Dating Latin Men – Everything you need to know

Dating Latin men is an appealing concept. After all, Latinos are renowned for being attractive, passionate, family-oriented, and good lovers. 

However, there are a lot of negative stereotypes and assumptions that surround Latinos too. For instance, for every person that thinks of Latino men as being romantic and passionate with tanned skin and deep brown eyes, there are definitely those that assume that Latin men are all womanizers and cheats. 

It’s quite unfortunate that so many negative stereotypes exist. After all, there are literally hundreds of millions of Latin men that exist – in Latin America and across the world. 

They hardly all have a conjoined brain and a hive mind do they? One Latino guy could be the most doting, family-oriented man. Another could have five different girlfriends that he keeps in rotation. 

The same could be said of a guy from the United States – or the UK – or anywhere. The partnership between Latin males and white females is the most common type of interracial relationship in the United States. 

So if Latin men were really so different or untrustworthy, the presence and success rates of such relationships would not be so high. This post has been written by an ex-pat in Merida, Mexico. It will discuss some of the common considerations and stereotypes about dating Latin men. 

Dating Latin men 

The culture and traditions that a person has grown up around can definitely affect their view of relationships and the world. But it is important not to generalize and to treat everyone as individuals. 

Men are expected to foot the bill in Latin cultures 

The etiquette that surrounds paying the bill at the end of a date varies significantly from country to xountry. For instance, in many Western countries such as the UK or the United States, it is customary to split the bill. 

Alternatively, the woman may expect the man to pay on the initial dates Then, they will take turns in picking up the check as they continue to date. This is very different in Latin America.

 in countries like Mexico, men are always expected to pick up the bill. In fact, it would be considered extremely rude to expect the woman to pay or to go halves. 

Additionally, a man may feel emasculated if a woman pays for him. Generally, this should be seen as a sign of respect and chivalry rather than the patriarchy. 

Latin men often take pride in caring for and treating their women and so, one way that they like to do this is by organizing and paying for days. You may find that this aspect of Latin culture is also present when you date Latin men in the US. 

Of course, if you are dating someone for a while and you go out often, it is still appreciated if you offer to pay the bill occasionally. (Even if your offer is then rejected.) 

You may feel uncomfortable with someone having to foot the bill for you all the time. If you are in a relationship in a Latin or South American country where you do earn more than your partner, it can be respectful to take turns to pay. 

Family are important

Family is very important to Latin men and in Latin cultures in general. Most Latin people have huge families and they are close to all of their extended families. 

If you attend a birthday party, a Latin Christmas dinner, or a christening, you can expect about a dozen aunts, uncles, and cousins to be there. If you are dating a Latino man and things start to get serious and he invites you to meet his family, you can expect to meet a ton of people all at once. 

This can be overwhelming if you are from a small family or you are from a country that doesn’t have the same kind of family-oriented culture. In certain countries in Latin America, many people aspire to start their own families and have children and it is often the case that women will have their first children in their early twenties.

If you are in a serious relationship with a Latin man, it is a good idea, as is the case in any relationship, to discuss your bottom line early on. For instance, you should discuss whether you want to have children and where you see yourself living in the future.

This is perhaps particularly important if you do not see children in your future. even if you haven’t explicitly discussed it your Latin partner may well just presume that you want to have kids as it is often the normal path to follow. 

“Machismo” culture 

One of many stereotypes about Latin men is that Latin men are macho. There are many assumptions that men from Latin America are womanizers, that they go to the gym every day where they discuss their female conquests, and that they cannot discuss or express their feelings. 

Indeed, toxic masculinity does exist in Latin America, along with the idea that men are supposed to be “manly men”.  You will even hear many men referring to themselves or others as macho or saying things like “Él es mi macho.” 

Sometimes, men will be raised by their fathers to believe that they have to act a certain way in order to be men. For instance, they may be taught that as men they need to be the main breadwinner and the head of the household, that they need to be responsible for making the family decisions, and that traditional gender roles need to be enforced. 

This happens a lot in Latin America. However, it isn’t something that is specific to this part of the world. 

In the Mediterranean, for example, Greek men are often raised around similar values. Unfortunately, machismo culture is harmful to both men and women. 

It is harmful to men if they feel that they cannot ever meet the expectations that are placed upon them in order to become real men. (For instance, it is considered “not manly” to talk about your feelings, and mental health struggles). 

In turn, it is harmful to women in relationships with machismo-complex men. They may be treated as though they are not equal to their male counterparts in relationships or have certain outdated expectations placed upon them.  

Not every Latin man has a machismo complex. However, it is helpful to have your eyes open and be aware that this is a thing. 

Dating outside your culture introduces you to new things 

Intercultural relationships are a great way to discover new foods, traditions, and cultures. Occasionally you may find that you clash if you have been brought up in intrinsically different environments with different expectations.

