Below is a non-exhaustive set of peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses that examine the relationship between political conservatism (or right-wing ideology) and sexual prejudice / homophobia (attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people, same-sex relationships, etc.). I’ve focused on higher-quality, frequently cited empirical work and meta-analyses rather than opinion pieces.

Meta-analyses and large-scale syntheses

1. Sibley & Duckitt (2008)

A major meta-analysis linking ideology-related traits (RWA, SDO) to prejudice, including sexual prejudice.

• Finds Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) strongly predicts prejudice toward homosexuals.
• Also links conservatism-related traits (low openness, high conformity) to prejudice.

Key takeaway: Sexual prejudice is strongly associated with authoritarian-conservative psychological profiles, especially via RWA.

2. Costello et al. (2023) – Meta-analysis of ideological rigidity

• Large meta-analysis of ideological rigidity and political ideology.
• Finds social conservatism is more consistently associated with rigidity and intolerance-related constructs, including prejudice measures.
• Effects vary across contexts, but the “social conservatism–rigidity” link is robust in many datasets.

Key takeaway: Social conservatism correlates more reliably with rigidity-linked constructs that overlap with prejudice, including sexual prejudice in related literature.

Direct studies linking conservatism and homophobia / sexual prejudice

3. Van der Toorn et al. (2017)

“In Defense of Tradition: Religiosity, Conservatism, and Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage”

• Multiple studies in U.S. and Canada (N ≈ 1,673).
• Found:
  • Political conservatism predicts opposition to same-sex marriage
  • Effect is partly mediated by explicit sexual prejudice
  • Religiosity → conservatism → sexual prejudice pathway

Key takeaway: Conservative ideology is a key mediating pathway linking religiosity to sexual prejudice.

4. Barnett, Öz, & Marsden (2018)

“Economic and Social Political Ideology and Homophobia”

• Examines ideological dimensions and homophobia.
• Finds social conservatism (not just economic conservatism) is more strongly associated with homophobic attitudes.
• Moral foundations (binding values like authority, purity) help explain the relationship.

Key takeaway: Social conservatism predicts homophobia more strongly than economic ideology.

5. Terrizzi, Shook, & Ventis (2012) / behavioral immune system research

• Links disgust sensitivity → social conservatism → prejudice toward homosexuals.
• Shows conservative ideology partially mediates pathogen-avoidance psychology and sexual prejudice.

Key takeaway: Conservatism is part of a pathway linking disgust sensitivity to anti-LGBTQ attitudes.

6. Jost et al. (2003 / 2006) – Political ideology as motivated social cognition

• Large meta-analytic framework (multiple samples, cross-national).
• Finds conservatism associated with:
  • intolerance of ambiguity
  • need for closure
  • threat sensitivity
• These traits correlate with higher levels of prejudice, including toward sexual minorities in related studies.

Key takeaway: Conservatism is statistically associated with psychological traits that predict prejudice broadly, including sexual prejudice.

7. Human Values & Stereotyping study (1999)

• Finds conservatism predicts more negative stereotypes of homosexuals.
• Values emphasizing order, tradition, and conformity predict stronger anti-gay attitudes.

Key takeaway: Early empirical work already established a direct ideology–homophobia link.

Cross-cutting finding across the literature

Across decades of research, the most consistent pattern is:

• Social conservatism (not economic conservatism) is more strongly associated with:
  • opposition to same-sex marriage
  • negative attitudes toward LGBTQ people
  • endorsement of traditional sexual norms
• The relationship is often mediated by:
  • religiosity
  • authoritarianism (RWA)
  • moral “binding” values (authority, purity, loyalty)
  • disgust sensitivity / pathogen avoidance