Men’s academic underperformance has been back in the news.
In new research, I show that there is one group of American men who have, for generations, achieved remarkable levels of academic success: gay men.
A 🧵:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…
In new research, I show that there is one group of American men who have, for generations, achieved remarkable levels of academic success: gay men.
A 🧵:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…
Using five new population-representative data sources, I find—again and again—that gay men achieve stunning academic success.
I show, for example, that if America’s gay men formed their own country, that country would be the world’s most highly educated by far.
I show, for example, that if America’s gay men formed their own country, that country would be the world’s most highly educated by far.
Gay men’s academic advantages don’t end in college.
Gay men are significantly overrepresented among America’s most advanced degree holders. Compared to straight men, gay men are about 50% more likely to have earned an MD, JD or PhD.
Gay men are significantly overrepresented among America’s most advanced degree holders. Compared to straight men, gay men are about 50% more likely to have earned an MD, JD or PhD.
This pattern of success isn’t just confined to White gay men.
In every single racial/ethnic group that I can measure with sufficient sample sizes, gay men outpace straight men in college completion by double digits.
In every single racial/ethnic group that I can measure with sufficient sample sizes, gay men outpace straight men in college completion by double digits.
Gay men’s strikingly high performance is already well-established in high school.
Compared to straight boys from the same high school, gay boys earned better grades in more advanced classes, reporting more serious work habits and more academically oriented close friends.
Compared to straight boys from the same high school, gay boys earned better grades in more advanced classes, reporting more serious work habits and more academically oriented close friends.
These successes are all the more remarkable given the fact that many schools remain dangerous spaces for gay students.
Indeed, the same data that documented gay boys’ high achievement also revealed that they were twice as likely to feel unsafe at school.
Indeed, the same data that documented gay boys’ high achievement also revealed that they were twice as likely to feel unsafe at school.
Could these results simply reflect selection bias? Maybe college-educated men are more willing to “come out” on surveys?
I don’t think so.
Even in a separate dataset focused only on recent college graduates, gay men academically outpace straight men by a substantial margin.
I don’t think so.
Even in a separate dataset focused only on recent college graduates, gay men academically outpace straight men by a substantial margin.
Instead, I think these results provide a new perspective on the academic costs and constraints of American masculinity.
I show that gay boys' achievement is supported, in part, by their being broadly alienated from the kind of masculinity reported by their straight peers.
I show that gay boys' achievement is supported, in part, by their being broadly alienated from the kind of masculinity reported by their straight peers.
These results also provide well-replicated, population-level support for a phenomenon previously documented in memoirs, clinical accounts, and community samples: the so-called “Best Little Boy in the World” hypothesis.
nytimes.com/2013/05/07/opi…
nytimes.com/2013/05/07/opi…
Gay men’s high achievement is just one story to emerge out of all these new data.
In many ways, I show that making sexuality visible in education research provides an important new perspective on the academic gender gap.
In many ways, I show that making sexuality visible in education research provides an important new perspective on the academic gender gap.
More broadly, this study shows the critical value of recognizing LGBTQ lives in pop'n research.
As such, it sits on the shoulders of giants like @WilliamsPolicy, @DrGaryJGates, @ilanmeyer, @drcompton, @AmandaBaumle, @EnglandPaula, @RinReczek, @Bethanygeverett & so many others.
As such, it sits on the shoulders of giants like @WilliamsPolicy, @DrGaryJGates, @ilanmeyer, @drcompton, @AmandaBaumle, @EnglandPaula, @RinReczek, @Bethanygeverett & so many others.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
