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PubMed1981

The association of selected "masculine" sex-role variables with length of relationship in gay male couples.

This study investigates the association of selected masculine sex-role characteristics with the fact that a gay male relationship is ongoing or the partners have separated. Sixty couples (30 ongoing, 30 recently separated) from a large urban area responded to a self-report battery that included measures of sex-role identification and questions on demographic data, self-disclosure to partner, degrees of cooperation, and sexual plurality. The subjects had been born in the United States, were Caucasian, and ranged in age from 21-37. To a statistically significant degree, separated respondents scored lower on cooperation than ongoing subjects and were more likely to be androgynous. No difference between the groups emerged on the variables of self-disclosure or the number of sexual experiences outside the primary relationship.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Femininity, masculinity, and sexual orientation: some cross-cultural comparisons.

Predominantly homosexual males from Australia (n = 163), Sweden (n = 176) and Finland (n = 149) were compared on the Bem Sex-Role Inventory and on various measures of partner preference in order to establish the relationship between degree of homosexuality in terms of Kinsey Scale position and gender identity. Results suggest that while there is no relationship between femininity and degree of homosexuality, masculinity is inversely related depending on the degree of sex role stereotyping and anti-homosexual attitudes of the society the subjects live in. Such findings suggest that deviant gender identity is a function not of homosexuality as such but of societal attitudes which may reinforce a homosexual role.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Conceptions of masculinity and femininity as a basis for stereotypes of male and female homosexuals.

To date the majority of research published in relation to homosexuality has been concerned with the homosexual's problems, and with the etiology of homosexuality. As little as 8% of published research has dealt with attitudes toward homosexuals, and less still has been concerned with perceptions of and beliefs about homosexuals. Existing research on the latter is reviewed, and research is outlined that investigates perceptions of homosexuals. Stereotypes of male and female homosexuals are examined in the context of masculine-feminine traits using the Personality Attributes Questionnaire. Results strongly support the view that sex role definitions are a highly salient reference point for the public definition of homosexuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Femininity in men and masculinity in women: American psychiatry and psychology portray homosexuality in the 1930's.

Two influential studies of homosexuality are reviewed. Both were conducted in the United States in the 1930s and involved rather large samples of homosexual men and women. Each investigation concluded that homosexuality was linked to cross-gender identification. Consequently, these studies served as a justification for perpetuating a clear distinction between masculine and feminine roles. Consideration is given to the intellectual and social context within which the association of gender deviation and homosexuality was promulgated.

Female↗
PubMed1991

The relation of gender and sexual orientation to measures of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny: a further analysis.

Data from a survey of 58 gay men and 58 lesbians are compared to college men and women on Spence and Helmreich's (1978) Personality Attributes Questionnaire measures of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny. Lesbians had higher M scores than college women, and gay men had lower M scores than college men, with F scores being similar across sexual orientation groups, within gender. Androgyny measures differed only by gender, not by sexual orientation. Further analysis shows that lesbians' high M scores come largely from their high self-ratings as independent, while college men's high M scores reflect strong competitiveness. Questions are raised about the validity of these measures for comparing these groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

"Masculine love," Renaissance writing, and the "new invention" of homosexuality.

Contrary to the dominant claim in gay studies now that homosexuality is a relatively new historical "invention," the Renaissance had a definite recognition of a distinct homosexuality, acknowledged at least by those who were willing to face and discuss the subject frankly. A key example of that awareness is the earlier term "masculine love," which seems to have been particularly prominent in the Renaissance as a language for a male homosexual orientation. Significant differences have clearly occurred in the homosexual situation over time, and homosexuality can never be discussed totally independent of historical and social conditions, but the "new-inventionism" currently prevailing in gay studies has serious problems of concept and method and needs careful examining.

England↗
PubMed1995

"Don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue": military policy and the construction of heterosexual masculinity.

This paper presents a description and analysis of military policy excluding lesbians and gay men. First, we discuss the current policy, review its official rationale, and outline the various criticisms that have been made against it. Next, we suggest an alternative framework for the policy's persistence. Drawing on work in feminist theory, we argue that the military's restrictions on the service of lesbians and gay men reflects an institutional and cultural privileging of a heterosexual masculine ideal. We conclude by speculating on the interests that lie behind the perpetuation of this ideal of soldiering.

Female↗
PubMed2002

Lesbian drag kings and the feminine embodiment of the masculine.

Part of an ongoing ethnography of an imperial sovereign court I am undertaking, this chapter explores the world of the lesbian drag king and the gendered performance she undertakes in this realm. Taking a relational, situational approach to understanding gender, the lesbian drag queen of the court is also examined in terms of how "her" image and actions give gendered meaning and confer import to the lesbian drag king. Note is also made of lesbian court members' often contradictory gendered relationships with the gay men in this setting: gay drag kings and gay drag kings. Although embodying a masculine persona in image and action has enabled some lesbian drag kings to successfully challenge the often sexist actions and reign of the gay men of the court, it has also resulted in some lesbian drag queens being subordinated in the process. Thus, as much as lesbian drag kings subvert existing gender hierarchies they also sometimes recreate them in the pursuit of situational power.

