Many straight men hesitated to befriend gay men, fearing harassment, rejection from their straight friends or being called gay. But there have also always been roadblocks to their formation. We currently have a survey investigation underway that explores some of the positive outcomes of “bromosexual” friendships, including our theory that gay men and straight men can be optimal wing men for one another.įriendships between gay and straight men have always existed. Specifically, we’re interested in looking at the reasons gay men and straight men become friends (or remain friends after the gay friend comes out). We’re part of a team of community, evolutionary and social psychologists that has recently begun a research program with the goal of studying this very topic. But social scientists still haven’t studied the dynamics of these friendships: why they develop and how they’re maintained. In October, The New York Times even devoted an article in their Style section to “The Rise of the ‘Bromosexual’ Friendship.” They’re being explored and depicted in movies, books and blogs. Homophobia was likely one reason another was that straight men probably assumed they didn’t have much in common with gay men.īut lately, “bromosexual” friendships have started to receive more attention, acceptance and interest. For a long time, friendships between gay men and straight men – what some now call “bromosexual” friendships – were uncommon.
