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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Skeletal Muscle Gender Dimorphism from Proteomics
Published on: December 14, 2011
Using hegemonic masculinity to explain gay male attraction to muscular and athletic men
Nicholas Lanzieri1, Tom Hildebrandt
1Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. nl240@nyu.edu
Abstract:
This article reviews relevant research on male homosexual attraction. Utilizing masculinity as its theoretical frame, the authors use childhood experiences with both fathers and peers, the gay community's inculcation of heteronormative ideologies, and the gay media's adherence to masculine prototypes, to provide causal explanations for the appeal of muscular, lean, and athletic physiques. While the authors acknowledge that not all individuals within the gay community look toward muscularity and athleticism as the primary components of attractiveness, it nonetheless remains important to examine the theoretical perspectives that may explain the appeal of this specific aesthetic.
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