Responses of Low-Prejudice Viewers to Lesbian Stereotypes in Fiction

Research on LGBTQ+ media has predominantly focused on high-prejudice contexts and portrayals of gay men, whereas little attention has been paid to how low-prejudice individuals engage with lesbian stereotypes. This study examined responses from 480 Spanish university students (70.1% cis-women) with low-lesbophobia scores, who watched seven video stimuli-six depicting different lesbian stereotypes and one neutral control-in a randomized order. To enhance validity and reduce stimulus-specific bias, each of the seven stereotype categories was represented by two distinct videos (totaling 14 stimuli). The key predictors of enjoyment included identification, perceived realism, familiarity, accuracy, and minimal exaggeration, and these findings were consistent across genders. A mediation model confirmed that identification mediated the effect of perceived realism on enjoyment. The "manipulative/seductive" and "sick/tormented" stereotypes were the most enjoyed, while the "object of desire" was least popular, suggesting a preference for more complex portrayals. Identification emerged as the most critical factor, mediating the effect of realism on enjoyment. Audiences prefer authentic, multidimensional portrayals, with "artistic/fashion-oriented" and neutral depictions rated most realistic and relatable, while "masculine" and "evil" stereotypes were deemed unrealistic and disconnected. These findings advance research on stereotype reception, queer studies, cultivation theory, and narrative persuasion by emphasizing the role of identification and realism in shaping young people's responses to lesbian portrayals.