"Mostly straight" young women: Variations in sexual behavior and identity development.

Abstract

Researchers have begun to explore and identify various gradations in sexual orientation identity, paying attention to alternative sexual identity categories and attempting to clarify potential subtypes of same-sex sexuality, particularly among women. This study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to explore the behavioral experiences and identity development processes among women of a particular sexual identity subtype, "mostly straight." Participants were 349 female college students whose primary sexual identities included exclusively straight, mostly straight, bisexual, and lesbian. Results indicated that, on most behavioral variables, mostly straight women fell directly between and were significantly different from exclusively straight and bisexual/lesbian women. Mostly straight women were also distinct from exclusively straight women but were similar to bisexual women and lesbians on several quantitative measures of identity. Narratives about sexual identity development for mostly straight women revealed the complexities of sexual identity exploration, uncertainty, and commitment within this population. As a whole, this study encourages researchers to begin to recognize and examine mostly straight as a distinct sexual identity subtype in young women.

Patterns of Alcohol Use and Consequences Among Empirically Derived Sexual Minority Subgroups

“…Indeed, variations in sexual orientation have been a topic of increasing interest in the study of sexuality (Ott et al, 2011;Thompson and Morgan, 2008), including with regard to alcohol use (Marshal et al, 2008;McCabe et al, 2011;Midanik et al, 2007). The extant literature has relied on entrenched variable-centered approaches or long-held assumptions that conceptualize sexual orientation as largely immutable or one-dimensional.…”

“…The sexual identity development process is inherently stressful for some persons (Thompson and Morgan, 2008). Indeed, sexual questioning is often accompanied by increased feelings of alienation and isolation (Glover et al, 2009;Savin-Williams and Diamond, 1999;Thompson and Morgan, 2008;Yarhouse and Tan, 2004). We speculate that some sexual minority individuals may use alcohol to cope with negative affectivity or to fi t in with a desired social group as they grapple with issues inherent in sexual identity development processes.…”

A stone in the soup? Changes in sexual prejudice and essentialist beliefs among British students in a class on LGBT psychology

“…As the quotes from participants in this study further illustrate, and as psychology textbooks sometimes obscure (Barker, 2007;Hogben & Waterman, 1997), some male and female students identify as bisexual. Reducing reliance on such textbooks would both counter the problem of androcentrism in the psychology of sexual minorities (Lee & Crawford, 2006), and recognize the experiences of students who identify as bisexual, queer (Minton, 1997), and 'mostly straight' (Thompson & Morgan Thompson, 2008).…”

Still a target: Sexual diversity and power of caring

“…Whereas this group tends to be neglected in many studies, a few researchers have recently addressed the uniqueness of this particular group being distinct from exclusively heterosexual and lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) individuals (Austin, Conron, Patel, & Freedner, 2007;Austin, Roberts, Corliss, & Molnar, 2008;Saewyc et al, 2004;Thompson & Morgan, 2008;Savin-Williams & Vrangalova, 2013). In earlier research, this group has been estimated 6% to 10%, as compared to LGB peers estimated 1% to 4% (e.g., Austin, Ziyadeh, Fisher, Kahn, Colditz, & Frazier, 2004a;Saewyc, Richens, Skay, Reis, Poon, & Murphy, 2006;Saewyc et al, 2011), and found to be at higher risk than exclusively heterosexual peers for smoking (Austin et al, 2004a), eating disorder (Austin, Ziyadeh, Kahn, Camargo, Colditz, & Field, 2004b), and sexual risk behavior (Saewyc et al, 2006).…”