An anonymous commenter at Sailer’s wrote “[H]ow many straight men with Ivy League educations enjoy the opera? […] In my estimation, the type of man who enjoys the opera is typically gay and is therefore definitely not the type who would want to marry a woman with an Ivy League education.”
Again, this seems amenable to the gss.
Row: OPERA
Column: SEXSEX
Control: SEX
First men:
| Statistics for SEX = 1(MALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| OPERA | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 12.5 1.1 |
.0 .0 |
2.8 13.8 |
2.9 14.8 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 37.5 3.2 |
.0 .0 |
12.0 59.3 |
12.4 62.5 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 12.5 1.1 |
100.0 .5 |
25.2 125.1 |
25.1 126.7 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 6.2 .5 |
.0 .0 |
39.8 197.1 |
39.2 197.6 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | 31.3 2.7 |
.0 .0 |
20.2 100.2 |
20.4 102.8 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 8.5 |
100.0 .5 |
100.0 495.4 |
100.0 504.4 |
|
| Means | 3.06 | 3.00 | 3.63 | 3.62 | |
| Std Devs | 1.57 | — | 1.02 | 1.03 | |
| Unweighted N | 10 | 1 | 465 | 476 | |
Then women:
| Statistics for SEX = 2(FEMALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| OPERA | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 5.5 31.2 |
.0 .0 |
.0 .0 |
5.3 31.2 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 17.6 100.7 |
60.0 1.6 |
4.8 .5 |
17.6 102.8 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 23.1 132.0 |
20.0 .5 |
23.8 2.7 |
23.1 135.1 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 35.2 200.8 |
20.0 .5 |
28.6 3.2 |
35.0 204.5 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | 18.6 106.0 |
.0 .0 |
42.9 4.8 |
18.9 110.7 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 570.7 |
100.0 2.7 |
100.0 11.1 |
100.0 584.4 |
|
| Means | 3.44 | 2.60 | 4.10 | 3.45 | |
| Std Devs | 1.14 | 1.01 | .97 | 1.14 | |
| Unweighted N | 543 | 4 | 12 | 559 | |
Gay men do seem to be more opera-loving than straights, although also prone to more extreme responses. I was surprised how much lesbians dislike opera. Straight women like it more than straight men, but they still seem to be closer to their potential mates than they are to gay men. As for the commenter’s statement, it neglects the base rate. An individual man who likes opera is probably straight, because there are simply a lot more total straights (even atypical ones) than gays.
We can also look to see whether people have attended a performance of classical music or opera.
| Statistics for SEX = 1(MALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| GOMUSIC | 1: YES | 29.1 14.9 |
26.2 3.3 |
16.3 301.8 |
16.7 320.1 |
| 2: NO | 70.9 36.4 |
73.8 9.3 |
83.7 1,552.3 |
83.3 1,598.0 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 51.3 |
100.0 12.7 |
100.0 1,854.2 |
100.0 1,918.1 |
|
| Means | 1.71 | 1.74 | 1.84 | 1.83 | |
| Std Devs | .46 | .46 | .37 | .37 | |
| Unweighted N | 55 | 13 | 1,718 | 1,786 | |
Now the women.
| Statistics for SEX = 2(FEMALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| GOMUSIC | 1: YES | 17.2 343.7 |
31.9 3.9 |
25.8 13.2 |
17.5 360.8 |
| 2: NO | 82.8 1,657.7 |
68.1 8.2 |
74.2 37.9 |
82.5 1,703.9 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 2,001.4 |
100.0 12.1 |
100.0 51.2 |
100.0 2,064.7 |
|
| Means | 1.83 | 1.68 | 1.74 | 1.83 | |
| Std Devs | .38 | .49 | .44 | .38 | |
| Unweighted N | 1,890 | 15 | 56 | 1,961 | |
I don’t have time to do much analysis before heading off, but I’m surprised again by lesbians so often seeing such performances given their dislike of opera. I guess they must really like classical. There should be a GSS question for that.
