Queer love in the lives of gay Latino men in college

Abstract

This qualitative study employed portraiture methodology and the analytical tool of thinking with theory to comprehend how gay Latino men enrolled at a four-year university experienced heteronormativity in different settings (e.g. with family and at college) and how these influenced their connections to love. Using stories from five participants, this research revealed how students navigated borderlands as a result of their sexuality and cultural background. The findings, presented as “queering love” portraits and portrait themes, showcased the ways that these gay Latino college men resisted heteronormative ideals of love and romance by performing disidentificatory actions. Findings will be of particular interest to higher education scholars and practitioners as they seek to support students as holistic beings on college campuses.