African American and Latino’s Leisure Lifestyles

Leisure Lifestyles Paper
Leisure is an important component of the American life. Many Americans derive immense pleasure, satisfaction, and fulfilment from leisure activities. While there are leisure activities common to Americans as a whole, leisure lifestyles tend to differ across groups, mostly in terms of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. This paper compares and contrasts the leisure lifestyles of three selected groups: African Americans, Latinos, and gay men. The paper also pays attention to changes in leisure lifestyles among gay men in the last one and a half decades or so.
African American Leisure Lifestyles
African Americas have greatly shaped the American life. Without African Americans, many leisure activities present today would perhaps not be existent. African Americans’ leisure lifestyles have been largely influenced by their historical experiences, especially slavery and racial discrimination (Andrews, 2004). Due to lack of freedom, African Americans during the era of slavery had little or no time for leisure. Children mainly participated in roaming over the plantations of their masters, wading in the streams, fishing, hunting, as well as games such as pole jumping, rope jumping, marbles, and stilt walking. Humour, storytelling, singing, and art were also common leisure activities for African Americans during the slave era. Emancipation increased African Americans’ freedom, resulting in more time for leisure activities. African Americans also got an opportunity to pursue new leisure activities such as reading, conversing, dating, religious fellowship, picnics, as well as social events such as weddings. In the early 1900s, many African Americans migrated to the north fleeing racial hatred in the south. With improved socioeconomic status, African Americans became more involved in organised sports (such as basketball and baseball), music, and relaxation. Throughout the 20th century, against the backdrop of increased urbanisation, African Americans engaged in new leisure activities such as fashion, entertainment, summer barbeques, and membership in civic organisations, ultimately conforming to the broader society (Andrews, 2004).
Latino’s Leisure Lifestyles
Latinos comprise the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S. Generally, dissimilar to other ethnic groups, Latinos have been reluctant to adopt mainstream leisure patterns, electing instead to retain the cultural heritage of their country of origin. Latinos as a whole tend to be social (Gomez, 2004). Compared to other Americans, they participate in leisure activities in larger groups, mostly comprising family members, the extended family, and close friends. Latinos’ leisure lifestyles also revolve around religious matters. Common family-oriented and religion-themed events in which Latinos participate enthusiastically include weddings, Christmas celebrations, and grave visits. Latinos also participate in sports, especially soccer, baseball, boxing, and basketball. Though cockfighting and bullfighting are rare in the U.S., Latinos have a strong preference for these sports. As for entertainment, Latinos are fond of music and dance. For instance, the salsa dance is religiously adored by Latinos. While Latinos love dance and music, there are usually no specific leisure zones for Latinos. Latinos also differ from most Americans with respect to involvement in outdoor activities. In addition to preference for group outdoor activities, Latinos prefers to have developed areas in the outdoors as opposed to pristine areas. Latinos also enjoy relaxing, picnicking, gardening, and fishing (Gomez, 2004).
Gay Men’s Leisure Lifestyles
Leisure – coupled with capitalism, urbanisation, and technological advancements in the 20th century – has played an instrumental role in shaping the gay male identity in the last one century. Gay men now gather in bars, parks, bookstores, and bathhouses to engage in sexual and social activities (Romesburg, 2004). In addition to gay bars, gay men spend leisure time in gay private parties, gay-owned retail venues, as well as gay-themed vacations and cultural events (e.g. film festivals, parades, and marching bands). In a world where homosexuality is not a norm, these activities allow gay men to enjoy sex and socialise, while at the same affirming their sexual identity. In the early 1980s, a significant shift in gay men’s leisure lifestyles was observed mainly due to the onset of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS (Romesburg, 2004). Priority shifted to political activism, spiritual exploration, and health maintenance. Though gay leisure activities remain common, the activities are not just about leisure – they are more about civil rights and economic equity.
Similarities and Differences
There are notable similarities and differences in the leisure lifestyles of the three identified groups. For the three groups, it is evident that leisure is a crucial element of identity. Every group is characterised by unique activities that define its history and experiences. It can also be observed that group organisation is important for participation in leisure. Another similarity is that leisure lifestyles for the three groups have largely been shaped by historical events or experiences. Nevertheless, there are significant differences. First, unlike African Americans and Latinos, gay men’s participation in leisure activities is inherently driven by a political agenda. Through gay parades and other leisure activities, gay men seek to advocate for greater representation and recognition in the political realm. Latinos differ from African Americans in the sense that the former prefers to maintain their cultural roots rather than assimilating to mainstream lifestyle patterns. Also, unlike African Americans, Latinos enjoy sports that are quite rare in the U.S. such as bullfighting. In addition, dissimilar to African Americans and gay men, Latinos do not have their own leisure or entertainment joints. These differences make each group a distinct group as far as leisure lifestyles are concerned


Changes in Gay Men’s Leisure Lifestyles
The gay male group is a particularly interesting group to focus more on. Since the turn of the 21st century, considerable progress has been made in terms of incorporating the gay community into the legislative agenda. A couple of laws and policies have been passed by the federal government as well as state and local governments to legalise same-sex marriages, permit conjugal visits to inmates, as well as provide gay people with greater socioeconomic benefits (e.g. medical, housing, and employment benefits). These political developments have significantly affected gay men’s lifestyle choices. For instance, gay weddings have increased dramatically, especially since the Supreme Court’s 2015 landmark ruling in favour of same-sex marriages. This means that gay men can spend more time attending weddings and similar events. Players in the travel and leisure industry have responded to the above political developments by offering vacation packages specifically aimed at gay couples. Today, gay travellers can enjoy travel experiences that reflect their unique needs and preferences. As same-sex marriages become more culturally acceptable, it is expected that gay men’s leisure lifestyles will be even more fulfilling in the future. Their lifestyles will not just be about political activism, but will be viewed just like any other leisure lifestyle.
Conclusion
Overall, in spite of similarities, considerable differences in leisure lifestyles exist between African Americans, Latinos, and gay men. This is not unusual as different groups within a society tend to have different lifestyle choices. These choices are often shaped by historical experiences and factors such as technology, migration, and urbanisation. For every group, lifestyle choices reflect not only history, but also cultural identity. For individuals as well as players in the recreation and leisure fields, it is imperative to understand these differences.


References
Andrews, V. L. (2004). “African American Leisure Lifestyles,” Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America. Ed. Gary S. Cross. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, p8-12.
Gomez, E. (2004). “Latino Leisure Lifestyles,” Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America. Ed. Gary S. Cross. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, p500-504.
Romesburg, D. (2004). “Gay Men's Leisure Lifestyles,” Encyclopedia of Recreation and Leisure in America. Ed. Gary S. Cross. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, p388- 391.