Stereotypes on “gay sounding” are alive and well
A new study appearing in the Journal of Sexual Achieves appears to confirm a sad reality that exists in corporate America – stereotypes are alive and well!
Specifically, gay men and lesbians may be passed over for executive positions and paid less because of voice perceptions.
In this study, heterosexual sample groups were provided audio clips and photos of gay, lesbian and straight speakers. In a previous study, these same speakers were found to have “prototypical” heterosexual and homosexual voices.
Researchers then asked participants to form mental impressions about each person they heard and assume they were job candidates for a hypothetical CEO position.
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The designated sample group had to evaluate each job candidate’s employability and the amount of monthly salary was fair for each person.
Regarding the male speakers, participants who assigned heterosexual sounding voices with masculine traits were more likely to consider the person for the position. They also thought they deserved more money. Men who were not perceived as masculine were rated lower.
Lesbian job candidates that were linked with a perceived lack of femininity were rated lower as well for consideration when compared to their straight counterparts.
“These results demonstrate that the mere sound of a voice is sufficient to trigger stereotyping, denying gay- and lesbian-sounding speakers the qualities that are considered typical of their gender,” Dr. Fabio Fasoli, the study's lead researcher, said in a statement.
“It is revealing, that despite all the work to lessen discrimination against the LGBT community, people subconsciously typecast an individual before getting to know them. This study highlights that it can be a real problem in the workplace and for people's career prospects.” Fasoli added.
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Per the material appearing on the NBC News website:
“One of the limits of the research, however, was that it used solely Italian subjects. In the study, the researchers note “the stereotypical beliefs investigated here may be specific of the Italian context.”
David Thorpe, the filmmaker behind the documentary “Do I Sound Gay?,” which explores the existence of the stereotypical “gay voice,” told NBC Out he “wouldn't be surprised if that study played out similarly in the U.S.”
However, he said, it's important to remember the study was done using only a picture and a sound clip. “Obviously in real life when you're sitting in a real interview situation you're seeing much more,” he said. “I don't know that the outcome would be the same if you were able to study actual job interviews.”
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Still, Thorpe added, this study and others like it are important “because they prove that people have these stereotypes.”
