Exploring Gay and Lesbian Gender Inverted Stereotypes and Acceptance Levels in the UK: A Mixed Method Study.

Gee, Laura (2026) Exploring Gay and Lesbian Gender Inverted Stereotypes and Acceptance Levels in the UK: A Mixed Method Study. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates gender inverted stereotypes and their application to gay men and lesbian women, through a mixed methods approach. Society may still hold the belief that gay men are perceived as feminine and lesbian women as masculine (Blashill & Powlishta, 2009; Brambilla et al., 2011a, 2011b; Clarke & Arnold, 2017; Hudson & Ghani, 2023; Mize & Manago, 2018; Reyna et al., 2014). Examining gender inverted stereotypes is essential to consider in the context of changing legal frameworks and increasing societal acceptance in the UK. The relevance and application of the gender inverted stereotype may be decreasing, as Hammack et al. (2018) suggest that younger generations tend to be more accepting of diverse sexualities and social change.

This thesis examines this area by utilising quantitative survey data to assess the prevalence of gender inverted stereotypes and qualitative interviews to expand and explore understanding and experiences. In the quantitative phase, 146 individuals who identified as heterosexual and LGBTQ+ completed standardised measures assessing gender inverted stereotype application. Statistical analyses, including a MANCOVA, provided the interactions and main effects of the independent variables (participant sexual orientation, target sexual orientation, participant gender, target gender) on the dependent variable of application of the stereotype (masculine, feminine, neutral). The findings suggested that gender inverted stereotypes were applied to both gay and lesbian target conditions by heterosexual and LGBTQ+ individuals with no differences.

Building on the quantitative findings, the qualitative phase used semi-structured interviews with a sample of 6 heterosexual participants and then a sample of 8 LGBTQ+ participants, incorporating photo elicitation to explore both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ perspectives. The first qualitative analysis explored heterosexual participants’ accounts, examining their views and identifying thematic themes around the persistence of gender inverted stereotypes, with influences such as media playing a role. The analysis of the second qualitative sample focuses on LGBTQ+ participants’ experience with these stereotypes, exploring how they engage with, resist, or conform to stereotypes associated with being gay or lesbian. The final qualitative analysis addresses perceptions of acceptance in the UK, aiming to fulfil the thesis’s third objective. Drawing on both the heterosexual and LGBTQ+ samples, this chapter includes themes of conditional acceptance and the potential of education to improve acceptance levels.

By using a mixed method approach, this thesis adds to knowledge by demonstrating the persistence and application of gender inverted stereotypes. The thesis offers novel findings on LGBTQ+ stereotype research by exploring experiences from both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ individuals, with suggestions that conforming to the gender inverted stereotypes may be beneficial in finding like-minded individuals and creating safety and support. The qualitative findings also highlight that perceptions of LGBTQ+ acceptance may be partial and conditional, which may be influenced by social desirability.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 16 February 2026 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Gender inverted stereotypes, LGBTQ+, Gay and Lesbian, Acceptance, Mixed methods.
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific) CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-05 - others in psychology CAH15 - social sciences > CAH15-01 - sociology, social policy and anthropology > CAH15-01-01 - social sciences (non-specific) CAH15 - social sciences > CAH15-01 - sociology, social policy and anthropology > CAH15-01-02 - sociology
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Life and Health Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Louise Muldowney
Date Deposited:	18 Feb 2026 09:58
Last Modified:	18 Feb 2026 09:58
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16873

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