Charities↗
PubMed2004

Black masculinity matters in attitudes toward gay males.

Recent work on attitudes toward homosexuals promotes the view that males typically have more negative attitudes than females; and African Americans have more negative attitudes than their white counterparts. However, among African Americans, women are thought to have the greatest negative attitudes because they perceive themselves as competing for a limited pool of black male partners. This study uses the National Black Politics Study to examine African American gender differences in attitudes toward homosexual men. Multivariate findings show that of the variables analyzed: (1) Among African American females, age, income, education, and urban residence are statistically significant; and (2) among African American males, frequency of religious attendance was the only statistically significant variable. It is, therefore, argued that black masculinity explains the gendered differences and that negative attitudes within the African American community toward gay men contribute to debilitating both the physical and mental health of the entire black community.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Isoenzyme type 1 of 5alpha-reductase is abundantly transcribed in normal human genital skin fibroblasts and may play an important role in masculinization of 5alpha-reductase type 2 deficient males.

OBJECTIVE: 5alpha-reductase enzymes reduce testosterone (T) to the most potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Two isoenzymes are known to day. While the type 2-enzyme (5RII) is predominantly expressed in male genital tissues and mutations are known to cause a severe virilization disorder in genetic males, the role of the type 1-enzyme (5RI) in normal male androgen physiology is unclear. We investigated whether 5RI is transcribed in normal male genital skin fibroblasts (GSFs) and if the transcription is regulated by age or by androgens themselves. METHODS: GSF from 14 normally virilized males of different ages, ranging from 8 months to 72 years, obtained at circumcision were cultured. Total RNA was isolated after incubation for 48 h with 100 nM T or without androgens. Each sample was amplified in triplicate by real-time PCR with porphobilinogen desaminase as a housekeeping gene used for semiquantification. Selected cultures were analyzed after incubation with 10 and 100 nM T and 1 and 100 nM DHT for 24, 48 and 120 h. RESULTS: 5RI was transcribed in all investigated samples with a 4.5-fold variability in the mRNA concentration of different individuals. However, neither age-related regulation nor significant influence of T or DHT on the transcription rate was discovered. CONCLUSION: Since 5RI is abundantly transcribed in GSFs, we hypothesize that this isoenzyme may play important roles in the androgen physiology of normally virilized males and may contribute to masculinization in 5RII-deficient males at the time of puberty.

3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1992

Hormonal correlates of 'masculinization' in female spotted hyaenas (Crocuta crocuta). 2. Maternal and fetal steroids.

Concentrations of androgens (androstenedione, testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone), oestrogen and progesterone were measured in relation to pregnancy in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). The gestation period was estimated to be about 110 days. There was a marked progressive rise in all the steroids starting in the first third of gestation. Chromatographic separation of plasma showed that much of the oestrogen is not oestradiol (only 12% of total measured) and that a significant fraction of the 'testosterone' may be dihydrotestosterone. In the final third of pregnancy, concentrations of androgen (especially testosterone plus dihydrotestosterone) in the female circulation reached the maximal values of adult males; the percentage of dihydrotestosterone relative to total testosterone plus dihydrotestosterone was higher in females (44 +/- 3.9%, n = 20) than in males (29.5 +/- 3.5%, n = 17). Plasma androstenedione was also significantly higher in females, but the increment was less than for oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone, and the temporal pattern was less clear. Samples from the maternal uterine and ovarian circulation showed that androstenedione is largely of ovarian origin and metabolized by the placenta, while testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen are primarily of placental or uterine origin. Fetal samples were taken from two mixed-sex sets of twins and one male singleton. Gradients across the placenta measured in the fetal circulation confirmed that the placenta metabolizes androstenedione and is a source of testosterone for the female fetus; there were no consistent differences in androgens between male and female fetuses. It is suggested that the conspicuous masculinization of the female spotted hyaena, especially evident in the external genitalia at birth, is a result, at least in part, of high placental production of testosterone or dihydrotestosterone derived from the metabolism of high maternal androstenedione.

Androgens↗
PubMed1998

Androgens and masculinization of genitalia in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). 3. Effects of juvenile gonadectomy.

Studies involving the administration of anti-androgens to spotted hyaenas during fetal development have raised questions concerning the precise contributions of steroids to phallic growth in these animals. If gonadal androgens promote postnatal penile growth in males, the following would be expected: (a) a period of accelerated growth accompanying achievement of puberty, and (b) a marked reduction in adult penile size and density of penile spines after gonadectomy. If a similar androgenic pubertal process stimulates clitoral growth in these highly 'masculinized' hyaenas, parallel observations in females would be expected; however, the role of oestrogens in accounting for female-typical clitoral development would also have to be considered. The results of the present study suggest a limited role, if any for androgenic stimulation of phallic growth. That is, penile growth was greater during the 10 month period preceding puberty, than during an 18-month period that included the traditional increase in pubertal androgens. In addition, pre-pubertal castration had minimal effects on penile length, diameter, or the presence of penile spines. In females, most clitoral growth also occurred before puberty, although pre-pubertal ovariectomy produced significant reductions in clitoral diameter and the elasticity of the urogenital meatus. These feminine characteristics which normally distinguish the female from the male phallus in this species, were partially restored by a brief period of oestrogen administration. Both sexes displayed erections many years after pre-pubertal castration. The results of the present study suggest that postnatal phallic growth is largely independent of gonadal steroids, with oestrogenic facilitation of female-typical clitoral characteristics in spotted hyaenas.

