Social stereotypes and masculine homosexualities: The Spanish case

Abstract

The Spanish democracy has brought about important transformations in the cultural construction of homosexual masculinities. Leaving behind the classical southern Mediterranean stereotypical images - structured around the binary opposition between 'top' and 'bottom' sexualities - a new model has emerged where the idea of 'gayness' replaces old ways of thinking about male homosexuality. These changes have shaped both the hegemonic view of homosexuals in society and perceptions by homosexuals themselves. Slowly, Spanish homosexuals have created new narratives dissociated from strategies of adaptation to the homophobic contexts of the Francoist regime. Spanish homosexuals no longer mechanically reproduce social prejudices about male homosexuality. They have also developed new frameworks to think about themselves. These new narratives help Spanish society enrich its own view of homosexual identity by incorporating variables such as social class and age. This article explores these transformations from a socio-historical perspective and delineates key historical moments: pre-gay, gay and hyper-gay. © The Author(s) 2011.