• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Jennifer Lopez tells Britney Spears to ‘stay strong’
  • Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse
  • Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

Study Finds Straight People – And Even Many Gays – Are Still Alarmingly Uncomfortable With Same-Sex PDA

John Wright November 20, 2014

Becker.John

Some gay activists have long espoused a theory that the so-called "ick factor" — straight people's aversion to the idea of same-sex intimacy, especially involving men — is a fundamental obstacle to full equality. It helps explain the strategy behind historical gay kiss-in protests — or, more recently, same-sex couples posting photos of themselves kissing (above) on the Facebook page of anti-gay reality stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

But now a scientific study gives credence to the "ick factor" theory and, in doing so, could even help chart a course for the LGBT movement post-marriage equality.

The study, authored by Indiana University researcher Logan Doan and published in The American Sociological Review, surveyed more than 1,000 people and found that while 70 percent of heterosexuals support things like inheritance rights for same-sex couples, only 55 percent approve of gay men kissing on the cheek in public, according to Al Jazeera America. That's compared to 95 percent who approve of straight couples kissing on the cheek in public.

What's more, over 20 percent of heterosexual respondents said they disapprove of gay men talking about their relationships.

Even gay male respondents were less approving of gay PDAs than straight PDAs — perhaps, Doan says, due to internalized stigma and an inherent fear of hate crimes. And not surprisingly, heterosexual respondents were far more approving of lesbian PDAs, at a rate of 72 percent.

But approval of gay male PDAs was similar to support for same-sex marriage (53 percent), which many Americans view as a social construct separate from equal legal rights. And while marriage equality can be achieved in the courts, it seems a significant percentage of straight Americans still won't approve of same-sex relationships on a moral level.

From Al Jazeera America:

“We had civil rights laws long before we had positive attitudes toward ethnic minorities,” Doan said, adding that Americans support rights because they see themselves as egalitarian, regardless of their personal views on homosexuality.

“The more informal, subtle types of prejudice linger much longer, because that actually requires people to change their views,” he said. …

The survey may offer clues to gay rights activists on the direction of the movement going forward, Doan said. “It would be great to take a more comprehensive approach.”

“There’s this informal type of prejudice that has primarily been neglected. There’s a push for more positive portrayals in the media, but the bulk of what people think of when they think of the gay rights movement is marriage,” he said.

Of course, we all know marriage equality isn't going to stop gay youth from being rejected by their families, or LGBT people from being fired by their employers — much of which correllates to the "ick factor."

But the solution isn't just more same-sex PDAs or gay sex on TV. It's for gay people to be not only out, but also open about their relationships.

Before we can do that, though — as the study's finding of lower approval for same-sex PDAs among gays would suggest — we'll first need to fully accept ourselves.

Topics: Actor More Posts About: al jazeera, gay marriage, Indiana, Indiana, kiss

Related Posts
  • Former Roommate Indicted For Murder Of Florida LGBTQ Activist Jorge Diaz-Johnston, One of the Public Faces In State Fight For Marriage Equality
  • Survivor Benefits Payments For Same-Sex Partners Are Being Paid Under Biden, But Many Don’t Even Know They Qualify
  • Jim Obergefell, Plaintiff In The Supreme Court Case That Won National Marriage Equality, is Running For Ohio State House
  • Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse

    Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse. Facebook’s parent company is planning to throw a kiki in their virtual universe, titled ‘Queens of the Metaverse’, which will …Read More »
  • Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

    Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Billy Eichner wouldn’t have signed up for ‘Bros’ if it wasn’t “authentic to gay audiences”. The 43-year-old comedian was first approached about the movie by producer Judd Apatow and director and …Read More »
  • Michelle Visage shocked by ‘introverted’ RuPaul

    Michelle Visage shocked by ‘introverted’ RuPaul

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Michelle Visage was shocked by how much of an “introvert” RuPaul is. The ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ judge says the 61-year-old flamboyant drag legend and television star is actually “very reserved and …Read More »
  • U.S. House gives Biden a win with massive bill on climate change, drug prices

    U.S. House gives Biden a win with massive bill on climate change, drug prices

    Published by Reuters By David Morgan, Moira Warburton and Rose Horowitch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives approved a $430 billion bill on Friday that is seen as the biggest climate package in U.S. …Read More »
Previous Post: « Nick Jonas Talks Purity Rings, Virginity, and Being a ‘Booty Man’ – VIDEO
Next Post: HRC and Victory Fund Co-Founder Terry Bean Arrested, Charged With Sex Abuse of a Minor »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Trump vs Biden again? The documents scandal makes it more likely

    Trump vs Biden again? The documents scandal makes it more likely

  • White House to circulate Afghanistan memo defending U.S. withdrawal – Axios report

    White House to circulate Afghanistan memo defending U.S. withdrawal – Axios report

  • Russian propagandists claim Moscow has been ‘studying’ Mar-a-Lago nuclear documents ‘for a while’

    Russian propagandists claim Moscow has been ‘studying’ Mar-a-Lago nuclear documents ‘for a while’

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y’know

  • Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

    Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

  • Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

    Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

  • New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

    New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

RSS Partner Links

  • Sofia Carson Dishes On If 'Purple Hearts' Will Have A Sequel
  • Gay History Lesson
  • Open Post: Hosted By The Thief Who Hid In A Giant Teddy Bear
  • The FBI Says That The Gun In The “Rust” Shooting Could Not Have Gone Off By Itself And The Trigger Was Pulled
  • Shakira Is Considering Moving Miami To Leave Behind Her Tax And Relationship Woes In Spain
  • Paulina Porizkova Responds to Plastic Surgeon Telling Her How She Should 'Fix' Her Face
  • Leslie Jordan show us his new condo!

Most Recent

  • Jennifer Lopez tells Britney Spears to ‘stay strong’

    Jennifer Lopez tells Britney Spears to ‘stay strong’

  • Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse

    Meta will hold the first ever drag show in the metaverse

  • Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

    Billy Eichner needed Bros to be ‘authentic’

  • Michelle Visage shocked by ‘introverted’ RuPaul

    Michelle Visage shocked by ‘introverted’ RuPaul

  • U.S. House gives Biden a win with massive bill on climate change, drug prices

    U.S. House gives Biden a win with massive bill on climate change, drug prices

  • Robert De Niro pays tribute to ‘wonderful’ Anne Heche

    Robert De Niro pays tribute to ‘wonderful’ Anne Heche

  • Trump lawyer in June said classified material had been returned -NY Times

    Trump lawyer in June said classified material had been returned -NY Times

  • I want to spread positivity, says Billy Porter

    I want to spread positivity, says Billy Porter

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

×