ABSTRACT
The likelihood of discrimination against gay men probably varies across geographic areas and jobs. Public opinion polls indicate considerable regional variation in attitudes toward gay men. If stereotypes of gay men—as feminine, passive, gentle, or lacking "toughness"—play a significant role in callback decisions, employers who characterize their ideal job candidate with stereotypically male heterosexual traits should be particularly likely to engage in discrimination. Stereotypes are socially shared sets of implicit or explicit beliefs about the typical characteristics of members of a social group. Because stereotyped judgments simplify and justify social reality, stereotyping has potentially powerful effects on how people perceive and treat one another. Employers who sought applicants with stereotypically male heterosexual traits were much more likely to discriminate against gay applicants than employers who did not emphasize the importance of such traits.
