Psychologists at the University of Toronto showed 22 women and nine men 104 photos of straight and gay black and white men and asked participants to rate the men on a scale of one (not likable) to seven (extremely likable). With no knowledge of each man’s sexual orientation, the participants rated white straight men as more likable than white gay men, and gay black men as more likable than straight black men.
They reconfirmed these findings in a second experiment asking 36 women and 14 men to move a joystick forward towards white men and away from black men. They reacted most quickly to straight white guys and gay black guys. The researchers say this might shed light on sexual perception and homophobia.
It might also help explain why HBO viewers like True Blood‘s Lafayette so much.
Image via Elvert Barnes
Little Kiwi
WERK!
Here’s hoping our society as a whole moves away from its still-very-alive racism and prejudice (oft excused as “preference”)
my white ass has no racial restrictions. and part of me is a wee bit thrilled when stupid racist gay white guys are only into other white guys – it means more sexy guys of colour for ME.
😀
delurker
um, can i play with them?
Tony
I’ve dated several blk guys (I consider myself colorblind, but do admit the best sex I ever had was with my blk ex’s), and they were great PEOPLE. However, I admit, there’s nothing worse and more annoying than these young, pretentious, ultra gay acting white guys. I avoid them at all costs..just as I did when I was younger. If this is the type being referred to, I agree, they are extremely unlikable.
Josh elder
Why is it people constantly call people racist for not being attracted to black guys? O.o just as you can’t help being attracted to men, I can’t help I don’t find black men attractive. Same thing with masculine / “straight acting” guys. I’m not into them either. Always find it hilarious how angry and bitter “masculine” guys get when you turn them down. They’re so egotistical to think everyone shares their hatred for any remote femininity.
Josh elder
I’m so sick of the hate gay guys give other gay guys because they are feminine. Get the fuck over yourselves.
I can’t stand ultra macho guys who think their shit doesn’t stink because they can “hide” their homosexuality. It takes a hell of a lot more balls to be feminine than it does to hide behind pseudo machoness. Especially in rural towns.
So what some guys are feminine. It’s funny that you never see guys say things makin fun of masculine guys but everywhere I go I see these douchebag “straight acting” guys saying how if they wanted a woman they’d date a woman. Or telling people to act like a man. Time to grow the fuck up and stop trying to make people shamed of who they are or follow your fucked up ideals of gender norms.
I prefer feminine ish guys. Have never and would never date a straight acting guy because they’re so hard pressed to try and pass off as straight. Sad if you ask me.
christopher di spirito
Everyone is an individual.
Take Tea Party loon, Florida Rep. Allen West. No sane person would call him likable. He’s a total creep. Or, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Just ask Anita Hill.
perdeep
everyone immediately likes straight White males the best. how terribly shocking. this phenomenon isn’t reflected in society whatsoever.
delurker
@Josh elder: you seem like a bleeding cunt, no offense.
Kev C
If Canadians hate me I must be doing something right.
Michael
@Josh elder:
Agreed in all honesty its those kinds of gay guys that give this community a negative image.
It never has never will never does make sense when people who know how it feels to be treated like shit and discriminated do it to people from their own community.
Talk about extremely hypocritical.
Not to mention most of these macho gay guys are afraid to even show human emotions now that IS sad.
Michael
@Josh elder:
Same applies to the ones who hate people who are transexual transgender etc…
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@Kev C:
If Canadians hate me I must be doing something right.
Are you a gay white man, or a straight black man?
Tony
@Michael:
Not being attracted to someone and hating someone are two completely different things. There’s nothing wrong, imo, with not being attracted to blk guys, that doesn’t mean you’re racist. If you’re not attracted to blk guys because you hate black people, think they are inferior, etc then you may be racist. I’ve never been attracted to blond men…ever. However, I don’t hate or dispise them, I just don’t want to bed them. And if gays are not attracyed to feminine men, it’s not to say they hate fems…they just don’t want to bed them. What trips me out is when a feminine guy goes on about how he’s not attracted to feminine guys…wtf??
Pickles
@No. 4 · Josh elder
“Why is it people constantly call people racist for not being attracted to black guys? O.o just as you can’t help being attracted to men, I can’t help I don’t find black men attractive”
OBVIOUSLY
Because it makes no logical sense. There is no defining, all-encompassing trait held by ALL BLACK MEN that one could logically say “I’m never attracted to that…”
Skin color, hair texture, penis size, musical likes, none of it is always the same.
Malick Yoba and Prince are both Black men yet they are NOTHING alike.
So when you say you don’t find Black men attractive are you saying you don’t find Black men like Denzel Washington attractive or Black men like Malcolm Gladwell?
They don’t all look the same, act the same, have the same social status, interests, patterns of speech or anything else.
Stating “I don’t find Black men attractive” is simply a racist, imprecise way of stating a bias against something rather than a preference FOR something.
