The role of machismo in prejudice toward lesbians and gay men: Personality traits as moderators

•Machismo was a gender-independent predictor of anti-gay prejudice in Latinos.•Higher Openness strengthened the association between machismo and antigay prejudice.•Neither gender nor Agreeableness showed a moderating role in the association.•Machismo should be taken into consideration to reduce Latino’s antigay prejudice.

This study examined the relationships between machismo and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians in a Latino college sample. Machismo was examined as a predictor of prejudice toward lesbians and gay men. Potential moderation of gender and personality characteristics was also examined. Undergraduates from a public university in South Texas (n = 330) completed online measures of prejudice toward gay men and lesbians, machismo, personality, and demographics. Males reported significantly higher levels of machismo than females. No gender differences were found for levels of negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. A significant positive correlation was observed between machismo and prejudice toward lesbians and gay men. A series of regression analyses revealed that, contrary to predictions, higher levels of Openness to Experience strengthened the relationship between machismo and prejudice toward gay men and marginally strengthened the relationship between machismo and prejudice toward lesbians. Neither Agreeableness nor gender had a moderating effect. Machismo appears to be a gender-independent predictor of prejudice toward lesbians and gay men in Latinos. Efforts to reduce Latinos’ prejudice should take traditional views toward gender roles into consideration.