Facial Masculinity as a Predictor of Positional Preference in Gay Men

Abstract

Men who have sex with men self-identify using labels which identify preferences for
sexual behaviours. The most basic of these relate to favoured role in anal sex: top, versatile,
bottom. These roles have social and cultural associations with gendered behaviour on a
feminine-masculine binary. What drives identification with these heteronormative
associations is poorly understood. Some studies have suggested that non-heterosexual
faces can be distinguished from heterosexual faces with a degree of accuracy higher than
chance would allow for. This study sought to present a further question as to whether gay
men can identify positional preference among other gay men from facial photographs,
testing how concordant self-reported positional preference is with anonymous ratings. Study
1 (n=114) showed that gay men cannot accurately predict positional preference among other
gay men. Perceived facial masculinity/femininity was the most reliable predictor of perceived
positional preference. Older men, or those with facial hair, were more likely to be rated as
tops, and younger participants being rated more as bottoms. Study 2 (n=90) showed that the
jawline, eyes, and presence of facial hair were the most cited features used to judge
positional preference. Based on these findings, more research should be done into the
association of projected and perceived masculinity and its concordance with actual reported
positional preference behaviours.