[jen1447]

Furthermore, from the US Department of Health and Human Services/CDC, "Sexual Behavior, Sexual Attraction, and Sexual Identity in the United States: Data From the 2006–2008, National Survey of Family Growth (March 3, 2011):

Comparison of selected National Survey of Family Growth measures of sexual behavior and sexual identity with selected other nationally representative surveys

Females, 18-44 years

Sex with same-sex partners:

Ever had same-sex sexual contact, 2002 - 11.2%, 2006-2008 - 12.5%

Males, 18-44 years

Sex with same-sex partners:

Ever had same-sex sexual contact, 2002 - 6.0%, 2006-2008 - 5.2%

Females, 18-44 years

Sexual identity

Homosexual, 2002 - 1.3%, 2006-2008 - 1.1%
Bisexual, 2002 - 2.8%, 2006-2008 - 3.5%

Males, 18-44 years

Sexual identity

Homosexual, 2002 - 2.3%, 2006-2008 - 1.7%
Bisexual, 2002 - 1.8%, 2006-2008 - 1.1%

Cool chart:

chart.png

The reporting numbers are lower here but they still show a similar incidence and prevalence of female bisexuality, generally 2-3 times higher than in men.

[Stillness]

Women do seem way more prone to same sex experimentation and their sexual orientation perhaps more fluid.

The first part, yes. The second part, I don't think so. I think that jen's data does show that women are more prone to same-sex experimentation. I believe a lot of that is because of our culture.

I work in schools and a couple of years ago there was an incident in one of the middle schools where a gang of boys were in a circle surrounding two girls and encouraging them to kiss - which they did. You won't hear much of that kind of stuff happening with girls (or women) encouraging boys (or men) to engage in homosexual behavior. It’s common for people to express how arousing lesbianism is, though. It’s not shocking that women who have sex with men, engage in lesbian acts. Does anybody doubt that if women went as crazy for male homosexuality as men do for lesbianism that we'd see much more of it? Especially if women had more power.

What I don’t see is the fluidity – at least not more in men than in women. I see opinions that it’s more prevalent, but not the data. The one study of jen’s that I could open involved 79 non-heterosexual women. Conclusions are drawn from that about all women, but it defeats the whole point in trying to understand how often otherwise heterosexual women cross over to bisexual or lesbian verses how often men do it.

I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, I’m saying that I don’t see it. I suspect that people are conflating other real cultural and natural phenomena with fluidity. When you look at how many people actually identify as homosexual or bisexual, you get very different results.

[Something_Awesome]

For the record, I've had "homosexual contact" before. I was very young though and not sure what to make of it.

[Patti-here]

Off topic a little I guess, but the state I'm working and living in at the moment, just approved same sex marriage

[Stillness]

For the record, I've had "homosexual contact" before. I was very young though and not sure what to make of it.

Same here. And would you call yourself bisexual or bicurious now?

[effy2014]

What I don’t see is the fluidity – at least not more in men than in women. I see opinions that it’s more prevalent, but not the data. The one study of jen’s that I could open involved 79 non-heterosexual women. Conclusions are drawn from that about all women, but it defeats the whole point in trying to understand how often otherwise heterosexual women cross over to bisexual or lesbian verses how often men do it.

I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, I’m saying that I don’t see it. I suspect that people are conflating other real cultural and natural phenomena with fluidity. When you look at how many people actually identify as homosexual or bisexual, you get very different results.

As Mark Twain once wrote (yes, it was falsely attributed to Disraeli) "There are three kinds of lies: lies, ****ed lies and statistics". One can look at any study and draw conclusions that fit their paradigm. What I meant by more fluidity is my belief that women are less likely to accept being pidgenholed into one of three categories. That is one of the problems with the questionnaires in all of the studies -- you are either heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. In 2014, that is not the case at all ... there has been a dramatic shift in the last 5 years in the acceptance of alternate sexuality.

The LGBT community now supports more "letters" to be far more inclusive: "U" for "unsure"; a "C" for "curious"; an "I" for "intersex"; another "T" for "transsexual" or "transvestite"; another "T", "TS", or "2" for "Two-Spirit" persons; an "A" or "SA" for "straight allies"; or an "A" for "asexual"; a "P" for "pansexual" or "polyamorous" and/or an "O" for "other". One of the big fights on campuses is to have "safe" bathrooms for people who not identify with their gender. If you gave all of these options, including other (and we will have to wait several years for this data to even become available), I believe that women would be far more apt to describe their sexuality in alternate terms than men. I think the fact that, even in 2008, a time when states were passing constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage, 2-3 times more women identified themselves as bisexual, establishes "fluidity". I believe the number today would astound us.

[Something_Awesome]

Same here. And would you call yourself bisexual or bicurious now?

Nope, I would not. I was like in second grade lol.

[Patti-here]

Nope, I would not. I was like in second grade lol.

Second Grade..So your first (and only) homosexual experience happened In the Boys Room and you peed standing next to each other,, does that coun't Something ?

[Something_Awesome]

Sure... if by boys room you mean another boys bedroom...

[Patti-here]

Sure... if by boys room you mean another boys bedroom...

Ohh, a sleep over ?? Let me see 7/8 years old, reading 'Spiderman' comics ?

I'm teasing Something