However, as long as you communicate and try to understand things from each other’s perspectives there shouldn’t be anything that you cannot overcome. (Empathy and emotional intelligence are more crucial than ever in these kinds of relationships). 

If you are dating Latin men, you may have the opportunity to travel with your partner to his homeland, and to see the world from a different perspective. At home, you can cook together, introduce each other to books, movies, and music from each other’s cultures, etc. 

Latin men and interracial dating 

Whether Latin men are open to dating outside of their culture/race all depends on the individual – like when it comes to interracial dating with any person. A lot of Latin parents are completely fine with their sons and daughters dating people from other backgrounds. 

Some may not be and may give you a hard time, but remember that a relationship is between the two of you and not the extended family. If somebody has bigoted views towards you because of your culture or race, or you are constantly exposed to them as a result of your relationship, you should know when to remove yourself. 

Meeting the suegra 

A lot of Latin people will joke about their suegras (mothers-in-law) being monsters and dragons. There seems to be a stereotype of Latin mums being difficult to impress but again it all comes down to the individual. 

For every Latin mum that is wary of her son’s new love interest, there are more Latin mums that are excited to meet the person that has made their son so happy. Of course, there are a few things that you can do to make the first meetings easier. 

If you can speak any Spanish, even if it is just being able to say simple greetings like “Hola”, “Buenos dias” and “Como estas?” your efforts will be appreciated. Helping in the kitchen or with the dishes is always appreciated, as is the case if you visit anyone’s parents for the first time. 

Gender roles and household tasks

A lot of Latin countries are more patriarchal than you may be used to in the west. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all Latin men expect their women to behave like Stepford wives and assume traditional gender roles. 

Things have changed a lot around the world in the last few decades. Today, in much of Latin America, both partners work and have busy schedules. 

It is not the case that only the male partner works while the other is expected to stay home doing the cooking, cleaning, and looking after the kids. Again, it all comes down to the individual and if you can, trying to get an understanding of the person’s expectations can save you a lot of headaches later on. 

If your partner has grown up in the US or another western country, they may share a lot of similar views and values to you. You may find a difference between Latin men that have been raised in similar environments to you, and Latin men that have been raised in provincial Mexico for example.

Latin men are affectionate 

Latin men (and Latin people in general) are often more affectionate and touchy than people from other cultures. Public displays of affection between partners are common and normal. 

So, if you are out at a coffee shop or waiting in line at the movies, your partner won’t typically shy away from putting his arms around you, holding hands, or kissing in public. Even when people greet each other for the very first time, they are often more “touchy” than people from some other countries. 

For instance, two women that don’t know each other will usually always greet each other with a kiss on each cheek. If you meet your partner’s family and friends for the first time they will likely greet you with a hug. 

Cheating and infidelity 

The mention of Latin men is almost synonymous with the idea of cheating which is unfortunate. Sure there are Latin men that do cheat, and perhaps people with a machista outlook are more likely to see female conquests as achievements. 

But is that to say that American or British men do not cheat? In the early stages of dating, you will know whether you find the person that you are with to be trustworthy or not. 

For every Latino that cheats, there are plenty of others that would not dream of inadvertently inflicting pain on the person that they care about or potentially breaking up their family. 

FAQs about Dating Latin Men

Do you have any further questions or concerns about dating Latin men? the answers to some frequently asked questions on the topic a detailed below. hopefully, you will find the information that you are looking for there. 

However, if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

What is a Latino man?

A Latino man is somebody who hails from Latin or South American countries. For example, Mexican men, Puerto Rican men, Colombian men, etc. Many Latinos or Latin Americans are born and raised in the United States or in Canada.

How do you attract a Latin man?

Latin men are all individuals, just like men of any other race or culture. So what is appealing and desirable to one man may not be appealing and desirable to another. 

Still, when it comes to dating outside of your culture, it pays to have an interest in the other person’s heritage and background. Take an interest in learning Spanish, and get to know some of the food that is typically eaten in their country. 

Are Latinos more affectionate?

Latinos are very affectionate people. this Rings true in their romantic relationships and when interacting with friends and family members. for example, it is normal to greet people with a hog or for women to greet by kissing each other’s cheeks, even if they do not know each other well. 

What are some traits of the Latin lover stereotype? 

Popular Latin lover stereotype presents Latin men as being passionate, romantic, and great in the bedroom. While this may be true of the men that you date, it does perpetuate harmful stereotypes that can objectify men from this part of the world. 

Final thoughts on dating Latin men

Have you dated any Latin men before? Are you in a relationship with someone from a Latin American country and you are currently dealing with the challenges of being in a cross-cultural relationship? 


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Alice Cooper is a British Travel Writer and Blogger based in Athens, Greece. She writes for numerous high profile travel publications across the globe - including Forbes Travel Guide, Matador Network, The Times of Israel and The Huffington Post.

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