Social and romantic experiences of banter: perspectives of gay men

Banter, a form of social communication, is used to facilitate social bonding in friendships and romantic relationships. However, associations between homosocial banter and “lad culture” and potential links to sexual violence and lower wellbeing have highlighted a problematic side to such interactions, especially among males during emerging adulthood. Despite male banter often involving homophobic comments and homosocial behaviour, banter experiences of gay men have to date largely been ignored in the literature. The aim of this study was to explore how gay men in a university setting understand and perceive banter. The data were devised from semi-structured interviews (n = 6, 20–22 years; male). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) explored the participants’ experiences of banter in their everyday interactions, including within their same-sex friendships and romantic relationships. Themes highlighted how language and behaviours typical of homosocial banter often created a sense of unease when engaging with heterosexual friends, but banter use and perception could be influenced by context and social relationship. Complexities of navigating the ambiguity of banter are discussed.