SEXUAL OUTCASTS - THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF BODY-WEIGHT AND GENDER ON SEXUALITY

A person's weight may be perceived as an important aspect of his or he r sexuality and a significant determinant of his or her interpersonal sexual experiences. However, researchers interested in body weight and sexuality have focused exclusively on sexual disorders found in indiv iduals with eating disorders; consequently, little is known about peop le's beliefs about weight and sexuality, despite the individual and in terpersonal significance of such beliefs. Undergraduates received info rmation about a male or female, obese or normal-weight stimulus person and then evaluated that person along several dimensions related to se xuality. Participants believed that an obese man's sexual experiences would be highly similar to those of a normal-weight man. However, part icipants viewed an obese woman as less sexually attractive, skilled, w arm, and responsive, and perceived her as less likely to experience de sire and various sexual behaviors than a normal-weight woman. In addit ion, participants believed that an obese woman was less sexually attra ctive, skilled, warm, and responsive than an obese man.