It’s so broad that it means almost nothing except, “I don’t find the fact that someone could be identified as Black attractive”. How is that NOT racist?
Thomas Maguire
I was going to say “Here we go!” but as I was late to the conversation, I’ll say “There we went!”
Bryan
@Josh elder: It really is sad and from what I’ve seen it’s getting more common now. It’s depressing that “masculine” gays are trying to create a minority within a minority.
Parevenu
31 people does not make a reliable survey…this is nonsense.
Josh Elder
You can claim I’m racist all you want. I don’t judge people for their race. I don’t treat them differently or act differently around them. I’ve very very rarely been sexually attracted to a black male. I can’t really control who turns me on and who doesn’t. We are all attracted to different types of guys. Some people aren’t attracted to chubs, cubs, otters, twinks, masculine. Are you saying they are all prejudice?
There have been maybe…maybe 4 black men I’ve ever been attracted to (although I have dated biracial guys before). I don’t know what it is but I can tell you I’m not racist.
MikeE
so stating that you aren’t attracted to black men is racist.
I guess stating that you aren’t attracted to redheads, or blondes is… what? normal?
My husband just isn’t attracted to blondes. He doesn’t find them disgusting, repugnant, or offensive. They just don’t crank his chain. I don’t think he’d go out of his way to go cruise black men (he’d better not go out of his way to cruise ANY men, as far as I’m concerned), but he has on quite a few occasions commented that such-and-such an actor in a film we were watching, or such-and-such a football/baseball player, was incredibly handsome.
I feel the same way. I like pretty much most men who fall into certain facial and physical features. I don’t even think I could specify what they are. Just that when I see a man who fits those criteria, well, I find him attractive, regardless of skin tone or hair colour.
NOW, on the other hand, doing a test where you present IMAGES only of men, straight and gay, and have people tell which ones are “nice/likable” and which are not, is just the most ridiculous bull-shi* “science”.
I want to see the strict standards by which they placed ALL of their photo candidates in a neutral background, and dressed them and groomed them ALL the exact same way.
I want to know that EVERY man in those pictures, whether gay or straight, black or white, had the exact same emotional expression on his face.
Josh Elder
I’m not saying all men who aren’t into fem or non masculine guys hate them. But all too often you see guys put in profiles “no FEMs if I wanted to date a girl, I would”. Or “I’m gay. I like men so act like a man”. Or how they constantly berate guys who they think act “too gay”.
Tony
@JayKay: “And no I’m not racist, I have this one friend who could possibly be mistaken for black from a distance”
Whaa?? Uhhh..if the distance is great enough, can’t anyone be mistaken for black?
Kev C
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: I’m american
pal
Michael
@Tony:
Well ive got friends of all kinds feminine masculine black white asian etc… I lubs them all.
I just dont understand the discrimination in this community its a brain scratcher to say the least.
Oh and I dont think that means someone is automatically or necessarily a racist if they dont date black guys.The fact is a racist is a racist they know if they are one or are they aren’t one.We can’t peg everyone as one just because they don’t date guys who are black.I think black is beautiful but thats solely my opinion. 🙂
Pickles
The common trait that Blonds have is being Blond.
The common trait that Red Heads have is being a Red Head.
Although both of the above could be further qualified, they are pretty clear statements.
Other than being designated as a “Black” male, what do all Black men have in common?
I’m not judging anyone’s tastes per se (heart and loins want what they want), I’m simply pointing out that saying you’re not attracted to “Black” men (as a group) is racist because it denies the fact that they are individuals who may or may not share traits that can be liked or disliked.
All red heads have red hair. So if the red hair is a deal breaker in terms of attraction, it doesn’t really matter what the person is like or looks like beyond the color of their hair
There is no one identifying trait that all Black men share (other than belonging to an INCREDIBLY diverse amorphous racial category).
Of course no one can control to whom they are attracted. But to act as though your attraction is just a “natural” inclination, completely devoid of influence from society’s prejudices is short-sighted.
I’m not advocating that anyone have sex with or date or befriend anyone they don’t want to.
I’m simply saying the statement “I don’t find Black men attractive” is essentialist, homogenist, racist thinking.
It would make more sense and be more precise to say “I don’t find kinky hair attractive” or “I don’t find brown skin attractive” something that is specific as opposed to a racial category.
Those are specific traits that one may or may not be attracted to.
Racism isn’t just about “hating” a group of people, it is also about not seeing the members of that group as individuals distinct from one another.
The fact that you can’t see why it’s racist is disappointing but a not surprising.
We’re so conditioned to be defensive whenever race comes up that it’s almost impossible to have an honest conversation about it.
Though I’d expect more from gay men on that score.
So maybe in YOUR mind you have a specific idea of what you mean when you say “I don’t find Black men attractive” but outside of your own head, it’s really doesn’t say much except that you might be racist and not willing to admit it.
