It was apparent in the interviews that straight–gay friendships
had a transformative impact on the straight men and their notions
of masculinity. Matt, Bill and Peter were highly reflective about
what it means to ‘be a man’, and contended that their friendships
were instrumental in effecting introspection. Through intimate
relations with gay friends they encountered masculine subjects
that diverged from the mode of hegemonic hetero-masculinity currently
valorised in Australian society