Skip to main content
Log in

Partner Selection among Latino Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This qualitative study explored partner selection in a sample of immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). In-depth interviews were conducted with men living in the greater New York metropolitan area who had been born in Brazil (n = 10), Colombia (n = 14), or the Dominican Republic (n = 9). One focus group was conducted with MSM from each of the three countries (9 Brazilian, 11 Colombian, and 5 Dominican participants). A grounded theory approach revealed three main themes relating to partner selection. The first concerned stereotypes of how Latino and Anglo-American men tend to behave in their sexual encounters and relationships. The participants perceived Latinos to be more affectionate and passionate, whereas they saw Anglo-American men as more independent and practical. These cultural discrepancies sometimes resulted in a preference for Latino partners. A second theme concerned stereotypes of the national groups, including expectations that Brazilians would be sexy and sensual and that Dominicans would have large penises. As found in other research on MSM of color, ethnic and national stereotypes were associated with experiences of sexual objectification. The third theme addressed the importance of masculine characteristics in sexual attraction and partner selection. Negative feelings towards effeminate men who did not conform to normative male physical or behavioral presentation reflect a stigma found inside and outside of the gay community. These findings suggest that gender and ethnic stereotypes play an important role in shaping partner choice and have implications for sexual risk and relationship formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arciniega, G. M., Anderson, T. C., Tovar-Blank, Z. G., & Tracey, T. J. G. (2008). Toward a fuller conception of machismo: Development of a traditional machismo and caballerismo scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 19–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. M., Gaulin, S., Agyei, Y., & Gladue, B. A. (1994). Effects of gender and sexual orientation on evolutionarily relevant aspects of human mating psychology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 1081–1093.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. M., Kim, P. Y., Hills, A., & Linsenmeier, J. A. W. (1997). Butch, femme, or straight-acting? Partner preferences of gay men and lesbians. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 960–973.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bergling, T. (2001). Sissyphobia: Gay men and effeminate behavior. Binghamton, NY: Haworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. M. (1985). Human mate selection. American Scientist, 73, 47–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual strategies theory: An evolutionary perspective on human mating. Psychological Review, 100, 204–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. M., Shackelford, T. K., Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Larsen, R. J. (2001). A half century of mate preferences: The cultural evolution of values. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 491–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (2008). HIV/AIDS surveillance in men who have sex with men (MSM). http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/slides/msm/slides/msm9.pdf. Retrieved 6 Oct 2008.

  • Connell, R. W. (2005). Masculinities (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Augelli, A. R., Grossman, A. H., & Starks, M. T. (2006). Childhood gender atypicality, victimization, and PTSD among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 1462–1482.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Díaz, R. M., & Ayala, G. (1999). Love, passion and rebellion: Ideologies of HIV risk among Latino gay men in the USA. Culture, Health, & Sexuality, 1, 277–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drummond, M. J. N. (2005). Asian gay men’s bodies. Journal of Men’s Studies, 13, 291–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durik, A. M., Hyde, J. S., Marks, A. C., Roy, A. L., Anaya, D., & Schultz, G. (2006). Ethnicity and gender stereotypes of emotion. Sex Roles, 54, 429–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson, B. L., Roberts, T. A., Noll, S. M., Quinn, D. M., & Twenge, J. M. (1998). That swimsuit becomes you: Sex differences in self-objectification, restrained eating, and math performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 269–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frieze, I. H. (2008). Publishing qualitative research in Sex Roles [Editorial]. Sex Roles, 58, 1–2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. G. (1992). Emergence vs. forcing: Basics of grounded theory analysis. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gobrogge, K. L., Perkins, P. S., Baker, J. H., Balcer, K. D., Breedlove, S. M., & Klump, K. L. (2007). Homosexual mating preferences from an evolutionary perspective: Sexual selection theory revisited. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36, 717–723.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez, C. A., Mason, B., & Alvarado, N. J. (2005). Culture matters: The role of race and ethnicity in the sexual lives of HIV-positive gay and bisexual men. HIV+ sex. In P. N. Halkitis, C. A. Gomez, & R. J. Wolitski (Eds.), The psychological and interpersonal dynamics of HIV-seropositive gay and bisexual men’s relationships (pp. 87–100). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gutmann, M. C. (1996). The meanings of macho: Being a man in Mexico City. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halkitis, P. N. (2001). An exploration of perceptions of masculinity among gay men living with HIV. Journal of Men’s Studies, 9, 413–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (2007). Confronting sexual stigma and prejudice: Theory and practice. Journal of Social Issues, 63, 905–925.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippa, R. A. (2007). The preferred traits of mates in a cross-national study of heterosexual and homosexual men and women: An examination of biological and cultural influences. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36, 193–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, J. R. (September 10, 2001). The new Latinos: Who they are, where they are. http://mumford.albany.edu/census/HispanicPop/HspReport/page5.html. Retrieved 8 Jan 2007.

  • Luiz, É. (May 29, 2005). Brazilians in America: 1.3 million and growing fast. http://www.brazzil.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=9294. Retrieved 8 Jan 2007.

  • Martins, Y., Tiggemann, M., & Kirkbride, A. (2007). Those Speedos become them: The role of self-objectification in gay and heterosexual men’s body image. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 634–647.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McKinley, N. M. (1999). Women and objectified body consciousness: Mothers’ and daughters’ body experience in cultural, developmental, and familial context. Developmental Psychology, 35, 760–769.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mirandé, A. (1997). Hombres y machos: Masculinity and Latino culture. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandfort, T. G. M., Melendez, R. M., & Diaz, R. M. (2007). Gender nonconformity, homophobia, and mental distress in Latino gay and bisexual men. Journal of Sex Research, 44, 181–189.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silverthorne, Z. A., & Quinsey, V. L. (2000). Sexual partner age preferences of homosexual and heterosexual men and women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29, 67–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taywaditep, K. J. (2001). Marginalization among the marginalized: Gay men’s anti-effeminacy attitudes. Journal of Homosexuality, 42, 1–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Teunis, N. (2007). Sexual objectification and the construction of whiteness in the gay male community. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 9, 263–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torres, J. B., Solberg, V. S. H., & Carlstrom, A. H. (2002). The myth of sameness among Latino men and their machismo. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 72, 163–181.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zea, M. C., Reisen, C. A., Poppen, P. J., & Bianchi, F. T. (in press). Unprotected anal intercourse among Latino MSM: The role of characteristics of the person and the sexual encounter. AIDS and Behavior.

Download references

Acknowledgement

The preparation of this paper was supported by Award Number R01 HD046258 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NICHD or the NIH.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fernanda T. Bianchi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bianchi, F.T., Shedlin, M.G., Brooks, K.D. et al. Partner Selection among Latino Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men. Arch Sex Behav 39, 1321–1330 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-009-9510-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-009-9510-x

Keywords

Navigation