Androgens↗
PubMed2002

Oestrogen's masculine side: mediation of mating in male mice.

This review focuses on the role of oestrogen in male sexual behaviour using oestrogen receptor alpha and beta knockout (ERalphaKO and ERbetaKO) mouse models. ERbetaKO mice are capable of mating and producing offspring, whereas ERalphaKO mice are unable to do either. When ERalphaKO males are treated with testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT), < 50% display mounting behaviour, few intromit and none ejaculate. However, concurrent treatment with testosterone and a dopamine agonist instates masculine sexual behaviour in both male and female ERalphaKO mice. Dopamine content in the preoptic area and associated regions is not affected by oestrogen receptor alpha gene disruption. However, expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity is severely reduced in ERalphaKO males compared with wild-type males. These findings, together with studies conducted in aromatase knockout mice, are at odds with the dogma that oestrogen is required during development for expression of male sexual behaviour in adults. However, they do support a role for oestrogens, mediated by oestrogen receptor alpha, in regulation and production of neuronal nitric oxide synthase, which in turn may control dopamine agonist release. As has been shown in male rats, in mice dopamine agonist release is likely to be an essential component of the neural pathway that mediates male sexual behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Challenges to masculine transformation among urban low-income African American males.

In this article we describe and analyze the challenges faced by an intervention program that addresses the fatherhood needs of low-income urban African American males. We used life history as the primary research strategy for a qualitative evaluation of a program we refer to as the Healthy Men in Healthy Families Program to better understand the circumstances and trajectory of men's lives, including how involvement in the program might have benefited them in the pursuit of their fatherhood goals. A model of masculine transformation, developed by Whitehead, was used to interpret changes in manhood/fatherhood attitudes and behaviors that might be associated with the intervention. We combined Whitehead's model with a social ecology framework to further interpret challenges at intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and broader societal levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A 15-year-old girl with pubertal masculinization due to bilateral gonadoblastoma and 45,X/46,X,+mar karyotype.

We report the case of a 15-year-old girl with bilateral gonadoblastoma and 45,X/46,X,+mar karyotype. She was short but had no other stigmata of Turner syndrome. Her genitalia were completely of the female type until she began to show signs of masculinization at age 13 years. She had breasts of Tanner stage 4, primary amenorrhea, clitoromegaly, hirsutism and low voice. Plasma testosterone level was elevated and returned to normal after the successful removal of the bilateral gonadoblastoma. Her karyotype was 45,X/46,X,+mar and it was proved that the marker chromosome was derived from the short arm of the Y chromosome by Southern blot analysis with a Y chromosome specific probe, pDP1007. Even when there are no stigmata of Turner syndrome or signs of intrauterine virilization, the possibility of gonadoblastoma should not be ruled out in girls who show postnatal virilization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Do liberated women drive their husbands to drink? The impact of masculine orientation, status inconsistency, and family life satisfaction on male liquor consumption.

Weekly liquor consumption by 62 men married to working wives was found to increase as a function of dissatisfaction with family life and perceived conflict of wife's work and the marriage. Relatively high education in a wife (status inconsistency) directly increased family satisfaction, decreased perceived conflict, and, thereby, indirectly reduced liquor consumption. A liberated masculine orientation facilitated the positive impact of relative education on family life satisfaction and the impact of education on lack of perceived conflict of wife's work and the marital relationship; consequently, the indirect effect of relative education on liquor consumption occurred only for "liberated" husbands.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1988

Activation of phospholipases during masculine differentiation of embryonic genitalia.

We have investigated whether the androgen-induced masculine differentiation of the sex organs involves an induction of phospholipases. We have measured phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase A2 in the reproductive tract of male and female mouse (CD-I) fetuses at the 18th day of gestation. We report here that (1) the activity of these two enzymes is higher in the male genitalia than in the female genitalia; (2) exogenous testosterone at the 13th to 17th day of pregnancy induces both phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C in the female fetal genitalia; and (3) prenatal administration of cyproterone acetate, an antiandrogen, known to produce feminized males, completely prevents the stimulation of phospholipase A2 and C by testosterone in the female fetuses. In the male fetuses, however, cyproterone acetate inhibits the PLC activity but is unable to alter phospholipase A2 activity. These findings provide evidence that the mechanism by which testosterone organizes the genitalia may involve a modification of phospholipases A2 and C.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Danazol and fetal masculinization: a warning.

Masculinization of a female fetus occurred during a pregnancy in which the mother received danazol for infertility due to endometriosis. The biochemical theories and the necessary treatment are outlined. Conception may occur before or during a course of danazol, and patients should be made aware of the need for concomitant contraception.

Danazol↗