This paper focuses on dating sites among gay Latino men aged between 25 to 30 years. In addition, it discusses the preferences of Women in Los Angeles who are looking for men.
The research indicates that men value their career more than family because society values the career of the man more than that of the wife even when she is getting good pay. The culture dictates that men should be the main providers in their families. On the other hand, women value a family with social stability more than the career of the men especially if the woman is earning a stable income.
Men are interested in sex more than women are and prefer quality sex with their mates to dating a mate who earns a stable income and does not give them great sex. Women are interested in dating men who are intelligent more than men do when looking for women to date.
Also, men are interested in the appearance of the women they want to date more than women are when looking for a man. However, gay men and heterosexual women have similar likings in a man. The following findings support the preferences for men and women who are looking for mates to date (Kurzban & Weeden, 2005).
Gay Latinos
Latino gay men prefer mates who are intelligent with good physical characteristics as well as sensitive in most life issues. They consider personal commitment seriously because, at the age of 30 years, most of them are ready to settle for marriage. Language is an important factor for Latino gay men who are looking for a partner to enhance effective communication among themselves, their relatives as well as friends (Wong, 2003).
Financial stability is an important factor to consider for Latino men when choosing their mates. They prefer those with a stable income to cater for daily expenses and savings. Approximately, 80% of the Latinos interviewed wanted to have a partner who was social and easy-going, when interacting with family, friends, and relatives (Kurzban & Weeden, 2005).
Women dating in Los Angeles
The following discussion is about ten women from Los Angeles who are looking for men to date. All of them are aged between 30 and 35 years. The first woman is looking for a man aged between 30 and 40 years. She has children but wants more children with the man she will marry.
She speaks Latino language and, therefore, wants a Latino man for effective communication with friends and relatives. The woman wants a man who loves working. He must have good physical characteristics, confidence, and good motivation to succeed in life, and be conscious of daily happenings (Yancey, 2002).
The second interviewee is a woman who has never been married, no children and wants kids with the man she is looking for. She is looking for a man whom she can change to make him happy, confident and able to enjoy little things in life that happen around him. The man should express himself without fear of what the other people may think about his views (Bledsoe, Combs, Sigelman & Welch, 2001).
The third woman has never married and is looking for a man who is aged 33-36 years to have kids. The man she would like to live her life with should be happy, take life seriously and able to discus important issues (Wong, 2003).
The fourth woman wants a child with the man though she would like to save her freedom and not be restricted from hanging out with the other men. Also, she wants a man who will be social with her family members and take her to different events, such as dancing or gymnasium (Wong, 2003).
The man does not necessarily have to be earning because the interviewee is working as a television anchor and earns enough to provide for their future family. The woman would appreciate if the man has similar interests with her, such as hanging out, watching moves, dining out, traveling and exercising as well similar traits, which is called positive assortative mating.
The sixth woman is aged 34 years and searching for a man aged 34-43 years. The man should not necessarily be working but must be romantic, available for dating, and ready to have children when they settle for marriage.
The man should follow a healthy lifestyle meaning that he should not smoke, drink or use drugs; his faith is also important for her because Christians will be preferred. The man should take care of her and make her happy (Wong, 2003).
The seventh woman wants to date a 34-44 years old man, have kids with him and visit different kinds of events with her, such as social drinking. She has a good income, but the man must also be working, financially independent and confident. The man should be cheerful and able to make the woman happy (Rosenfeld, Stewart & Stinnett, 2000).
The eighth female interviewee wants kids with the man though she already has children. The ninth and the tenth women who are aged 34 years and 35 years respectively want good-looking men. The men should be respectful, caring and honest for ultimate sex life.
The above findings on the ten women interviewed showed how women have evolved in their preferences for men who they want to date and probably settle with in life. Both men and women prefer dating with mates from their own group, which is known as endogamy. The interviewed men and women did not show a preference for exogamy (Regan & Sprecher, 2002).
References
Bledsoe, T., Combs, M. Sigelman, L., & Welch, S. (2001). Race and place: Race relations in an American city. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Kurzban, R. & Weeden, J. (2005). HurryDate: Mate Preferences in Action. Evolution and Human Behavior, 26, 227-244.
Regan, P. & Sprecher, S. (2002). Liking some things (in some people) more than others: partner preferences in romantic relationships and friendships, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 463-481.
Rosenfeld, L. Stewart, S. & Stinnett, H. (2000). Sex differences in desired characteristics of short-term and long-term relationship partners, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 17, 843–853.
Wong, L. (2003). Structural estimation of marriage models, Journal of Labor Economics, 21, 699-729.
Yancey, G. (2002). Who interracially dates: An examination of the characteristics of those who have interracially dated, Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 33, 179-190.