Migration and Sexuality: A Comparison of Mexicans in Sending and Receiving Communities

2010/03/01 by Emilio A. Parrado, Chenoa A. Flippen · 17 citations
Health Professions · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Adaptation (eye) #Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health #Casual #Context (archaeology) #Demography #Developmental psychology #Gender studies #Geography #Human sexuality #Immigration #Migration, Health and Trauma #Political science #Population #Psychology #Reproductive health #Sex work and related issues #Social psychology #Sociology

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2009.01639.x

openalex publication_date 2010/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

The reconstruction of sexuality after migration is a central dimension of immigrant health and an integral part of the process of adaptation and incorporation. Despite its significance there is little quantitative information measuring the changes in sexual behavior accompanying migration. This paper contributes to the literature connecting immigrant adaptation and health risks by comparing sexual practices and attitudes among Mexicans in Durham, NC and Mexican sending communities. Consistent with a social constructivist approach to sexuality we show that compared to non-migrants, Mexicans residing in the U.S. exhibit heightened exposure to risk, including casual and, among men, commercial partners. The enhanced risks associated with migration vary systematically by gender and marital status and are accompanied by variation in attitudes towards sexuality, with the U.S. context associated with higher tolerance for infidelity and biological explanations of sexuality. We discuss the implications for immigrant adaptation and health policies in the U.S. and abroad.

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• Parental Gender Expectations by Socioeconomic Status and Nativity: Implications for Contraceptive Use. [europepmc]
• Challenges and Barriers to HIV Care for Mexican Born Men Living in Chicago. [europepmc]
• HIV knowledge, sexual practices, condom use and its associated factors among international students in one province of China: a cross-sectional study. [europepmc]
• The hidden side of migration: Understanding sexuality as an aspiration to migrate. [europepmc]
• Sexual Health Implications of Return Migration for Women and Their Partners in Rural Mexico: A Critical Ethnography. [europepmc]

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