Perceptions of power and sexual pleasure associated with sexual behaviour profiles among Latino sexual minority men

Abstract

In a body of research typically focused on risk reduction and disease prevention, other factors motivating the sexual behaviours of Latino sexual minority men, such as resource-based power and sexual pleasure, are less well understood. To this end, Latino immigrant sexual minority men living in New York City were surveyed about their sexual behaviours, perceived power differentials, and pleasure from insertive and receptive anal intercourse. Power and pleasure were examined as associations with behavioural profiles identified through latent class analysis, adjusting for age and partner type. Four latent classes of Latino sexual minority men were identified based on behaviours reported during the most recent sexual event: behaviourally insertive (14.2%), behaviourally versatile (25.9%), behaviourally receptive (29.2%), and limited penetrative behaviour (30.7%). Participants who derived pleasure from insertive and receptive anal intercourse had higher odds of belonging in the behaviourally insertive and behaviourally receptive class, respectively. Perceptions of resource-based power were not associated with class membership. Findings highlight the importance of sexual pleasure as a driver of sexual behaviour, irrespective of power dynamics. Sexual health curricula and interventions for sexual minority men should consider sexual pleasure and sex-affirmative frameworks when providing sexuality education and promoting sexual wellbeing.

Keywords:

• sexual pleasure
• resource-based power
• Latino
• sexual minority men
• latent class analysis

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to participants for their generous contributions to the study, and the Latino Health Research Center for their guidance and consultation on this article. Data collection for this project was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (award R01 HD046258). During the preparation of this article, authors also received support from the District of Colombia Development Center for AIDS Research (CFAR; P30AI117970).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).