Exploring the Tensions Between Masculinities and Connections with Faculty and Staff among Gay Latino Collegians

Abstract

This study utilizes Gloria E. Anzaldúa’s Border theory to explore how internalized messages of masculinities shape the ways that gay Latino men develop connections with university staff and faculty. Specifically, we highlight how such messages learned primarily in the context of the home create spaces of tension, nepantla, within heteronormative campus settings. We present portraits of five Latino collegians enrolled in a large public four-year institution, followed by three themes. The themes include gay Latinos developing relationships (1) solely for academic purposes, (2) that explicitly involve women, and, in other cases, (3) displaying resistant behaviors to developing connections. We conclude by offering practical implications for university administrators and faculty.