Contesting and Maintaining Hegemonic Masculinities: Gay Asian American Men in Mate Selection

Masculinity is a prized commodity in mate selection among gay men. However, few studies systematically examine how gay Asian American men interpret their form of masculinity in the context of mate selection. Using data from in-depth interviews with 37 Asian Americans, I study how they interpret and negotiate their form of masculinity within a racialized gender hierarchy. The results show gay Asian American men maintain the hegemonic masculinity frame in the negotiation of their desirability and desires. Concurrently, they also attempt to reframe their masculinity to contest the subordination of their form of masculinity. Ironically, their alternate frame still maintains a gendered hierarchy whereby masculinity is still preferred over femininity, even as it contests the racialized hegemonic masculinity frame.