Northwestern Study Finds Voters Still Penalize Gender Nonconforming Male Candidates

A new study from Northwestern University suggests that gay political candidates are gaining broader voter acceptance, but candidates who do not conform to traditional masculine norms still face electoral disadvantages. The research, led by assistant professor of political science Martin Naunov, also found that voters across the political spectrum continue to show bias against male candidates perceived as gender nonconforming. The study, recently published in the Journal of Politics, used survey experiments involving nearly 2,600 participants, including U.S. adults and university students. Participants evaluated hypothetical congressional candidates using campaign photos and audio clips. Researchers signaled sexual orientation through references to a candidate’s “husband” or “wife” and adjusted photos and audio to appear more masculine or feminine. According to the findings, identifying as gay lowered a candidate’s support by seven percentage points among voters overall. A gender-nonconforming appearance or voice reduced support by another seven points. The study found Democrats and Republicans penalized gender nonconformity at similar rates. Naunov said, “What surprised me most was that Democrats punished gender nonconformity at roughly the same rate as Republicans.” The study also found that straight male candidates who appeared gender nonconforming faced similar penalties. Naunov added, “We used to refuse to elect gay people. Now we elect them, but so long as they conform to a very particular version of masculinity.”

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