Traditional masculinity and attitudes toward transgender people among South African navy men

Abstract

This study explores how cisgender men in the South African Navy view the inclusion of transgender personnel, and how these attitudes are associated with traditional norms of masculinity. A cross-sectional survey of 1,113 cisgender Navy men (aged 20–60 years, M = 35.53, SD = 9.35) found that most participants (over 70%) supported the service of transgender people, including in sea-going roles. While greater endorsement of traditional masculinity was associated with lower support, this relationship accounted for only a small portion of the variance in attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of addressing traditional masculine norms to foster more inclusive environments for transgender military personnel. Limitations in how support for transgender personnel was measured and recommendations for future research are discussed.