Question about Latinos.

[vrsbbltn]

I am Latino (Spanish is my first language), and have wondered for a long time what guys in the USA mean when they say such things like "I like Latinos, Latinos are hot", etc.

Latin-America (Considering only those countries in which Spanish is the main language) is composed of 19 countries. All of them share at least some degree of similarities in culture because they were Spain's colonies in the past, but today, some are so different from another ones, that basically, only similarity in both is Spanish being the main language. If they had different languages, they would be seen as different as India and China are.

Latinos are basically a mix of all the races on Earth; they range from black to white, from short to tall, from skinny to corpulent, etc. In all countries, you see lots of different people, styles, customs, even in the smallest ones, not everybody looks the same. So, it's a great generalization when saying such things about a group of people that are so diverse in all aspects.

I know that being from a different race/culture makes it very hard to distinguish similarities and differences between countries of other cultures, so that's why we group all of those with some sort of similarity into one term.

To make this simpler, I'll do the following; I'll group big areas, sorting all Latin-American countries (again, Spanish speaking ones) into groups, according to geographical area, similarities in culture, and looks of guys, as much as these countries can be related based on these things.

1. Mexico. This one is too big in both, land area and population and it's very diverse by itself, not so related to it's neighbors, so that's why I put it alone.

2. Central America: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.

3. Caribbean Islands: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.

South America:

4. Colombia and Venezuela.

5. Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia.

6. Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay.

So, based on that, which number represents the group of Latin-Americans you think are the hottest, the ones you refer to when you say "Latinos". If you like any of them as long as he speaks Spanish you can say so, or if you want to select only a country, or type of people within a country is ok as well.

If you don't like any, your opinion is respected, but express yourself in a proper way, I don't want this sensitive topic to turn evil.

[Guest ohgodpozme]

The bias is likely unconscious in most cases; it's not confined to people of Latin origin, and the lack of differentiation is deeply embedded in culture and law. This isn't to say the bias isn't inaccurate, insulting, or inexcusable; it's just pervasive.

Your observation about the huge umbrella of "Latinos" is spot-on. I wonder something similar when I read ads expressing either admiration or dislike for any particular ethnic distribution. This includes "white". For example, I am the genetic result of Vikings raiding Scotland, but for some reason I am still referred to as "caucasian", despite not being from the Caucasus except in the most abstract sense of prehistoric human migration. Anglo-Celtic, Germanic, Austro-Hungarian, Arab, Persian...all "white", somehow. And 150 years ago, neither Italians nor Irish (NINA, "No Irish Need Apply") would have been considered "white".

Professing exclusive or reductive racial biases strikes me as more than a little silly for gay men. If for no other reason, whatever our formative experiences, you'd think that being statistically rare would teach us the value and joy of outliers.

Edited January 9, 2013 by ohgodpozme

[NastyRigPig]

Blue eyed latino here. I don't even bother telling tricks I'm latino, but guys are all expecting either a Brazillian soccer stud, or they're disappointed I don't fucking have a leaf blower on my back.

[rawTOP]

"I like Latinos" typically means olive skin, black hair, etc. It typically doesn't mean "white latinos" or "black latinos". In other words it's the 70% middle ground - not the edges.

In my case Latinos are my favorite group (speaking in general terms). I like that they tend to be shorter than me. I like the typical skintone. I like how smooth they tend to be. I like that they tend to like white guys - but not just like white guys they tend to be a bit submissive with white guys. I like that they tend to be uncut.

[vrsbbltn]

I understand all humans generalize. It's equally impressive when we say "European" to refer to anyone living in the European continent, or "Asian" to refer to anyone living in Asia.

Many times, Latinos=Mexicans, Asians=Chinese, because these are the biggest, most influential countries in terms of culture/geographical area. I feel this is an American thing, as in other countries people say "I like people from X country, or from X race, or from X area", it's not so common to say "I like Whites, Blacks, Latinos..". When I wrote it, I was kinda afraid this was going to be polemic because of that, but from where I come from, it's totally normal, and that's why I put groups of countries which are similar rather than asking for individual ones, just in case.