UPDATE:
The question for classical music is CLASSICL. Here are men’s responses.
| Statistics for SEX = 1(MALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| CLASSICL | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 50.0 4.8 |
.0 .0 |
16.0 81.1 |
16.6 85.8 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 27.8 2.7 |
66.7 1.1 |
28.8 146.3 |
28.9 150.0 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 11.1 1.1 |
33.3 .5 |
30.1 152.6 |
29.8 154.2 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 11.1 1.1 |
.0 .0 |
16.6 84.3 |
16.5 85.3 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | .0 .0 |
.0 .0 |
8.5 42.9 |
8.3 42.9 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 9.5 |
100.0 1.6 |
100.0 507.1 |
100.0 518.2 |
|
| Means | 1.83 | 2.33 | 2.73 | 2.71 | |
| Std Devs | 1.07 | .77 | 1.17 | 1.17 | |
| Unweighted N | 11 | 2 | 473 | 486 | |
Now women.
| Statistics for SEX = 2(FEMALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| CLASSICL | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 19.5 114.5 |
.0 .0 |
9.5 1.1 |
19.2 115.5 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 33.7 197.6 |
100.0 2.7 |
23.8 2.7 |
33.8 202.9 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 23.6 138.3 |
.0 .0 |
42.9 4.8 |
23.8 143.1 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 15.1 88.5 |
.0 .0 |
9.5 1.1 |
14.9 89.5 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | 8.2 48.2 |
.0 .0 |
14.3 1.6 |
8.3 49.8 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 587.1 |
100.0 2.7 |
100.0 11.1 |
100.0 600.8 |
|
| Means | 2.59 | 2.00 | 2.95 | 2.59 | |
| Std Devs | 1.20 | — | 1.19 | 1.19 | |
| Unweighted N | 553 | 4 | 12 | 569 | |
The association of folk with lesbians was mentioned below. That question, appropriately enough, is FOLK. Here are men’s responses.
| Statistics for SEX = 1(MALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| FOLK | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 12.5 1.1 |
.0 .0 |
7.7 39.8 |
7.8 40.8 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 25.0 2.1 |
66.7 1.1 |
34.6 177.5 |
34.5 180.7 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 43.8 3.7 |
33.3 .5 |
34.3 175.9 |
34.4 180.2 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 18.8 1.6 |
.0 .0 |
19.3 99.1 |
19.2 100.7 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | .0 .0 |
.0 .0 |
4.1 21.2 |
4.0 21.2 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 8.5 |
100.0 1.6 |
100.0 513.4 |
100.0 523.5 |
|
| Means | 2.69 | 2.33 | 2.78 | 2.77 | |
| Std Devs | .98 | .77 | .98 | .98 | |
| Unweighted N | 10 | 2 | 479 | 491 | |
Now women.
| Statistics for SEX = 2(FEMALE) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cells contain: –Column percent -Weighted N |
SEXSEX | ||||
| 1 EXCLUSIVELY MALE |
2 BOTH MALE AND FEMALE |
3 EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE |
ROW TOTAL |
||
| FOLK | 1: LIKE VERY MUCH | 8.0 46.1 |
.0 .0 |
9.5 1.1 |
8.0 47.2 |
| 2: LIKE IT | 37.4 215.7 |
.0 .0 |
57.1 6.4 |
37.6 222.0 |
|
| 3: MIXED FEELINGS | 28.9 166.4 |
.0 .0 |
19.0 2.1 |
28.5 168.5 |
|
| 4: DISLIKE IT | 19.1 110.2 |
100.0 2.7 |
9.5 1.1 |
19.3 113.9 |
|
| 5: DISLIKE VERY MUCH | 6.6 38.2 |
.0 .0 |
4.8 .5 |
6.6 38.7 |
|
| COL TOTAL | 100.0 576.5 |
100.0 2.7 |
100.0 11.1 |
100.0 590.3 |
|
| Means | 2.79 | 4.00 | 2.43 | 2.79 | |
| Std Devs | 1.05 | — | 1.00 | 1.05 | |
| Unweighted N | 546 | 4 | 12 | 562 | |
I guess lesbians just sort of like folk.
April 21, 2011 at 4:20 am
I think lesbians go for folk, actually.
April 21, 2011 at 11:41 am
I don’t know why this is surprising. Opera is high camp–emotionalism, colorful and flamboyant costuming, tragedy…
No, I am not being sarcastic–a high percentage of gay men like what straight people, particularly straight men, view as indulgent, excessive, over-the-top, campy, drama-queen “expressiveness.”
