Sexual objectification and the construction of whiteness in the gay male community

Abstract

This paper presents interview data and media analysis on the gay male community in the USA. It describes how sexual objectification is more than the outcome of racism in the gay male community. Sexual objectification of gay men of colour in the USA produces a white sexual community. Ideologies of inclusivity and non-discrimination blind white gay men to the harmful effects of sexual objectification. Moreover, discussing negative effects of objectification is met with considerable resistance. The experiences of African American men, described in this paper, show the pervasiveness of sexual objectification. The sexual objectification of men of colour forces them to play specific roles in sexual encounters that are not necessarily of their own choosing.