I'd say almost all Latinos (Spanish speaking ones) don't consider Brazil part of Latin-America. Thing is, the term "Latino" refers to people who speak languages that come from Latin, Romance ones. This would make not only Brazil a Latin country, but also Haiti, France, Romania, Spain, some African countries, and still others. I would have used the term Hispanic (countries that were Spain's colonies, and hence have cultural ties to it, and all share some similarities, language being the most obvious), but preferred to use Latino, as it's more known.

So please, please, please. Exclude Brazilians this time please! Have to say it like that because I'm sure many will be tempted to say Brazilians, as there is a huge Brazilian fetish in the gay community.

I agree, most guys into Latino's like their skin tone, the one that it's not black nor white, which makes them distinctive from other races, and yes, most are uncut and on the shorter side and like white men.

[AlwaysOpen]

Hmmm- last night I ventured down to Miami, to a "LATINO" GAY bar with a great beer special and a very social patio <think dark> I think I was one of 3 GRINGOS in there- and I had a blast. I didn't try to identify any man by his home country- most spoke Spanish, which was fine as long as they understood me on my knees was saying let me suck you (to start) But you have to make some identifications- humans love and need order in their life- and toss in a nice foreskin and a big smile- and I am all yours <g>

[thick]

Id say all of my latin sexual partners so far have been men from mexico and central america. And boy are they fun to fuck!

[RawLeather]

Men of latin descent in general are what I like best

[wanttobeseeded]

I am Latino (Spanish is my first language), and have wondered for a long time what guys in the USA mean when they say such things like "I like Latinos, Latinos are hot", etc.

Latin-America (Considering only those countries in which Spanish is the main language) is composed of 19 countries. All of them share at least some degree of similarities in culture because they were Spain's colonies in the past, but today, some are so different from another ones, that basically, only similarity in both is Spanish being the main language. If they had different languages, they would be seen as different as India and China are.... So, it's a great generalization when saying such things about a group of people that are so diverse in all aspects.

I know that being from a different race/culture makes it very hard to distinguish similarities and differences between countries of other cultures, so that's why we group all of those with some sort of similarity into one term

I think our instinct is to generalize the unknown, and I agree with you that those generalizations about other cultures (especially as sex objects) constitute reductive thinking in our case. I think it's essentially the same as people saying they "Aren't into Asians" or "Aren't into blacks guys." As though all people of a particular "race" are they same; as though having sex with someone of a particular race is a monolithic thing. I'm not sure where the instinct to prefer/sidcount entire cultures for sexual satisfaction comes from, but it doesn't seem like an authentic expression of desire as much as a cultural reaction to commonly accepted stereotypes. And that sort of play/fucking can be fun (race-play, etc.), but it isn't all there is to sex and I don't want to be limited to it.

I might be sensitive about this because as a black bottom, I am seen as black first and people who aren't "into" black guys seem to think they already "know" what it would be like to be with me simply because of the color of my skin. I get rejected a lot because I'm not the ideal bottom or because they expect me to top. I think expectations like this just divide us more. I'd like to see more people with open minds enjoying each other sexually. Thanks for the post, OP.

[Pig Bottom]

It depends where you are. In California, AZ, NM and Texas you are more likely to find Mexicans, in south Florida and the NYC metro area you will find more Puerto Ricans, Cubans and guys from South America.

[vrsbbltn]

Good points "wanttobeseeded". As I am versatile, many times I have a hard time when bottoming, because thanks to stereotypes, everyone expects me to top, so when I want to bottom let's say in public, or if I say in any conversation that I like to bottom, the other guy generally looses interest in me. I have thought on making a thread on this, will probably soon.

