Abstract
Recent research on homosexual partner preferences has focused on sexual attraction, but little attention has been paid to stable, long-term relationships in this population. The present research is concerned with the roles of similarity and complementarity in relatively durable relationships. One-hundred and eleven homosexual males completed a questionnaire describing themselves, including their masculinity and femininity (Bem, 1974), and characteristics of their ideal partner. Results indicated a desire for a partner who was logical and expressive, similar in age, and similar in masculinity—femininity. No special features of homosexuality nor sex roles seem necessary to explain these results.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banta, T. J., & Hetherington, M. Relations between needs of friends and fiances. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1963, 66, 401–404.
Bell, A. P., & Weinberg, M. S. Homosexualities: A study of diversity among men and women. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978.
Bem, S. L. The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974, 42, 155–162.
Bernard, L. C., & Epstein, D. J. Androgyny scores of matched homosexual and heterosexual males. Journal of Homosexuality, 1978, 4, 169–178.
Cattell, R. B., & Nesselrode, J. R. Likeness and completeness theories examined by 16 personality factor measures on stable and unstable married couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1967, 7, 351–361.
Freund, K., Langevin, R., Laws, R., & Serber, M. Feminity and preferred partner age in homosexual and heterosexual males. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1974, 125, 442–446.
Haist, M., & Hewitt, J. The butch—fem dichotomy in male homosexual behavior. Journal of Sex Research, 1974, 10, 68–75.
Harry, J., & DeVall, W. B. Age and sexual culture among homosexually-oriented males. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 1978, 7, 199–209.
Hooberman, R. E. Psychological androgyny, feminine gender identity and self-esteem in homosexual and heterosexual males. Journal of Sex Research, 1979, 15, 306–315.
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. Homosexuality in perspective. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co., 1979.
Middlebrook, P. N. Social psychology and modern life (2nd ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980.
Money, J., & Ehrhardt, A. A. Man and woman, boy and girl (Chap. 7). Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1972.
Rosencrantz, P., Vogel, S., Bee, H., Broverman, I., & Broverman, D. M. Sex-role stereotypes and self-concept in college students. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1968, 32, 287–295.
Simon, W., & Gagnon, J. H. Homosexuality: The formulation of a sociological perspective. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 1967, 8, 176–190.
Spada, J. The Spada report. New York: New American Library, 1979.
Storms, M. D. Theories of sexual orientation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1980, 38, 783–792.
Tripp, C. A. The homosexual matrix. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.
Vanggaard, T. Phallus: A symbol and its history in the male world. New York: International Universities Press, 1974.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boyden, T., Carroll, J.S. & Maier, R.A. Similarity and attraction in homosexual males: The effects of age and masculinity-femininity. Sex Roles 10, 939–948 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288516
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288516