How do men feel about the “metrosexual” label? How do their views relate to changing norms of masculine self-presentation and increasing acceptance of “out” gay men? We interviewed 30 US white-collar men, who generally expressed ambivalence about the social category of metrosexual and claimed that the practices associated with it were now the norm, while differentiating between the labels of gay and metrosexual. We argue that metrosexuality raises new possibilities for gay-straight alliances and more varied performances of heterosexual masculinity, at work and beyond. However, these developments seem to reinscribe rather than reconfigure power relations privileging heterosexual men.

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Alfred Kinsey's reports on human sexual behavior have been revolutionizing the ways in which individuals think about sexuality and sexual behaviors. More than 18,000 individuals participated in the separate studies on men and women, where sexual histories were collected and later analyzed. Most notably, Kinsey discovered that there was a wide range of sexual behaviors that were in fact common, including masturbation, premarital sex, and extramarital sex. He also catalogued the frequencies with which individuals participated in these activities and noted variation based on age, geographic location, social position, religiosity, and so on.

What is it about that personal ad headline, ''Str8 Dude Seeks Same'' that calls for sociological analysis? What makes a kiss shared between two men on television sometimes comical, sometimes loving, and sometimes revolting? Jane Ward unpacks these kinds of questions to explore new ways of thinking about sexuality and helps us to understand how gay sex between straight men can become not-gay sex by a simple utterance of ''No Homo.'' In her latest book, Not Gay: Sex between Straight White Men, Jane Ward offers a new look at the relationship between sex, sexuality, and gender. This book places straight white men at the center of analysis to dissect the meanings of the gay sex they have. In discussing the significance of straightness and gayness, she has queered the boundaries of sexual behavior, so that the nuances of these sex acts can be recognized. Early in this work, Ward questions the concept of ''sexual fluidity,'' asking why it has been largely used to describe a characteristic of women's sexual identities but not for men's. To illustrate, she explains that two women can kiss one another and still identify themselves as straight, while two men who kiss one another are labeled as undoubtedly gay. In reality, she argues that men participate in a wide range of sexual contact with other men, and do so in ways that often bolster their heterosexuality, not distance them from it. Not Gay masterfully reveals a far more nuanced picture of men's sexuality than previously thought. Ward tackles assumptions that ''men who have sex with men'' or men who are ''on the down low'' are simply just clandestine phrases to identify men who are actually gay. She describes straight white men who engage in sex with other men in various settings, including fraternities, military barracks, bars, and bathrooms. Men seeking sex in these environments do so in specific ways that consequently reinforces both their heterosexuality and their masculinity. In fact, she argues that gay sex is a vital component of reinforcing white masculine

The growing literature discussing men's health identifies ways that biology and social factors influence men's health outcomes. Social constructions of masculinities, combined with other social factors such as age, race, marital status, and socioeconomic status all influence men's health behaviors and likelihood of illness. Additionally, cultural considerations also affect men's health outcomes, particularly on a global scale.