Dogmatic beliefs about sex and gender are linked to authoritarianism on both the left and the right

A new study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior has found that dogmatic beliefs about sex and gender are linked to authoritarianism on both the left and right ends of the political spectrum. The research suggests that a rigid, binary view of gender is associated with conservative authoritarianism, while a fluid, nonbinary view aligns with progressive authoritarianism.

In social science, "sex" refers to biological characteristics like chromosomes and anatomy, while "gender" describes an individual's psychological identity and social role. Previous research has often linked a strictly binary perspective to right-wing authoritarianism, but this study is the first to examine the connection between left-wing authoritarianism and nonbinary gender beliefs.

The researchers conducted two online surveys, one with 1,431 adults in the United States and another with 1,390 adults in the United Kingdom. In both samples, the majority of participants endorsed a binary view of gender, with 57 percent in the U.S. and 68 percent in the UK. However, some participants identified as nonbinary, with 43 percent in the U.S. and 32 percent in the UK.

The study found a strong association between gender beliefs and authoritarian tendencies. Believing in a fixed, binary gender was strongly linked to right-wing conventionalism, while viewing gender as nonbinary and changeable was strongly connected to left-wing anti-conventionalism. These relationships remained significant even after accounting for demographic factors like age, income, and overall political orientation.