Michael
@MikeE:
Its weird to even have a test like that to begin with.I mean honestly how in the world can you determine if someone is nice or not by taking a survey about them?
Its illogical.
sharry
OH PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT A REAL SCIENCE
LandStander
@Michael: The study is not a way to “determine if someone is nice or not by taking a survey about them”. It is about reading the automatic and (hopefully) subconscious responses of the participant, to try to judge what their reactions are when seeing different kinds of people. So it is not illogical, you just did not understand what they were talking about.
Anoandon
I don’t think it’s racist to say that someone does not find black men sexually attractive anymore than it is sexist to say that someone is not sexually attracted to women.
What I am sexually attracted to is not the be all and end all of the human interaction I have with people, and I do not choose my friends by how sexually attractive I find them.
I personally can find black men on a whole range from extremely unnattractive to stunningly beautiful, but so far I do not think my brain has ever twigged the switch that says to my body “Dam I really would.” For some reason, maybe lack of exposure to the predominant skin colouration and facial commonalities that tend to run in people of african descent while I was growing up due to my home town, they just are not my type.
The same can be said for femininity and masculinity. I personally run more towards being attracted to men with masculine mannerisms rather than those with more feminine mannerisms. It’s just the way I seem to gravitate. Should I feel apologetic about that? Hell no. I am attracted to what I am attracted to and so long as I do not consider what I am not sexually attracted to to be a defect in humanity then that is fine.
I know full well that I will not be everyones idea of a good partner, both in looks and in personality and ethics. I can only hope what other people on earth have to hope for, that enough people think I am for me to feel I have lived a fulfilled romantic life. If someone was to turn me down because I wasn’t as dark as they usually like, or not tall enough or not feminine or masculine enough, then I may be upset, but I can’t expect to be offended if they are polite about it.
Michael
@LandStander:
Must there always be an arrogant response on this site ? Sheesh ask a simple question ….
But ty for dumbing it down for me apparently I am too simple to comprehend it my bad.
Michael
Arrogance and haughty superior attitudes are also a big part of the problem with this community.But then again some are born with humility others just fail miserably in that particular area. Nothing further.
timncguy
@Josh Elder: and, you are berating guys that you think act “too masculine”. Did you ever consider the possibility that the men aren’t “acting” and that they just naturally have masculine mannerisms?
Michael
@timncguy:
This is extremely stupid how fem and masc gay guys act to each other for the most part.They are BOTH GAY they both like men get the fuck over it already sheesh.Theres just as much discrimination and bigotry in this community as there is with these bigoted pricks that hate us and what we stand for: teh gay oh noezz everyone run and protect the children from dem lol
Tackle
No one should get all railed-up about a so-called study in Toronto involving
22/women : 9/men and an additionl 36/momen and 14/men.
What we need to pay attention to is this writer, ( and I use that term loosley)
Daniel Villarreal constant attempt at race baiting here at Queerty. With over twenty post written involving blacks and particularly black men, it shows that Daniel has a problem with blacks. He obviously needs help with his unhealthy obsession. Whats the reason for even posting this study??
He’s not trying to bring GLBT people of all color together. Daniel Villarreal works on a negitive. Bringing hate, conflect and desention among GLBT people.
RLS
I find it interesting that a thread about the survey of the likability of black gay men has devolved into the same tired “I don’t date black men/ you’re RACIST because you don’t” conversation. Once again, gay black men are immediately, IMMEDIATELY reduced to an object of sexual desire or the lack thereof. It’s totally insane. I just wonder when this backwards community is going to start treating us like freaking PEOPLE. Apparently that’s too much to ask when you happen to be born gay and without the lily white skin that is so worshipped around here. This place just makes me want to take a Silkwood shower at times.
Anoandon
@Michael:
And I’m sure we can all see where you might stand on a scale of arrogance or humility. He said you did not understand the point of the experiment, which you said was illogical, when the way you worded your post skewed the intentions of those doing the experiments. Therefore, you did not understand.
I wasn’t aware a lack of understanding was automatically deemed as an insulting state.
ewe
LMAO. This is too funny. No wonder i always preferred straight black guys.
ewe
Does anyone conducting the study want to bring up the hypothalamus by chance?
Anoandon
@RLS:
And there was me thinking that this website devolved most men into objects of sexual desire or lack thereof. =P
Gay Veteran
@Pickles: Very well said. You are the only person with a valid argument. You Win!!!
I love when someone has a valid argument and all the naysayers avoid it like the plaque. lol
Aiden
@christopher di spirito: Except when there’s a post on black homophobes. At least, according to you.
Michael
@Anoandon:
Considering your arrogant response I will just chalk that up to being correct with my original statement.
Not to mention even if I was incorrect it still stands because this community is FULL of arrogant pompous individuals who look down on people within their own community whether thats by their looks their race their ethnicity or whether they are masculine of feminine.
