Human–animal sexual relations and the construction of masculinity in livestock farming contexts: The case of Andalusia (Spain)

Abstract

The meaning of sexual practices between humans and animals cannot be understood exclusively as an identity category, a pathology, or the expression of uncontrolled sexuality. Up until now, medical-psychiatric approaches have dominated the study of these sexual practices. In the cases from south Spain that we analysed here, sexual relations with animals are, for certain males, framed within their process of learning about normative sexuality, being therefore inextricably linked with the construction of masculinity.