Walking gay
Is there any truth to the stereotype that gay men walk fast? Louis Staples set out to find the "truth behind Twitter's favorite gay stereotype."
As Staples notes, this stereotype is typically embraced and expressed by gay men about themselves. Why would that be? As psychologist Ian MacRae explains, such "positive" stereotypes are an easy way for marginalized communities to affirm their shared identity. They "form part of the language communities like LGBTQ+ people use to understand each other” (Staples, 2019).
Taking a deep dive into the various factors that might influence the particular stereotype that gay men walk fast, Staples concludes, "Ultimately, we don’t know whether gay men actually do walk faster than straight men. But while it might seem like a fairly superficial stereotype, the potential reasons why gay men might be keen to embody velocity are anything but shallow" (Staples, 2019).
Take a look at what he learned in this fun and informative article from GQ.
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References:
Staples, Louis (2019). “Why Do Gay Men Walk so Fast?” GQ. https://www.gq.com/story/move-im-gay