It’s pathetic period.
Michael
@Anoandon:
Musn’t forget how so many in this community look down on people due to their intelligence or lack thereof as someone pompous would say. Seems more like egos more and more everyday in this community who has the biggest one period.
Little Kiwi
i love when guys say that they’re “masc”
sure you are, Mary. keep telling yourself that. maybe one day daddy will be less ashamed of you.
if you actually embody what you think “masc” means then you won’t have to say it, because people will…you know…”notice”
every one of you that mocks, puts down, or belittles someone for not fitting your (or rather, your FATHER’s) idea of “masc” deserve exactly what you’re gonna get – a miserable inauthentic life that will end with you alone.
oh, and for all you fucking morons who can’t tell the difference between an ATTRACTION and an ORIENTATION, you’re complete fucking idiots. for real. moronic idiots. idiotic morons.
orientations are innate. concepts of attraction are societal. if you’re not into a person BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNICITY then you have an unaddressed issue with their ethnicity. is it a preference? yes. a RACIST preference.
it’s amazing how many of your sad fucking losers are so proud of your racist preferences. no wonder your dads hate calling you Son.
you won’t check your prejudices, so why should your families check theirs?
if you cant see the PERSON past the ETHNICITY then you have a PROBLEM WITH THAT ETHICITY.
not all black people or asian people look the same, you know. you’ll go on a date with a white loser and it won’t put you off White guys for life, will it? nope. check your racism, grow and learn more, or look like the lazy mediocre thinkers that you are.
Interesting
@RLS: Great comment. It does seem interesting that its all about sex.
@Pickles: Great comment. The chances of you finding introspection is up there with finding a unicorn.
Interesting
@Little Kiwi: You put it rudely, but accurately. I have cousins who have blue eyes and straight hair, and look like they might be Sicilian or Greek, but identify as African-American. Their parents are African-American. I don’t think people know the range of features they are discussing when they say Black in terms of the U.S. I have heard worse. i.e. some guy saying he’s not into Latino, which covers such a wide racial range as to be nothing else but identifying that one is a racist. But most people can’t handle that so they make excuses.
No. 1
I’m black. I’m gay. And I’m not nice…..especially to racists, black or white.
Chitown Kev
LOl at this study, queerty’s posting of it, and the comments on this thread.
skzip888
I’m making huge generalizations here, but I think gay black men, at least those who go out a bunch, affect a softer edge, for fear naive, top-hungry non-blacks arbitrarily label them hyper-masculine thug prison daddies.
As for straight guys, there is a constant pressure to feel non-threatening, for fear they’ll accidentally stand too close to Olivia Benson on an elevator and get tasered.
skzip888
@skzip888: Not all black men, soften themselves just some. There’s always going to be people who aren’t so terribly self-conscious. Forgive my thoughtless omission of the word “some,” but we do live in a society that denies men, notably Black men, their own human vulnerability, and many feel the need to overcompensate.
Interesting
@No. 1: Well, but the study is about perceptions of you rather than what you actually are.
@skzip888: Oh, you aren’t generalizing so much as just being out and out racist.
Power of Pine Soil Baby
@Josh Elder: A few things, sonny. 1) You’re a racist prick. 2) You said, and I quote, “Always find it hilarious how angry and bitter ‘masculine’ guys get when you turn them down.” Pfftt. As if!!! This is not happening in your life, and you know it. You are simply extremely bitter over the fem issues you addressed earlier. You get ripped apart for the kind of gay you are, and you hate it. Too bad, sonny. You get back as much evil as you put in. 3) You’re a racist prick. 4) You are incredible delusional. 5) And, finally, you’re a racist prick.
JKB
There are a lot of bitchy white guys posting tonight…oh, wait.
Jeff
Honestly, it doesn’t hurt my feeling if a white dude doesn’t find me attractive….I know, SHOCKER.
The Artist
Everyone has a place at “the table,” diversity should be embraced and promoted. Break out of the box and spread the word….PEACELUVNBWILD.
timothy
Ummm a 33 person study… bahahahahahha
Oh and I wouldn’t say racist but yeah it is kinda prejudice to say you are absolutely not attracted to people you don’t even know based solely on race. obviously we all have our preferences but to say that there is absolutely no one out there basically means you don’t want there to be… for whatever reason. If someone said they were absolutely not attracted to all blondes in the world they would be an idiot I don’t see that category being socially scrutinized enough for someone to even mention. It’d be like saying I don’t like anyone with size 9 feet…
doomsday1038
To many of my brothers are self loathing snow queens.Who cares if some white guys doesn’t like you?Stop trying to insert yourself where you are not wanted.It’s just said to me.
