Not Walking the Talk: Identity Interruptions, Behavior, and Stress

Abstract

The topic of straight-identified men who engage in sexual behavior with other men (straight MSM) is becoming the subject of an increasing amount of literature within gender and sexuality studies. This study approaches this subject using social psychological theories of identity in order to test the idea that these men reframe and renegotiate these behaviors in order to make them compatible with their understanding of masculinity. Utilizing a survey involving 784 participants, this study diverges from the qualitative studies on the topic, by finding that straight MSM experience considerably more identity-related stress than both gay men and straight men without a history of same-sex behavior.