10% of Americans Are Having Sex With Partners of Both Sexes

Ten percent americans bisexual behavior

Diverse Sexual Relationships in American Society : Insights from a 2023 Study

Growing Diversity in Sexual Partnerships

Recent research highlights that approximately 10% of Americans engage in sexual relationships with individuals of different genders. This finding stems from a study highlighted by PsyPost and published in The Journal of Sex Research, based on the General Social Survey (GSS) data, managed by the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center. This survey, initiated in 1972, is designed to track societal transformations and included responses from over 32,000 participants. The 2021 data indicates a rise in individuals reporting sexual encounters with both males and females to 9.6%, a significant increase from the 3.1% reported between 1989 and 1994.

Identity Versus Behavior in Sexual Orientation

The study delves deeper than just sexual activities; it also examines personal identification with sexual orientations. Between 2012 and 2018, 9.3% of people reported relationships with both genders, yet only 2.7% identified as bisexual. In contrast, in 2021, 9.6% reported such sexual experiences, with 4.5% identifying as bisexual. It’s important to note that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were changes in the survey’s methodology, making direct comparisons between different datasets challenging.

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Understanding and Defining Bisexuality

The concept of bisexuality, as discussed by the researchers, remains complex and often misunderstood. They propose a broader definition, encompassing sexual attraction, behavior with both sexes, and/or a personal identification as bisexual. Despite this complexity, it is observed that individuals are more inclined to report sexual behaviors or attractions than to label themselves under specific sexual orientations. This discrepancy is also echoed in a 2023 Gallup poll, where 4.2% of U.S. adults self-identified as bisexual, constituting nearly 60% of the LGBTQ+ community. These figures suggest a broader engagement in bisexual behaviors than the numbers that formally identify as such.

The Impact of Bisexual Erasure

Furthermore, the study touches on the issue of bisexual erasure — the dismissal or denial of bisexual identity within queer and trans communities. This phenomenon, alongside societal stigmas, contributes to health disparities among bisexual individuals. Data from the Human Rights Campaign reveals that a significant portion of bisexual individuals, about one-third of women and 40% of men, do not disclose their sexual orientation to their healthcare providers, indicating a broader issue of visibility and acceptance within society.