Conditions of possibility for male couples

SummaryObjectivesIn this article, the author explores data obtained from empirical research into male couples and tries to understand them from a comprehensive standpoint.MethodThe data collected in the studies were distributed according to several different variables: duration of the couple, cultural variables, sexual dynamics, sexual activity, sexual roles and impact of HIV. The male couples appear to want to have long-term relationships, are culturally more dissimilar, less dependant on gender roles and are more often open to having multiple partners. A comprehensive analysis of this data indicates that it could be useful to use the social environment of the couples – in particular gender, homophobia and heterosexism – not just as a factor likely to make the couple more fragile but also as a “condition of possibility” that takes account of empirical data.DiscussionThe egalitarianism of the male couples can be better understood as a mechanism to adapt to gender constraints, and to distribute roles and power within the couple. Similarly, the heterosexism takes account of a certain level of sexual inventiveness and offers a partial explanation for the importance of multiple partners in male couples. In response to homophobia, these couples manage to compartmentalize the various aspects of daily life and strengthen their cohesion.ConclusionsThe dynamics of a male homosexual couple are determined more by gender than by sexual orientation. Male couples can therefore be seen as a kind of laboratory to understand “what men want” under conditions where female influence is very limited.