What Makes a Man: Physical Attraction Among Young Homosexuals

Little research is available when examining homosexual attraction, particularly physical attraction. Existing research approaches the topic through a heterosexual bias or an evolutionary stance. This study was designed to provide a base for further research. Five participants completed the interview process of the research design. The interviews consisted of open-ended, opinion style questions and with participants rating the attractiveness of a series of photos to further explore homosexual physical attraction. The results suggest that homosexual attraction may be based both in evolutionary processes and societal factors. More research is needed, however, for a better understanding of physical characteristics within homosexual attraction. INTRODUCTION In contemporary society, recognition of and attempts to understand homosexuality has become more important to the scientific community. While psychologists and family scientists search for an understanding of homosexuality, little research has actually been done regarding this population. To begin to understand homosexual behaviors, baseline studies are needed to provide answers to more specific questions regarding sexual orientation. One such area of any sexual orientation is attraction to potential partners. This study focuses on physical attraction and the role it plays in mate selection among young homosexual males. Physical attraction is frequently addressed when examining heterosexual relationships. Numerous articles on the topic of male/female attraction exist. If one desires a more specified approach to attraction, even more articles on fetishes and behaviors are available. However, upon searching for information regarding homosexual male attraction, it soon becomes evident there is a large deficit in the area. Very few articles are available in the area of homosexuality, and even fewer are present when dealing with physical attraction. The review of literature on this topic gleaned primarily dated research from decades past. It is from this lack of research on homosexuality and attraction that these questions arose: What makes a man desirable to another homosexual man? What physical characteristics do homosexual males find most appealing or attractive in a potential partner? REVIEW OF LITERATURE When examining Western influences on attraction, physical appearances are considered a very important factor in partner selection (Bordo, 1993). Many previous studies that have centered around male attraction have focused solely on how women rate men (Buss & Schmitt, 1993). When viewing articles on heterosexual attraction, an evolutionary theoretical approach is often used. By taking the evolutionary stance, the articles argue that attraction is an evolved trait that promotes mating with a partner that will yield a better chance of reproduction than randomly mating (Hönekopp, Rudolph, Beier, Liebert, & Müller, 2007). Hönekopp et. al. (2007) also suggests that because of the need to mate with a partner of “high mate value,” physical fitness in Aaron McCauley What Makes a Man 2 men is a biological part of attraction. Although Varangis, Lanzieri, Hildebrandt, and Feldman’s (2012) study found similar relationship contexts between heterosexuals and homosexuals, the question of long-term relationship significance arose (Varangis, Lanzieri, Hildebrandt, & Feldman, 2012). While the evolutionary approach may explain heterosexual attraction and the desire to positively transfer genetics on to the next generation, it does not explain why homosexuals experience similar preferences in attraction, as they are unable to produce offspring. Perhaps homosexual attraction is not based within evolutionary complexes but rather is subject to societal pressures. When looking at heterosexual cultures and homosexual cultures, it has been suggested that gay males value physical appearances more than their heterosexual male counterparts (Silberstein, Mishkind, Striegel-Moore, Timko, & Rodin, 1989). Individuals, including homosexual men themselves, support the notion that gay men tend to be more concerned with their appearances than straight men would be (Gettelman & Thompson, 1993). As Feingold (1990) suggests, this focus on physical appearances may be derived from the need to attract other males, who tend to be more focused on appearances than a woman would be. A recent study found that when it comes to muscles, gay men express preference for more muscular bodies when judging other males’ attractiveness. The study also showed that a smaller WCR (waist-tochest ratio) was more attractive to gay males, indicating a desire for upper body muscularity (Swami & Tovee, 2008). The desire for a “mesomorphic” body shape (a larger chest, smaller waist) can be seen throughout history (Luciano, 2007); however, it wasn’t until later in the 20th century that the media began promoting an ideal for men’s physiques and the V-shaped standard of the male body (Petrie, et al., 1996). This certainly falls in line with the Objectification theory, which declares that: . individuals who are consistently exposed to sexually objectifying images will progressively adopt an observer’s perspective, thereby forming judgments about their own bodies and sense of self on the extent to which they emulate the sexualized cultural images. (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) This belief that a partner will care more about physical appearances than moral substance may lead gay men to pursue partners who are equally concerned or occupied with physical appearances (Siever, 1994). As a result of such pursuits, gay men may also be more attracted to other men who are similar to their own muscular physique, as it shows an interest in one’s appearance (Varangis, Lanzieri, Hildebrandt, & Feldman, 2012). Swami and Tovee’s study produced a reinforcing result regarding this idea of physical attraction. The study (which compared attractive ratings between heterosexual and homosexual males) found that gay males have similar ideals for an overall body weight as their heterosexual counterparts. While the gay subjects did indicate a preference for a more muscular physique, both heterosexual and homosexual men selected body types that fell within the “normal” BMI range (18.5-24.9), indicating that muscularity is more important than actual body weight when viewing homosexual body preferences (Swami & Tovee, 2008). Aaron McCauley What Makes a Man 3 To help provide possible answers to what influences physical attraction among homosexuals and what features gay males seek in potential partners, it was decided upon to create a simple, focus group/interview-based qualitative study. By allowing participants to answer open-ended questions freely, we believed we would see honest and detailed responses on physical preferences for potential partners. Based on aforementioned findings and theories, we hypothesized that: (1) Homosexual males will indicate a preference for physically fit/muscular men; (2) Homosexual males will emphasize bodily features (torso, legs, genital region) as more important/attractive than facial features (eyes, smile, hair); and (3) homosexual males will not value the same features that heterosexual women would, given the freedom to construct an “ideal partner” themselves. METHODS Participants Following the IRB approval process, a total of 5 self-identified homosexual males voluntarily took part in our interviews. The participants were recruited using the University’s email system and through fliers displayed in/around the campus. Participants did not have a “test” or “standard” they had to complete in order to be eligible to participate; however, the email/fliers specified that males’ ages must be between 19-25, and they identify their sexual orientation as “homosexual. ” Procedure Interviews were guided by the research questions with enough flexibility to allow for the discovery of new ideas (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). All interviews conducted were audio recorded and then transcribed for the investigators’ use. Upon arriving for the interview process, participants were asked to complete a simple demographic form [Figure 1]. The form asked for the identification of sex, age (as of the day of the interview), educational level (ranging from high school diploma to graduate degree), race/ethnicity, and relationship status. The participants were also given several options to choose from to identify their sexuality. Of course, as specified with the recruiting tools, the participants had to indicate “gay” in order to participate. All of the participants self-identified as “gay. ” After the subjects completed the form, they were given the option to select a pseudonym or number by which they would be identified during the interview to protect their identities. Once the subjects had completed the demographics form, the consent form was read and discussed with them, per IRB requirements. Aaron McCauley What Makes a Man 4 To begin the study, the subjects were asked six open-ended questions. They were told to be as forthcoming and open as they wished to provide a better understanding of attraction. The six questions were as follows: 1. Describe, from the head down, what your ideal partner’s physical characteristics would be. 2. What body shape is most appealing to you? Using typical “gay terms” such as: twink, bear, jock, etc. 3. What age range would you consider for a possible partner? 4. When reflecting on a past or possible partner, what is your favorite physical characteristic? 5. In terms of a partner’s height as compared to yours, what is the ideal height? (Taller? Shorter? Same height? ) 6. What are unacceptable physical characteristics for possible partners [to have]? Subjects were free to share as much as they felt comfortable, and various questions arose when going through the interview. Some specific items within those discussions pertained to: genital size, tattoos/piercings, facial hair, and physical abnormalities/disabilities. After the sub