Parasuicide, Gender, and Gender Deviance

The hypotheses that gender-role nonconformity during childhood is associated with social isolation, which in turn is related to subsequent suicidal feelings and attempts, were tested. These ideas were explored in a four-group sample of homosexual and heterosexual men and women living in San Francisco. The data indicated that there was support for the hypotheses; however, childhood gender-role nonconformity was more consequential for the later suicidality of men than of women. The data indicated consistently that gender deviance was more benign in women than in men.