ABSTRACT
This study examined how sexual orientation stereotypes and perceived norms shape young gay and straight men’s perceptions of motivations and barriers to interest in early childhood education and care (ECEC) careers. Gay and straight men (N = 364) estimated interest and then reported barriers and motivations influencing men’s interest in childcare work; either for themselves, gay men, or straight men. Men overestimated gay men’s interest in childcare work, regardless of their own sexual orientation. As key barriers, participants cited the low salary, poor working conditions, and the gendered association of childcare with femininity, whereas key motivators were positive interactions with children, salary increases, and intrinsic rewards associated with a care-oriented career. Patterns of distorted norm perception and sexual orientation stereotyping emerged: straight men believed traditional masculinity norms discouraged other straight men more than themselves (i.e., pluralistic ignorance), and gay men overestimated communal motivations of other gay men. These findings highlight how sexual orientation stereotypes and misperceptions of norms reinforce occupational segregation. The discussion addresses the implications of these dynamics for diversifying the ECEC workforce and calls for interventions that challenge restrictive identity-based assumptions about caregiving roles.