Why do people dislike gender role violators? A test of three models

People often react negatively towards individuals whose attributes clash with traditional gender roles (e.g., feminine men, masculine women). However, some important ambiguities remain about the underlying processes driving these effects. This gap is particularly important with respect to the role of perceived sexual orientation (i.e., whether the target is seen as non-heterosexual or straight). In this article, we examine whether gender role violations directly cause backlash (Hypothesis 1), influence backlash through perceived non-heterosexuality for all perceivers (indirect hypothesis, Hypothesis 2), or if these indirect effects depend on levels of right-wing authoritarianism (moderation hypothesis, Hypothesis 3). Across two preregistered experiments (total N = 2351) we found strongest support for Hypothesis 3. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings concerning understanding—and potentially reducing—negative reactions towards others whose attributes deviate from traditional expectations.