The experience and meaning of same‐sex sexuality among heterosexually identified men and women: An analytic review

Abstract

The components of sexual orientation, including but not limited to sexual desires, attractions, behaviors, and identities, are generally assumed to align in predictable ways.However, ample research from sociology and other social and behavioral science disciplines shows that for many people, these components do not align as expected. In this article, we focus on individuals who identify as heterosexual and experience same-sex sexual desires, attractions, and/ or behaviors. First, we briefly review the available quantitative data on the prevalence of such experiences and use data from one high-quality national survey-the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)-to show that self-identified heterosexuals account for as much as one-half of the same-sex sexuality that is reported. Then, we turn to recent qualitative literature and draw attention to the contexts within which heterosexually identified men and women experience same-sex sexuality, how they make sense of these experiences, and the interpretive strategies they use to reconcile their same-sex sexuality with their heterosexual identities and their gendered presentations of self. Finally, we conclude by discussing the significance of this research and pointing to several paths forward for sociologists and other researchers.

How Do Religion and Sexual Orientation Affect Support for U.S. Presidential Candidates? Evidence from a Survey Experiment

“…Our understanding of religion is in line with other studies that focus on beliefs, behaviors, and belongings (for example, see Smidt 2019). By sexual orientation, we mean an enduring pattern of sexual and/or romantic attractions toward people of the same sex or gender, people of a different sex or gender, or both sexes or more than one gender (see Hoy and London 2018; Savin‐Williams 2017).…”

Google, Tell Me. Is He Gay? Masculinity, Heterosexuality, and Gendered Anxieties in Google Search Queries about Sexuality

“…Women are also given more freedom to explore same-sex desire without being socially assigned a "lesbian" sexual identity, while men are not granted this same freedom to experiment without being perceived as gay. This process exists to such an extent, as Ward (2008Ward ( , 2015 argues, that heterosexual men have collections of discursive alibis they rely on to engage in same-sex sexual behavior while identifying as straight-a process Ward (2015) refers to as "hetero-exceptionalism" (see also Hoffman 2016, 2018;Hoy and London 2018;Silva 2017Silva , 2018aSilva , 2018b. Indeed, research shows that men are more likely to be relabeled "gay" or "bisexual" after a single same-sex experience, while women who have a single same-sex sexual experience predominantly retain assumptions of heterosexuality (Mize and Manago 2018).…”

Sexual Problems and Distress among Men and Women with Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Sexual Partners: An Analysis of a Nationally Representative Sample of Adults in Great Britain

“…A limitation of the literature on the relationship between sexual orientation and sexual problems is that it tends to conceptualize sexual orientation in terms of sexual identity (e.g., whether someone identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight). Samples collected on the basis of sexual identity do not provide a full picture of same-sex sexuality, which can be important depending on the research focus (Hoy & London, 2018). Sexual behavior and sexual attraction are also important dimensions of sexual orientation.…”

“…Sexual behavior and sexual attraction are also important dimensions of sexual orientation. Although sexual identity, behavior, and attraction are closely associated, it has been recognized that they are not the same and do not always neatly align (Hoy & London, 2018;Richters et al, 2014;Silva, 2018). Blair, Cappell, and Pukall (2018, p. 721) argues that "individual's self-identified sexual identity does not always accurately predict the gender of sexual partner."…”