It is what it is. Opera is (I should say “can be”) an acquired taste for straight Americans. Italians, of course, are quite comfortable with the exaggerated expressiveness of it, but in this country it is associated with gay and I can’t really blame an American straight male for feeling it’s just too self-indulgent silly.
The music is another thing.
April 21, 2011 at 1:00 pm
“In this country it [opera] is associated with gay” is true enough, but I think less because it is “indulgent, excessive, over-the-top campy…” than because in America, art is understood as being for aesthetes. And aesthetes have been associated in English-speaking cultures with homosexuality since the time of Oscar Wilde.
We have no native tradition of high art. High art is essentially an aristocratic phenomenon, and in America we like to believe we have no aristocracy. Interest in any form of high art is seen as “puttin’ on airs,” which is forgiven in the cases of rich women, but among males only to the effeminate aesthete. Thus we see the rush of affluent and well-educated public figures to express demotic tastes in all cultural matters – not only or even primarily to escape the implication of sexual inversion, but more importantly to avoid being perceived or portrayed as hoity-toity.
The reported disparity between gay men and lesbians in attitudes towards opera may have to do with the social-climbing tendency exhibited by many gay men (Truman Capote being a celebrated example, along with countless fashionable interior decorators, clothing designers, etc.), as contrasted with the equally marked tendency among lesbians towards nostalgie de la boue.
April 21, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Well, this is only anecdotal, but I like opera and I like pussy. Of course, there tends to be lots of verbal titillation before I get down to tongue on pussy.
April 22, 2011 at 12:15 am
SFG, see the update.
Michael, reminds me of what Sailer wrote here. Searching for that post also reminded me of the most damning fact about Sailer: he prefers 80s post-punk/new-wave to blues-derived guitar rock. For shame, for shame.
April 22, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I’d like to like opera, but it’s far too silly to take seriously.
With complete gravity: the old Looney Tunes cartoons were not only more successful than every other means of introducing people to classical music (especially operatic) combined, they were more aesthetically satisfying than most of them.
Bugs puttin’ it over on Elmer Fudd with a horned helmet: just as silly as ‘serious’ opera with no status pretensions.
April 22, 2011 at 4:18 pm
[H]ow many straight men with Ivy League educations enjoy the opera?
The GSS data does focus on Ivy League graduates, so it cannot answer this question. I’d expect that straight men with Ivy League educations are more likely to be opera fans than men generally or even college grads generally.
The same is probably true of women though.
April 25, 2011 at 11:55 am
That in its turn is explained by the upper-class status of most Ivy League graduates.
Opera in this country began as an upper-class import. Look at a list of the original patrons of the Metropolitan Opera, or better yet of the old Academy of Music that preceded it. The nineteenth century plutocracy imagined itself as the American version of the European aristocracy, and aped all of its manners and interests – stately homes with liveried servants, collections of Old Masters paintings, coats-of-arms and genealogies (real or fabricated), the Social Register (as parallel to Debrett or the Almanach de Gotha), etc. Patronage of the arts, including opera, was part of this.
It is less likely today that Ivy League graduates come from upper-class backgrounds (including prep schools in imitation of English “public” schools) – but an Ivy degree is still very much an entrée to the plutocracy, if that’s how its possessor wishes to use it.
April 25, 2011 at 8:56 pm
I would also like if it had a large sample of Ivy Leaguers (or the top 1% in wealth/income), but you can’t have everything and the GSS goes for data representative of America as a whole.
April 27, 2011 at 5:42 pm
I recall reading or hearing somewhere that opera was broadly popular in the 19th Century US. I found this:
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/opq/summary/v023/23.1.preston01.html
(…)
Americans of most economic classes were attracted to the melodrama of operatic stories; they whistled and hummed the tunes; they attended performances in droves—not as “high art” or as a source of edification but rather (as far as we can tell) for the simple joy of theatrical spectacle, tuneful melodies, and popular entertainment. This ready familiarity with opera as musical theater eventually led to a ubiquity of operatic melody in American society: as dance and parade music, as piano fantasies, “gems” and piano/vocal arrangements, even as pounded out by organ-grinders. That opera was important to nineteenth-century Americans is inescapable; it is also an important component of the performance history of nineteenth-century European opera.
(…)
Was opera more popular than other the available entertainments like boxing, dog fighting and drunken carousing?