterosexism: Measurement, psychosocial correlates, and research directions. The Counseling Psychologist, 36, 525–574. doi:10.1177/0011000007309489.
Taywaditep, K. J. (2002). Marginalization among the marginalized: Gay men’s anti-effeminiacy attitudes. Journal of Homosexualiy, 42, 1–28. doi:10.1300/J082v42n01_01.
Thompson, B. (2010). The un-natural state: Arkansas and the queer south. Fayetteville: The University of Arkansas Press.
Tung, R. L. (1982). U.S.-China trade negotiations: Practices, procedures and outcomes. Journal of International Business Studies, 13, 25–37. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490548.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parent, M.C., Batura, A. & Crooks, K. Homohysteria: A Commentary and Critique. Sex Roles 71, 121–125 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0393-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0393-5