Daniel Villarreal
@Tackle: Dear Tackle, I invite you to look at the zillion or so articles I’ve written about homophobic white people. Do not blame me for the pervasive racism that saturates our community. Thanks.
Tackle
@ Daniel Villarreal
Your zillion or so articales don’t not mean a thing.
What does mean something is your INTENT. You do fan the flames here. You’ve been here long enough to know what the response on here will be. The truth is, your nothing but a shit starter for the community. With the form you have, you could do so much good for the community. But instead you go the other way.
Daniel Villarreal
@Tackle: So tell me Tackle, what would you do with this forum?
the crustybastard
This HBO viewer likes True Blood‘s Lafayette so much because Nelsan Ellis is just tearing that shit up.
the crustybastard
@Tackle:
Pretty much every news article about Israel produces an antisemitic shitstorm in the comments.
That doesn’t mean that responsible news outlets should stop reporting news about Israel.
Tackle
@ Daniel Villarreal : What I would NOT do is go out of my way to stir-up racial animosity on here. And It’s funny that when something is written involving blacks, 98% of the time you are the author.
Your Hispanic/Latino?? Specifically of what Origine?
Because I find it strange that a Hispanic/Latino gay man would be so much into the business of Blacks. And would want to stir-up racial tensions between Black and White GLBT people.
@ the crustybastard: Ok he got this story from Canada. Then why don’t he get stories from Mexico or countries in South America? As I said before, this writer is so much in the asses of Black folks.
Saywhatnow?
What is up with the picture of the guys with the basketball? You couldn’t find something a little less stereotypical? Is this how you all view black men, in gym shorts posing with basketballs? Are there any people of color who write for Queerty?
Little Kiwi
you guys can defend your “no fats fems asians or blacks” prejudices all you want. it won’t change the fact that your fathers would have “preferred” to have someone else for a son, and not your gay asses.
you won’t check you prejudices, your dads shouldn’t have to check theirs.
chumps.
😀
stephen
@Josh Elder: then stop saying you aren’t attracted to Black guys…if someone asks you if you are attracted to black guys (which i don’t know why anyone would) you simply say it depends on the guy, not the race…is it that hard??
Al
@Pickles: BRAVO! Pickles! I was going to write that.. but, you wrote my sentiments exactly.
Michael
For fucks sakes this whole thing has literally turned into who can say the bigger words and who has the biggest ego.Ugh with this kind of behavior in this community thats also part of the reason we are seen in a negative light.Main reason being dumbass bigots with no brain cells think we are indoctrinating their children with our gayness.Morons.
JoeyB
Sad but true. So many white gay men, especially circuit boys and pretty boys, are such stuck-up bitches. Just look at the whole cast of “The A List”. I rest my case.
Eric
@Josh elder: I’ll tell you why because I don’t have any control over the color of my skin. and neither did you. You didn’t make a choice to be gay you were born that way. Same with color. I find it thinly veiled racial bile to place in a public profile that you don’t find a skin color attracted. Weight and if you smoke or not is a preference…What you not asking is the deeper question. WHY don’t you find black men sexually attractive? Once you ask that question put that answer in your profile.
Little Kiwi
if you can’t find a person attractive BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNICITY then you have an issue WITH THAT ETHNICITY
there’s no way around that. orientations are innate. concepts of attraction are societal. that’s why the way women dressed in the 1980s turned on straight guys, yet the DYNASTY-era fashion makes today’s hetero men laugh while their dicks go soft.
if you’re “not into asians or blacks” then you have swallowed the societal standard of beauty which is, duh, WHITE.
amazing how so many of you are so proud of it.
you’re about as hip and with it as the old racist grandparent that we all cringe when we have to visit.
Eric
@doomsday1038: Really self loathing snow queens I could easily be racist towards black men .. I was molested by a black man when I was young Raped by several black men in college right before I came out and then the big one after giving it a 3rd try one cut the condom and purposely infected me with HIV. I may have issues with them but it’s a case by case basis and I would never put in my profile for all to see NO BLACKS.
Little Kiwi
i love when racists say “well i TRIED to be with a black guy, and i just didn’t like it” or “well, i had sex with an asian guy once and it wasn’t for me…” and yet they’ll have countless lame experiences with white guys and not “go off of whites” for eternity.
the crustybastard
@Tackle:
I have no idea what point you’re trying to make. Really. Please rephrase. Thanks.
Anoandon
Or, you know, it just doesn’t rock their boats?
It would be far more racist for someone to be incredibly attracted to black people, however you want to define that, because they believe that black men are bad boy types, somehow more “dangerous” or taboo, or even because they believe that black people are “just better” than it is for someone to not be attracted to those features without having any preconceptions behind what that race “means.”
I think it should be pretty clear on this site that people do not choose who they are attracted to. I fail to see how not being attracted to certain body features is any more of a choice than any other attraction. It is not even that someone is repelled by those features, they simply might not flip that particular persons switch from “not fussed” to “Wow, hot.”
