Self-perceived masculinity and femininity predict political views better than biological sex
Moving beyond male and female demographic categories, new survey data reveals that how people internally perceive their own masculinity and femininity strongly predicts their political engagement, attitudes on gun rights, and broader ideological leanings.
A research paper published in Politics and the Life Sciences reveals that how individuals perceive their masculinity or femininity has a stronger influence on their political attitudes and behaviors than their biological sex. Rather than relying on traditional categories of male and female, the researchers argue that a continuous sense of gender identity is a more accurate predictor of political engagement and ideological leanings.
The study, conducted by Claire Gothreau and Amanda Friesen from Lebanon Valley College and the University of Western Ontario, involved surveys of over 2,000 adults across three separate datasets collected in 2020 and 2022. By asking participants to rate their level of masculinity or femininity on a continuous scale, regardless of their sex assigned at birth, the researchers showed that those who identified more with one gender than the other were more likely to engage in political activities like voting, protesting, and donating to campaigns.
The results suggest that individuals who deviate from traditional gender norms may feel a stronger sense of political identity, leading them to participate more in the democratic process. However, the relationship between gender identity and specific policy attitudes, such as support for gun rights or the death penalty, varies depending on the individual's actual biological sex.
For example, men who reported higher masculinity levels tended to support gun rights more strongly, while women who reported higher masculinity tended to oppose the death penalty more. Conversely, women with higher femininity scores generally opposed the death penalty more. The findings indicate that how a person perceives their gender can shape their political worldview, with traditional gender identities often correlating with authoritarian attitudes, while atypical gender identities may resist such frameworks.
Overall, the study underscores the importance of considering a broader, more nuanced understanding of gender in political science research, moving beyond simplistic binary categories to better understand the complex interplay between gender identity and political behavior.
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