Comparing implicit and explicit attitudes of gay, straight, and non-monosexual groups toward transmen and transwomen

ABSTRACT

Background: Transphobia studies have typically relied on self-report measures from heterosexual samples. However, there is evidence suggesting the need to use indirect measures and to explore transphobia among other populations. Aims: This study examined how explicit and implicit attitudes toward transwomen and transmen differ between people of different sexual orientations. Methods: Cisgender participants (N = 265) completed measures of explicit feelings toward transmen and transwomen, as well as Implicit Association Tests (IAT) for each group. Comparisons were made between 54 gay, 79 straight, and 132 non-monosexual (asexual, bisexual, pansexual) individuals. Results: An interaction was found between measurement type (explicit, implicit) and sexual orientation (straight, gay, non-monosexual). With regard to transmen, gay respondents’ explicit and implicit scores diverged such that they explicitly reported lower bias than their straight counterparts, but their Transmen-IAT showed an implicit preference for biological men over transmen. For attitudes toward transwomen, implicit measurement scores were consistently negative and did not differ by group. Gay participants also reported positive explicit attitudes toward transwomen, similar to non-monosexual people. Discussion: Overall, findings show that gay people tend to report positive attitudes toward transgender people explicitly, but tend to have implicit bias against both transmen and transwomen. Future studies need to explore the origins of these biases and how they relate to the complex interplay of sex, gender, and sexual orientation.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• implicit bias
• implicit measure
• sexual orientation
• transmen
• transwomen

Declaration of conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Note

Notes

1. The following is a summary of the definitions that were presented to participants: Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identities do not conform to the binary of women and men. There are many subgroups within the transgender community. Many, but not all transgender people choose to go through gender-affirming medical treatments (hormones and/or surgery) for gender transition to change their bodies to match their gender identity. The terms transwomen and transmen are used to describe male-to-female and female-to-male transgender individuals, respectively. Sex is what we are biologically born with, our genetics (e.g, male, female, intersex). Gender is about our own sense of who we are (e.g, women, men, transgender). We typically think of women and men when we think about gender, but transgender is another way people identify themselves. It is important to remember that terminology in this area has evolved and we anticipate that it will continue to do so. Moreover, individuals who others may label as transgender may not self-identify in the same way; for instance, some post-transition persons may not wish to label themselves as transgender at all, preferring to view themselves simply as women or men, respectively. We have attempted to apply the current definitions that appear most prevalently in the scientific literature, but recognize that identity labels chosen by individuals must be respected at all times.