“I Want a Man”: Patterns of Attraction in All-Male Personal Ads

Abstract

Interpersonal attraction of “men seeking men” in personal advertisements is investigated by using an electronic telephone advertisement system. One hundred and sixty-seven phone advertisements from men seeking men in Ottawa, Canada, were used in this study. Content analysis reveals themes and patterns in regard to inclusion of genital language, sexual roles, sexual acts, body language, race, and age. Results reveal a strong emphasis in advertisements' content on physical appearance and sexual relationships. Physical appearance and comments related to sex were mentioned in most ads, suggesting the importance of these two issues as strategies for securing responses when placing personal advertisements seeking men.

Keywords

personal ads homosexual dating physical appearance sexual relationships

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