COLLEGE-STUDENTS STEREOTYPES OF GENDER AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM

Previous research has investigated gender stereotypes and attitudes to ward feminists. Little attention has been paid, however, to assessing public sentiment toward supporters of the emerging Men's Movement. In this study, 120 male and female undergraduates were presented with a d escription of a political activist. The experimental design consisted of varying the gender (i.e., male vs. female) and political orientatio n (i.e., advocacy of individualistic rights vs. profeminist advocacy o f gender equality) of the target person. Subjects evaluated the stimul us description using a set of semantic differential trait rating scale s and a series of life outcome measures. Results suggested that female activists, regardless of political orientation, were perceived as bei ng more extraverted and were judged to be more likely to meet individu al career goals than their male counterparts. In contrast, male activi sts were judged to be more successful in attaining family goals than f emale activists. Analyses of variance revealed polarized evaluations o f male and female feminist activists. Male feminists were rated higher on interpersonal warmth than female feminists, and female feminists w ere seen as being the least likely to achieve their family goals. Impl ications for female and male gender-role activists are discussed.