Exploring the Roles of Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, and Skin Color in the Sexual Partner Choices of Bisexual Latino Men

Racial and ethnic differences are well-documented social factors shaping sexual interactions. However, these racial/ethnic dynamics have been mostly overlooked in the context of sexual fluidity, specifically for bisexual individuals. Furthermore, there is limited literature on how sexual objectification based on skin color and ethnicity, factors well documented to influence individual’s sexual partnering decision, might be different for male, female, and/or transgender partners of bisexual individuals. From 2009 to 2014, we conducted a mixed methods study examining how bisexual Latino men construct and participate in their sex markets. In the qualitative component of the study, we asked behaviorally bisexual Latino men (n = 148) how race/ethnicity, prejudice, stereotyping, and objectification intersected with their sexuality, specifically perceptions of their sexual experiences, decision making regarding sexual partners, and their reflection of their own race/ethnicity in their sexuality. We conducted a content analysis and identified three recurrent themes that are fully described in this article: (1) Bisexual Latino men objectify other men based on skin color, ethnicity, and race; (2) the race and ethnicity of women and transgender partners were not a dominant factor in sexual partnering decision making; and (3) sexual objectification based on skin color and ethnicity was a frequent, dominant experience throughout the sexual histories of our study participants. In summary, our findings suggest that bisexual Latino men participate in sex markets where race, ethnic, and nationality differences play a role in shaping men’s desires for other men as sexual partners and they themselves are objects of desire.