This online experiment tested how different gender expressions in anti-smoking messages affected young adults from sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities. Researchers compared messages showing multiple gender expressions against those showing masculine expressions and other conditions. The study involved 1,113 participants who viewed these messages online.
The results showed that messages with multiple gender expressions increased how similar participants felt to the characters compared to masculine messages. However, these same messages were associated with lower perceived effectiveness than all other conditions. This suggests that while diverse representation improved character connection, it did not boost the message's perceived impact as strongly as other formats.
The study design helps inform health campaigns for the diverse gender identity groups within the SGM community. Because perceived character similarity influenced how effective the messages seemed, future campaigns should carefully balance representation with clear messaging goals. Other factors may also contribute to how people perceive these messages, so results should be viewed with appropriate caution.