ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of sexual racism, in which sexual and romantic appeal of an individual is informed by racial understandings of sexuality that perpetuate social inequality, has been a significant topic of study in research on online dating. This chapter explores the ways that sex – as an activity – and sexuality – as perceived by potential and actual romantic partners – shows up in self-identified multiracial and multiethnic women’s online and off-line dating experiences, particularly romantic and/or sexual experiences with white men. Specifically, the chapter extends the concept of sexualized othering to understand how some people navigate online dating websites and apps, how they feel about their bodies, and whether they describe a willingness to date across racial and ethnic boundaries.