I must admit that before living in the USA, since I was not exposed to Black nor Asians that much, I was one of those who said "not into Blacks nor Asians". Once I lived in the USA, and visited a couple of cities, and got to see how incredibly hot many of them are, I no longer say I don't like any race. I lived in the USA being an adult (21 yo+), and in a few months I changed my mind. What intrigues me is, why so many guys who have lived all their life there like to generalize and reject so much. Aren't 15, 30, 45, 60 years enough to see things differently, not to think all Latinos are trashy drug dealers, all Blacks are thugs, and all Asians are lazy/boring bottoms? And/or that not all people from X race or country is ugly?

[rawTOP]

NYC metro area you will find more Puerto Ricans, Cubans and guys from South America.

NYC has LOTS of Domincans. I think I heard somewhere that there are more Dominicans in NYC than in the Dominican Republic. When I first moved to NYC I used to think Dominicans were really attractive black guys - then I heard them speaking Spanish and figured it out.

Puerto Ricans have largely moved to the suburbs - so some, but not as many as you'd might expect if your view of NYC is shaped by Westside Story.

There are lots of Mexicans here, but they don't tend to be gay - at least not part of the gay scene. They do dominate restaurant workers and construction workers though.

Then there's the smattering of Central Americans and Brazilians that are all over the City. Cubans are more of a South Florida thing. There are a few, but not that many.

I like NYC a lot in part because of all the different cultures here. Makes my sex life more interesting...

[Pig Bottom]

NYC has LOTS of Domincans. I think I heard somewhere that there are more Dominicans in NYC than in the Dominican Republic. When I first moved to NYC I used to think Dominicans were really attractive black guys - then I heard them speaking Spanish and figured it out.

Puerto Ricans have largely moved to the suburbs - so some, but not as many as you'd might expect if your view of NYC is shaped by Westside Story.

There are lots of Mexicans here, but they don't tend to be gay - at least not part of the gay scene. They do dominate restaurant workers and construction workers though.

Then there's the smattering of Central Americans and Brazilians that are all over the City. Cubans are more of a South Florida thing. There are a few, but not that many.

I like NYC a lot in part because of all the different cultures here. Makes my sex life more interesting...

I used to be in love with a Dominican friend from a dance club I used to go to, but he was white, but still latin looking.

I used to see what I thought were Mexican guys when I used to play around at the movie theaters before Guiliani shut them. You can't tell sometimes with them because they can look Mexican and be from Ecuador or Columbia or Chile, it's the Aztec/Mayan Indian type of look.

NJ has the second largest group of Cubans after south Florida. Most were from Union City area just across the river from Manhattan. You would never know they were Cuban because I had a Cuban friend growing up that was a redhead and another one that was so pale he hated wearing shorts in the summer because his legs were so white. Other white ones with some olive coloring look Italian, Greek, Lebanese or Sephardic Jewish, so you would not know what they were unless you asked. Also the ones in the northeast are much more Americanized that the ones in Miami.

Many colors in the Latin Homo Rainbow. From blonde and blue eyes, to swarthy looking, to Mexican Indian looking, to Mulatto (100s of shades of that), to brown and black.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Pig Bottom

[Pig Bottom]

At Slammers in Fort Lauderdale you see a lot of Latin guys, and I hear them speaking Spanish, but I can't tell where people are from by their looks. One looks a little like a light skinned Noriega so I'm guessing he's from Panama. I met a cute Colombian guy there too. Brazilians often look Portuguese. Portuguese are handsome too, I knew a set of twins from a straight club and they did straight guy flirting with me. I prefer gringos for dating, but I'm open to all.

[HungLatinDom]

I am quite light skinned for being from Venezuela, but my features are black: Big, thick lips, flat nose. My body is almost completely smooth and at 30, I can grow no beard at all. Big cock and ass, generally associated with black men. MY siblings are even lighter skinned and with blond and auburn hair. But I do have very dark uncles and aunts and also with blue or green eyes.