Chitown Kev
@Anoandon:
actually, you do choose who you are attracted to; it’s simply that the overwhelming majority of people are unconscious of the choices that they are making and why (and it involves a heckuva lotta work).
Anoandon
Please tell that to the countless psychological authorities that have blasted conversion therapy into the ground.
Lets take two people at random. Samuel L. Jackson and Kate Winslet. Both very good looking, both very sucessfull, both people I would consider to be people I respect artisically and so on.
Neither of them I am sexually attracted to. It happens that they both happen to be part of groups that share features I am just not sexually attracted to, in a purely “Dam I want their babies” sort of way.
Not being sexually attracted to something does not mean you view it in a negative light. It simply means it isn’t what you go for.
Nunya Bizness
I think most of the commenters missed the whole point of the test results — which were were largely social reaction based on comfort with the images presented (which – even if using a small number of participants — if conducted repeatedly and yielding the same results, says a lot about knee-jerk reaction based on true feelings of those raised in Western culture). It’s not really about “liking” or “dating” someone of a different race… rather — with whom are people most comfortable with socially.
Of course — knowing the racial makeup of the participants would be more informative; but the results make sense, when you consider that humans are often most comfortably social with what they consider “normal”. However, when confronted with something/someone fitting a profile that is the total opposite of what is deemed “normal” — those same individuals will throw away all expectations; and acceptance/comfort is subjectively based on how many of the negative aspects they’ve assigned to that confronting symbol of “otherness” can be dispelled or disproved.
So, to a straight person — a straight white male is automatically seen as more “normal” than a gay white male because that is what they’ve been socialized to think. Normal = more likeable.
Also to a straight, white person (particularly female) — black men are already presented as the complete embodiment of “otherness” in Western culture. Thus, expectation is discarded and black, gay males register as more like-able because physical and social assumptions convey them as less intimidating than the brutish, aggressive, tortured and violent image that is often associated with black males.
Added to that is the media tendency to portray ALL gay men (black and/or white) as these edgy, trendy, monied professionals with extravagant taste. Given that the typical media image of all white men is also very close in description — the only distinguishable difference is in portraying obvious gayness vs. straightness. Given that most media images of black men are associated with sports & hip-hop — many images of gay black men (applying the trendy, monied gay professional stereotype) are presented as superior to the stereotypical black, male image.
All of these “studies” are employed when marketing firms are attempting to determine a target market for a new product; and what kind of images to present in that marketing.
Gay Veteran
@Little Kiwi: I totally agree.
delurker
Is it racist of me to prefer blacks because a lot of them still look 31 when they are 50 whereas whites tend to go down hill fast after age 30?
Lorelai
The study asked 22 women and 9 men. A sample size of 31 is way to small to be generalizable. Then they did a second study with 36 women and 14 men. Umm, nope. That’s still too small. Let’s wait til they redo the study with an actually exceptable sample size, with a more even ratio of women to men before we make any judgements. Queerty is fun but it seems like most of the studies they quote are unreliable.
Isaac
@Nunya Bizness: Thank you–at least one person in this forum was able to focus on the article and not let their ADHD carry them completely off topic! Yes, this is a small sample size, but if it is any indication of the unconscious behavior of the American (US & Canada) population at large, it has some very interesting findings. I think that your theory of peeling away our cultural stereotypes and remapping them based on sexual orientation and race is what’s at play here. I find it very interesting that being a double minority–a gay black male, somehow makes two traditionally disenfranchised traits somehow more acceptable than either trait alone. I think that black men who can be perceived as gay by someone outside of their own culture may also be perceived as having transcended their cultural norms/stereotypes, which fits with your idea of having a positive media stereotype (trendy monied gay professional). I think the idea of transcendance along with a more positive re-mapping is what is happening here.
SBC19
I just want to say that *no one* is a slave to their so-called ‘preferences.’ No one was born not being attracted to a certain race of man. Something came along and qualified what we “prefer.” Unlike sexual orientation, it is not innate — and can change at any random moment. Preferences don’t limit your options, they simply enhance your desires. I may “prefer” a certain flavor of ice cream, but that doesn’t mean that it’s all I can eat and enjoy.
I won’t be so phony as to say that there aren’t some ethnic/racial groups that I GENERALLY haven’t be attracted to, but I also won’t be so arrogant as to make an absolute statement about how I’m “NOT” attracted to them. I haven’t met everyone of every [insert race/ethnicity here] to make such a silly claim. So even though there may have yet to be a guy of that persuasion who has come along and turned me on, I don’t at all believe that somewhere, someone of that group couldn’t. And that’s why I wouldn’t dare put “No [insert race/ethnicity here]” in a dating profile, nor would I ever say that I wasn’t into “__________” men. That’s just stupid and close-minded. A truly open-minded, non-bigoted person will evaluate individuals on a case-by-case basis; not make blanket statements and assertions about NOT being attracted to entire group of people — as though they’ve personally met every one. If you have decided that you are not attracted to Black men *because* they are Black men, then you ARE a racist. Sorry, but it’s true.
