Correlated Preferences for Male Facial Masculinity and Partner Traits in Gay and Bisexual Men in China

Body image research among sexual minority men in the Mekong region: A scoping review

Body image among sexual minority men (SMM) has received increasing attention. However, the current literature has primarily focused on white SMM and body image and physical appearance concerns among SMM. In response to a call for more nuance in understanding how SMM perceive and make sense of their body image in a broader sociocultural context, we conducted a scoping review to examine the extent and nature of body image research among SMM in the Mekong region. We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycInfo-1806 (Ovid), ProQuest Central, Social Science Premium Collection, and Web of Science and identified 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the findings suggest that body image research in the Mekong region is limited in the range of topics, study populations, and methods, with quantitative studies on preferences for masculine physical traits among young and well-educated Chinese SMM dominating. Furthermore, the current literature is primarily influenced by Western scholarship, which predominantly uses Western measurement and theories. We encourage scholars from other countries in the region, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand, to engage sociocultural approaches in research on the body image of SMM.

Body Image Perceptions and Visualization of Vietnamese Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

Research on body image among men who have sex with men (MSM) has predominantly been approached with the assumption that all MSM conform to a culturally preferred body, and have a high risk of body image concerns leading to risky behaviors and negative health outcomes. Scholars have called for a more nuanced understanding of how MSM engage with their body images. In response, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with Vietnamese MSM to explore their perceptions and feelings of their bodies, including their current body, idealized body, and sexually desired body. Inductive thematic analysis was utilized. The findings highlight the diversity and complexity in Vietnamese MSM's perceptions and feelings about their bodies, which Western measurements of body image and body dissatisfaction might not fully capture. The participants also acknowledge the pressure of physical appearance; however, they do not always conform to the dominant body ideals and have a high risk of body dissatisfaction. We conclude with a call for reframing the approach to gay and bisexual men's body image to understand better how they navigate complex pressures and make sense of their body image instead of assuming they are at risk of body dissatisfaction.

Preference for Self-Resembling Male Faces in Gay Men in China

Self-resemblance refers to couples with similar characteristics, also known as homogamy or positive assortative mating. Previous studies have indicated that heterosexual men and women prefer partners with similar facial features. In this study, we examined whether Chinese gay men preferred self-resemblance to faces. The participants (N = 70) completed a personal information questionnaire and preference selection task involving 10 pairs of self-resembling/control male faces. Ten pairs of self-resembling/control male faces of each participant were also rated by another gay man. The results revealed that the proportion of the participants who chose self-resembling faces was significantly higher than that of the control faces. However, the preference for "self-resembling" and control faces by other-rating was not significantly different. These findings indicate homogeneity in facial preferences among gay men.

Self-rated Attractiveness and Sociosexual Behavior Predict Gay Men's Preferences for Masculine Cues in Male Voices in China

Theory and some evidence suggest that masculine characteristics (e.g., lower pitched voice) will predict indices of men's long-term health. In a related finding, researchers have demonstrated that the attractiveness of individuals predicts variation in their mate preferences. As self-perceived attractiveness may predict sociosexuality (i.e., the willingness of individuals to engage in restricted or unrestricted sexual relationships), we investigated how self-rated attractiveness and sociosexuality influence preferences regarding male voices among 338 gay men across different cities in China. Each participant was randomly presented with six pairs of male voices and gave preferences using a forced-choice method; each pair of male voices consisted of a masculine (lower pitched) and feminine (higher pitched) version of the same original voice. Our findings suggested that gay men who perceived themselves as more attractive showed stronger preference for lower pitched voices compared with self-perceived less attractive individuals. In addition, we found that gay men's sociosexuality score was positively correlated with their preference for masculine cues in male voices, indicating that gay men who were less sociosexually restricted preferred lower pitched voices over higher pitched versions compared with men who were more restricted. Our study presents evidence contributing to a better understanding of condition-dependent strategies of partner choice in gay men.