Hypermasculine attitudes and their translation into health behaviors among gay and bisexual African American men

While hypermasculinity (e.g., callousness towards sexual partners, etc.) has been well researched among heterosexual African American (AA) men, the trait remains relatively unapplied to, and unexplored among, gay and bisexual AA men. The degree to which hypermasculine attitudes are pervasive among such men and vary by sexual orientation (i.e., men identifying as gay versus bisexual) is unknown. The predictors of hypermasculinity within this population are equally untested. 

In our quantitative study of 143 gay and bisexual AA men, we had the following goals: (1) to establish the degree of hypermasculinity within this population, (2) to assess correlates/moderators of hypermasculine attitudes, and (3) to test for the influences of these hypermasculine attitudes over sexual/general health behaviors with partners. 

Results indicated that the sample was relatively young and gay, was not particularly hypermasculine, but above average regarding gender typicality. In contrast to findings among heterosexual AA men, aspects of hypermasculinity were best predicted by lower self-esteem and gender atypicality, where age played a moderating role. In terms of health behaviors, aspects of hypermasculinity were associated with decreased condom use during receptive and insertive anal intercourse; these relationships with moderated by seropositivity.