I also wanna point out that the comparison to not being attracted to Black men and not being attracted to twinks/bears/fems is shallow and condescending. “Twinkdom” is a passing phase that most men grow out of by the time they’re in their middle 20s; “Bears” and overweight guys can shave their body hair, lose weight and discard that whole image; and “fems” (not that I’m saying that they should) can alter the way they present themselves to the public, if that’s what they want to do. Those are all bendable aesthetics that be altered if the person who fits the description would prefer to do that. So while it’s still rude to reject people for fitting those descriptions, it’s not comparable to snubbing someone for simply being their race, which is a fundamental trait of who they are, and cannot be altered.
Tackle
@ crustybastard: The point that I was trying to make is Daniel Villarreal is of
Hispanic/Latino origin. Yet he constantly to bring up racial strife between Black and White gay men. What I have noticed many times on Queerty Is that most times when there is a post involving Blacks, Daniel is the author. In fact about 98% of the time. For his own reason he has written over twenty post, maybe more, involving Blacks under the guise to inform. Knowing full well what would blow-up. And most times they have not been positive. This is a writer who used the term Jungle bunny (about four months ago) to describe a interracial Black and White couple and then took the offinsive word out when he was called on it. I mentioned that to show you his mind-set and I do believe he harbors deep resentment towards Black men.
So by Daniel being Hispanic/Latino, I mentioned if he got this story from Canada, then why not get one from Mexico or some South America country? If he can write over twenty stories involving Blacks then surly he can get twenty involving Hispanics. The largest minorty group in America He dosen’t do that because he dosent want the same racial hostility turned towards Hispanics/Latinos.
newcityspot
Is racism a choice or are you just born that way?
Daniel Villarreal
@Tackle: I have never used the term “jungle bunny” in my life. I did however use the term “Jungle fever” in a post about interracial marriage. I explained that I used it as a reference to Spike Jones’ use of it and then later removed the term after understanding that even Mr. Jones used it in a derogatory context. I’d appreciate you not spreading false recounts of the incident in the future.
As Day Editor of Queerty.com, I write 10 to 15 articles on this site every day. So if you see a story about blacks, yeah it was probably me because no one else here covers breaking news.
As I said, I have printed plenty of stories about homophobic whites, but that is of no interest to you as it does not fit your narrative about me trying to “stir up trouble” between whites and blacks. I find it odd that you continue to focus primarily on African-Americans while ignoring the many longer pieces I’ve done about the ways progressive black gays have worked to strengthen their communities. But as I said, these pieces don’t fit your narrative of “Daniel is a racist” so it’s of no use to you.
I’ll tell you what I think. I think you see a bunch of racist comments on Queerty and then blame me for “stirring the pot” rather than blaming the commenters for saying racist things. It’s much easier to accuse the author who puts his name by every article, then to go after the many faceless commenters who regularly say inflammatory things with no accountability and then disappear back into the digital expanse.
I will agree with you that it is much harder to find stories about Latino homophobia, partially because Latino publications either don’t print them, print them only in Spanish, or because I have yet to find a consistent source for them. If you or any other readers know of any good LGBT Hispanic News sites, I would be happy to include them (warts and all) in our regular coverage, especially since so many other LGBT news blogs do not.
That being said, whenever you come up with concrete suggestions on how we can improve our coverage for people of color—rather than just facilely labeling me and presuming to know my intent—I welcome your input at [email protected]
This will be my last comment on this thread. Thanks!
Rico1907
@Josh elder: I don’t think you are racist and I’m black and PRican. I don’t know who has ever said that to you, but I think it is perfectly fine to feel that way. I think white men are attractive, but I always have preferred to date black and Hipanic men only. And, Asain men I’m not attracted to at all. So, I don’t know why people tell you that.
darkskin bttms R survivors
@Jeff: Sho-Nuff man.. Im bout to go kill myself right now…
Guillermo3
@Josh elder: Good for you,Josh elder!! I’ve only been perusing/commenting on gay sites for a few months [this one,encountered by accident,occasionally after listening to “Swish Edition”,formerly Black Spark’s,and frequently Break the Illusion] ,but one thing I’ve noticed,and am sickened by in all of them, is rampant factionalism,in-fighting, & one-upsmanship.Sometimes it almost goes to the absurd querulousness of “Yeah?! But what about us three-headed trans-gendered bi-sexual Methodist amputees?!!” I there is truly a gay community,more general acceptance & solidarity would go a long way.
the crustybastard
@Tackle:
So your point is that — in reporting on a Canadian study that “BLACK MEN ARE SEEN AS VERY LIKABLE” — Daniel Villarreal is attempting to incite “racial hostility” toward blacks?
