Based on an ethnographic study in homoerotic social environments in the city of Rio de Janeiro, this article discusses the expression of sexual identities among male and female youth, the motivations behind affective-sexual relationships and the dynamics of circulation in social environments. The analysis is informed by the influence of social markers of gender and color/race in shaping the social practices and identities. The homoerotic interactions among urban youth suggest continuities and changes in gender distinctions, as well as an expansion of sexual experience and a trend towards less fixed sexual identities.
Sexual Identity; Young People; Gender; Sociability; Homosexuality; Rio de Janeiro