'Evangelical Gitanos are a Good Catch': Masculinity, Authority, and Flirting in Spain

The study of gender has played a significant role in developing anthropological work concerning Pentecostal churches and global Christianity. Based on an ethnographic study conducted in Madrid, I explore how religion, masculinity and ethnicity intertwine in Spanish Gitano Pentecostal churches. Adding to a growing scholarship interested in the interface between masculinity and Pentecostalism, I show that born-again Christian Gitano ideals build upon and reshape dominant Gitano secular gendered worldviews. I illustrate how Pentecostal churches remake men’s authority within families and gender roles, ultimately transforming the notion of Gitano masculinity. By shedding light on how Gitano believers engage with novel forms of masculinity, I also contribute to advancing anthropological work on kinship, flirting practices, and the politics of marriage among Gitano communities in urban settings in Spain.