Imagine a straight man saying, “Yeah, dude, I brought this tote bag for my groceries. No homo.”
Sounds ridiculous, right? And yet new research from Penn State shows that both men and women question a man’s sexuality if he engages in pro-environmental behaviors that are seen as “feminine,” reusable bag use included.
Related: Scientists use straight men’s spit to determine how they really feel about gay sex
The same goes for women who try to do right by Mother Nature through “masculine” pro-environmental behaviors — including, for example, caulking windows. In fact, the researchers found that women are more likely than men to experience negative social consequences from engagement in pro-environmental actions that don’t conform to gender norms.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“There may be subtle, gender-related consequences when we engage in various pro-environmental behaviors,” Janet K. Swim, professor of psychology, says in a press release about the research. “People may avoid certain behaviors because they are managing the gendered impression they anticipate others will have of them. Or they may be avoided if the behaviors they choose do not match their gender.”
Sure enough, the participants in the study tended to rely on gender roles to assess a person’s sexuality. Men who engaged in masculine pro-environmental behaviors and women who engaged in feminine ones were viewed as more heterosexual than those who engaged in gender-nonconforming behaviors.
Related: Study: Straight men are more attracted to their own sex after a few drinks
Says Swim: “Behaviors don’t just help us accomplish something concrete, they also signal something about who we are. Line drying clothes or keeping tires at proper pressures may signal that we care about the environment, but if those behaviors are seen as gendered, they may signal other things, as well.”
“If being seen as heterosexual is important to a person, that person may prioritize gender-conforming over gender-nonconforming pro-environmental behaviors in anticipation of how others might see them.”
Just think about all the straight dudes whose fragile masculinity keeps them from going green. Seems like they’ll be missing out on their grocery stores’ reusable bag credit!
Chrisk
Where the eff do they find these douchebags? I mean maybe it’s because I live in Socal that makes a difference. If would avoid them like the plague if thought someone I knew was that effed in the head.
Brian
Because SoCal is a bastion of levelheaded, salt of the Earth people?
JosueSanders1138
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TomG
And since when is using a reusable bag considered gay ? That’s the most ludicrous thing I ever heard !
offroadnutz
I completely agree with what you said. Queerty has a responsibility to the public and to the gay community to downplay these ideas and not forward them as if they were true. This is the first and only time I’ve ever heard this comment about reusable shopping bags being gay. Queerty is becoming more mainstream every day, next thing you know will find out they’ve been sold to AT&T.
Brian
I guess it depends on the bag.
Aires the Ram
I have several re-usable bags that I keep in my car at all times, and I use them most of the time at the grocery store.
offroadnutz
Are you fooking kidding me? Who ever said that using a ‘reusable’ shopping bag was gay? Whomever wrote this article and had it posted here is an idiot. This sensationalist crap that is forwarded and posted to social media is shit. Instead of forwarding this idea to the public as plausible, Queerty label this as outrageous and ridiculous.
Why do we stand around with our thumbs up our ass when people say shit like this is unbelievable, “… Reusable shopping bags are gay.” Idiots.
Dog Flem
I keep an assortment in my car, who gives a fuk?
mdecostany
Stuff like this really works my nerves. Who comes up with these rules? Nothing is gay or straight when it comes to saving the environment or having a space full of cheap plastic bags. People have several seats.
Metro135
Some straight men should be under psychiatric care. Like 5 days a week.
just me
so is it ok if i drive my gas guzzling hammer to the shop but use one of those muti-use bags?
Aires the Ram
Yes.
Yooper
Well, I call BS on the the whole “study”, there’s a study for everything. Psychology and psychologist (i.e. Janet K. Swim) earn their way creating something out of nothing.
djmcgamester
Most often they are single studies with a low number of participants and that would not pass rigorous standards to make them valid.
Kangol2
If this is true–and given how hysterical some men appear to become online over anything that blurs rigid binary gender lines–it’s a perfect example of fragile and toxic masculinity, misogyny (because it entails fear and hatred of women and femininity), and homophobia. I carry reusable bags in my backpack and briefcase and one in the car, but I have no issue walking around with a bag on my arm. Apparently some very fragile “straight” men do–and these are probably the ones afraid to wipe their @sses because they’re worried it might seem too gay!
djmcgamester
I’ll risk “looking gay” (whatever the f#ck that means.)
ClarkAlan
There’s another study that suggests women find men who use reusable bags much more sexually desirable. You’re welcome guys!