Real men don’t eat quiche: regulation of gender-expressive choices by men

From: Social Psychological and Personality Science

While it is recognized that Barbie dolls are perceived as feminine and Action figures as masculine, less is considered about the gender associations related to everyday items like the food we choose to eat. This series of studies reveal for instance that sour dairy products tend to be perceived as relatively feminine, whereas meat tends to be perceived as relatively masculine. Men are inclined to forgo their intrinsic preferences to conform to a masculine gender identity. Women, on the other hand, appear to be less concerned with making gender-congruent choices. This research attempts to provide insight into how gender links affect the decision making of men and women differently.