Sexual and Gender Diversity in Thailand: Associations with Recalled Childhood Sex-Typed Behavior and Adulthood Occupational Preferences

Abstract

Same-sex attracted individuals report greater levels of sex-atypical childhood behaviors and adulthood occupational preferences when compared with their heterosexual counterparts. While these sexual orientation differences are well established, the extent to which gender-role presentation relates to such differences is unclear. The present study examined recalled childhood sex-(a)typical behaviors (CSAB) and adulthood occupational preferences in a diverse Thai sample (N = 1294) of cisgender heterosexual men (n = 270) and women (n = 280), gay men (n = 199), lesbian women (n = 56), and unique Thai sexual orientation/gender categories: sao praphet song (i.e., feminine-presenting same-sex attracted males; n = 166), toms (i.e., masculine-presenting same-sex attracted females; n = 174), and dees (i.e., feminine-presenting females sexually attracted to toms; n = 149). Gay men and sao praphet song reported more CSAB and sex-atypical adulthood occupational preferences than heterosexual men, and sao praphet song were more sex-atypical than gay men. Toms reported more CSAB and sex-atypical adulthood occupational preferences than heterosexual women, lesbian women, and dees, whereas lesbian women were more sex-atypical than heterosexual women and dees in childhood but not adulthood. CSAB was associated with sex-atypical adulthood occupational preferences among heterosexual men and all same-sex attracted groups, indicating continuity in gender-role expression development. Overall, this study replicates previous findings indicating greater sex-atypical behaviors and interests during childhood and adulthood among same-sex attracted individuals. It also expands upon prior literature by showing how gender-role presentation relates to these sexual orientation differences among males and females.