According to this model and its adaptations to homosexual women and men (e.g., Huxley et al., 2015 Tylka, 2011 Tylka & Andorka, 2012), there are at least four sociocultural factors which-mediated/moderated by the internalization of the thin/muscular ideal and the tendency to perform body-related upward comparisons-contribute to a negative body image: pressure from the media, peers, family, and partners to conform to the sociocultural body ideal (Tylka, 2011). For example, in one of the few studies to control for differences in body mass index (BMI) between lesbian and heterosexual women, Alvy ( 2013) reported that lesbian women displayed lower overall body dissatisfaction and higher satisfaction with various body parts than did heterosexual women.Ī possible explanation for the outlined differences in body image between heterosexual and homosexual women and men may be derived from the tripartite influence model of body image (Thompson et al., 1999). While some studies indicated little to no difference in body image between lesbian and heterosexual women (e.g., Henn et al., 2019 Morrison et al., 2004 Peplau et al., 2009), others did reveal differences (e.g., Henrichs-Beck & Szymanski, 2017 Polimeni et al., 2009 Yean et al., 2013).
The findings are somewhat more mixed regarding sexual orientation and body image in women. The literature suggests that despite an increasing prevalence of body dissatisfaction in men over the past decades (Fiske et al., 2014 Gray & Ginsberg, 2007), women still tend to be more vulnerable to a negative body image compared to men (e.g., Laus et al., 2015 Matthiasdottir et al., 2012 Peplau et al., 2009).īesides this general gender gap, there is some evidence that gay men suffer from a poorer body image compared to heterosexual men (e.g., Frederick & Essayli, 2016 Jankowski et al., 2014 Morrison et al., 2004 Peplau et al., 2009 but also see Kane, 2010), especially with respect to increased eating pathology and higher drive for thinness and muscularity (e.g., Yean et al., 2013). While women tend to be more dissatisfied with their body weight and shape (Grabe et al., 2008), men seem to be more concerned about muscularity (Dakanalis et al., 2015). Gender as well as sexual orientation seem to affect the risk of experiencing body dissatisfaction (e.g., Calzo et al., 2018) and of developing pathological eating behavior (Dakanalis et al., 2015 Keel & Forney, 2013). The present findings indicate that, irrespective of sexual orientation, women and men tend to share similar standards regarding their own and a potential partner’s physical appearance, potentially suggesting an increased hegemony of heteronormative beauty ideals in women and men in general.
However, compared to heterosexual women, homosexual men appeared to prefer higher muscularity in potential romantic partners, which was also associated with increased drive for thinness and muscularity and increased eating pathology. Overall, few differences in appearance-related partner preferences emerged between the four groups. The non-representative sample consisted of 893 participants ( n = 201 lesbian women, n = 192 gay men, n = 349 heterosexual women, and n = 151 heterosexual men), who completed silhouette measures assessing their perception and expectations regarding body fat and muscularity of their own body and the body of a potential romantic partner, as well as questionnaires on drive for thinness, drive for muscularity, and eating pathology. The present online study investigated differences in appearance-related partner preferences and their associations with measures of body image and eating pathology in homosexual and heterosexual women and men. One reason for this may be derived from the fact that heterosexual women and homosexual men try to attract male romantic partners: As men place more importance on physical attractiveness than do women, the pressure to fulfill the sociocultural beauty ideal is thus increased. In particular, heterosexual women and homosexual men seem to be more vulnerable to a negative body image compared to homosexual women and heterosexual men. There is evidence that gender as well as sexual orientation can affect body image.