Do take a moment and try to realize how nutty you sound.
@Daniel Villarreal: You mean Spike Lee.
Michael
Queerty, you really need to learn how to STOP MISREPRESENTING RESEARCH. This study makes no comparison across racial lines. The conclusion of their research indicates that among white men, straight men are more likable, and among black men, the opposite is true. It is possible that black gay men and white gay men had similar average likability scores, however their relationship to the straight men of their respective race may be different (ie, both black and white gay men had an average score of 5, whereas white straight men had an average score of 6, and black straight men had an average score of 3.).
This headline is just aimed at provoking racial strife. And the readers, as usual, fell into the typical trap.
Mykey
this post has become about how some white guys are not attracted in the least to black guys! well am not attracted to white guys either!
ascot
@Josh elder: i ike what u said, i have gone thruw a lot in my life since i was very very young cuz i was a girly boy , n then a girly young adult, it has cost me tears n pain in my heart to be who i am now,and at that time i even was jelous of “str8” acting gay men,cuz i was the one getting all the bullets, n being pointed out . it still hurts me but now i know I M REAL , i am a real man, who intoduce himself in the way i am and i want other to know me . i dont lie nor use women to hide who really i am, neather i posse being macho just to fit with friends.
“str8 acting ” homosexual men are always around , usualy bragging his manlyness n possing to be the man they ll never be , now i fell sorry about this people. and i never try to put my eyes on someone like that cuz I DESERVE BETTER, CUZ I AM REAL MAN.
Vaughn
I think I speak for all Black Gay Men when I say, TOLD YOU SO!
Vaughn
To be less ambiguous, what I meant was this. We aren’t as bad as society depicts us to be. We are lovable, sensitive, stoic and resilient individuals who are determined to play the hand we have been dealt and ultimately live our best lives!
John Harper Jr
@Tony: So if a fem guy doesn’t like a fem guy, that baffles you?? As a black man, everything you said made sense up until that point.
Tommy
I’ve been “out” for nearly 20yrs now. I’ve seen and done a lot in that period of time. I had one meaningful relationship or so i thought for 2yrs. However, after i found out he was cheating on me for the better part of 6 months the entire 2yrs we were together things changed with me. I was never able to fully trust another partner. I’m 37 now, and feel like i’ve played the field and got a lot out of my system during my 20’s. I also feel like an “old soul” and not to many people out there can understand much less relate to what that means. In other words, i’ve never felt like i have had anything in common with my own “age group”. I’ve always preferred older men and black men and doing more “mature” things. I’m white myself, but honestly white men ARE in fact more “bitcher” at least in my opinion they are. I’ve seen this displayed most often at the “bar scene” but that got REALLY old for me as i approached 30. Seeing the same faces, listening to the same music, it just got really stale for me. And there are many times when i don’t feel like i “fit in”. And for the most part i probably don’t except for the fact that i’m attracted to men which is the one “common bond” all of us gay men share together. I’ve been single now for MANY years and don’t have that many friends either. I’ve learned how to adapt being alone which sometimes i feel is the better route for me. Because of my own fears with rejection or how people perceive me. Having been diagnosed many years ago with social anxiety isn’t helping matters either….LOL But i digress, i do feel there is a “right” someone for everyone out there. I don’t believe God created human-beings to be alone. But in our minority, i don’t find much hope for unity and respect. We crave it, and have at times demanded it from the heterosexual community. But yet we can’t seem to get a hold on how to treat each other with the very same thing were ASKING FOR…!!! It’s a shame really, because it paints a picture of hypocrisy for us in my opinion. We demand respect from others outside of our own gay community yet we can’t give that same respect towards each other…? Lets look at the word in itself, the word “gay” means happy. Yet i find so many folks in our community who are miserable and depressed. When are we going to wake up and realize were causing more of our own problems by reacting the way we do towards each other. And all the while, the heterosexual community is laughing there asses off thinking how hypocritical we are asking for “equal rights”. I guess when men start waking up and truly understanding what the words; friendship, love, respect, & commitment mean i’ll have better luck finding “mr. right”. Until then, i can’t be bothered with all the drama & poison that i hear get spewed out on a daily basis. It breaks my heart, that we can’t be closer as a community. And i often wonder why there is so much anger and hurtful comments made each and everyday. Perhaps if we became closer as the “minority” we are. We’d have a better understanding of what respect & equal rights are all about. In the interim, we really have no right asking for it until we can show it to each other….(g)
gentdesign
Who’s the editor of this publication. I’d say the stories covered here are not from a particularly educated mindset/perspective – just my opinion.
The vibration is very low and has mostly to do with the physical realm.
I find it very shallow and in a sense predictable/stereotypical.
Too bad and unfortunate.