If given the choice, would you choose to be a man or a woman?

Abstract

Recent research in North America has failed to find evidence of sexist attitudes on measures of explicit sexual attitudes. This suggests that social desirability may affect self-reports of gender-related attitudes. This study used an indirect means to assess gender-related attitudes—individual's interest in experiencing being the other gender. Participants were 209 individuals (107 men, 102 women) who completed an online survey. Participants indicated whether they would choose to be reincarnated as a man or a woman and whether they would choose to experience being the other gender on a temporary basis. They also provided the reason for their choices. We found that 30% indicated that they would choose to be the other gender if reincarnated, 56% for a week, 67% for a day, and 65% for an hour. There were no significant gender differences. Content analysis of responses indicated three primary reasons for choosing to experience being the other gender: wanting a new experience or perspective; the perceived positives of being the other gender; and, the perceived negatives of being their current gender. It also yielded three primary reasons for choosing not to experience being the other gender: desire to maintain the status quo; the perceived positives of their current gender; and, the perceived negatives of the other gender. Many participants also identified the temporary nature of the change as important to their decisions regarding a time-limited experience of being the other gender. The results are discussed in terms of the insights they provide on implicit gender-related attitudes.