Sex-Role Identity, Sex-Role Behavior, and Satisfaction in Heterosexual, Lesbian, and Gay Male Couples

Abstract

Partners in 10 heterosexual, 10 lesbian, and 5 gay male couples completed the BSRI and a questionnaire about their demographic backgrounds, sex-role differentiation in their relationships, and satisfaction with the relationship. Members of heterosexual couples were more sex-typed on the BSRI and more sex-role differentiated in their behavior than members of lesbian couples. Members of gay male couples appeared the most sex-typed in their identities, but the least sex-typed in their behavior. BSRI scores predicted sex-role differentiation in heterosexual couples, but not in lesbian couples. Satisfaction was related to the amount and type of sex-role behavior, but unrelated to gender, background characteristics, BSRI score, or couple type.