Young women going gay and bi. (Gallup poll)

[edward777]

Interesting trend! Surveys I saw back in college always pointed to gay and bi men outnumbering lesbians and bi women almost two to one. Now that has been reversed...and from what I see the numbers will probably grow. I see pornography as a big cause for experimentation among women. Any other reasons you might suggest besides the growing number of useless men?

[Viking]

That. is. awesome.

[pellegrino]

Have you seen how the average college male looks and acts? I think that's a big part of the answer. Porn plays a part in it, but IMO it's more from the side of the guys being more interested in porn than in real girls. I have seen a study that shows that college age guys often choose porn and masturbation over sex with an actual woman.

[edward777]

Have you seen how the average college male looks and acts? I think that's a big part of the answer. Porn plays a part in it, but IMO it's more from the side of the guys being more interested in porn than in real girls. I have seen a study that shows that college age guys often choose porn and masturbation over sex with an actual woman.

I am sure this may play a part (males choosing porn over the real thing) but a growing segment of the porn market is for sex-positive and female-female porn. In the past "lesbian porn" was for men and ususally featured huge breasted gals in prison scenes (do they really allow high heels in prison?) but now you have movies made with romantic scenes featuring regular looking women having sex. I think this must play a factor in experimentation that leads to bi identification and sometimes pairing off with women permanently.

[jay santos]

I pretty much only interact with white, heterosexual, republican Mormons in middle class Mormon suburbia, so I probably shouldn't even provide my opinion. But I will anyway. My take is that there are more pure gay males than pure gay females. ie if they chose a partner it would be same sex. But if you include experimental, bicurious whatever kind of sex then women probably partake in same sex more than men do. That's probably what that stat is showing. And that's probably due to the fact that our society accepts (encourages) females to experiment with each other and frowns on males. Although I am considering taking IPU up on his Morrissey date offer.

[Ma'ake]

I always used to think that sexual orientation was fixed and either one or the other. Gay guys were easy to spot a mile away because they acted and spoke like women. Butch lesbos were likewise easy to spot because they looked like they could beat the crap out of you, had crewcuts, flannel shirts, etc.

With the benefit of time to observe, ask questions of women and try to understand them - an endless and fascinating endeavor - my hunch is that women are far more likely to be "malleable" in their preferences.

Compared to our cousins, are humans more like Bonobos (who happily have sex often and use it as a stress reliever) or are we more like Gorillas, who are far, far more territorial and violently monogamous?

I don't really care that much, but it is kind of interesting.

[pellegrino]

I always used to think that sexual orientation was fixed and either one or the other. Gay guys were easy to spot a mile away because they acted and spoke like women. Butch lesbos were likewise easy to spot because they looked like they could beat the crap out of you, had crewcuts, flannel shirts, etc.

With the benefit of time to observe, ask questions of women and try to understand them - an endless and fascinating endeavor - my hunch is that women are far more likely to be "malleable" in their preferences.

Compared to our cousins, are humans more like Bonobos (who happily have sex often and use it as a stress reliever) or are we more like Gorillas, who are far, far more territorial and violently monogamous?

I don't really care that much, but it is kind of interesting.

This is true to my anecdotal experience (I have seen at least three lesbian couples break up and one or both found love in stable heterosexual relationships) and there is also has some research that backs it up. As one of my lesbian (bisexual?) friends put it "It's more about making a connection with someone."

[Jeff Lebowski]

I always used to think that sexual orientation was fixed and either one or the other. Gay guys were easy to spot a mile away because they acted and spoke like women. Butch lesbos were likewise easy to spot because they looked like they could beat the crap out of you, had crewcuts, flannel shirts, etc.

With the benefit of time to observe, ask questions of women and try to understand them - an endless and fascinating endeavor - my hunch is that women are far more likely to be "malleable" in their preferences.

Compared to our cousins, are humans more like Bonobos (who happily have sex often and use it as a stress reliever) or are we more like Gorillas, who are far, far more territorial and violently monogamous?

I don't really care that much, but it is kind of interesting.

I still think there is little flexibility in orientation. I think all this proves is that we have plenty of bisexuals in the mix.

[frank ryan]

That. is. awesome.

This is true to my anecdotal experience (I have seen at least three lesbian couples break up and one or both found love in stable heterosexual relationships) and there is also has some research that backs it up. As one of my lesbian (bisexual?) friends put it "It's more about making a connection with someone."

I can't cite it, but I have come across research that evidences that females have more sexual orientation fluidity than males do. One factor is the lower social sanctions lesbians encounter compared with gay males.
If you have any good friends that are gay and especially lesbians and you feel comfortable talking to them, they will share plenty of anecdotes about their sexuality.

[pellegrino]

I can't cite it, but I have come across research that evidences that females have more sexual orientation fluidity than males do. One factor is the lower social sanctions lesbians encounter compared with gay males.
If you have any good friends that are gay and especially lesbians and you feel comfortable talking to them, they will share plenty of anecdotes about their sexuality.

I do, and they have.

[ByuMba90]

Interesting trend! Surveys I saw back in college always pointed to gay and bi men outnumbering lesbians and bi women almost two to one. Now that has been reversed...and from what I see the numbers will probably grow. I see pornography as a big cause for experimentation among women. Any other reasons you might suggest besides the growing number of useless men?

Considering the beauty of the female form and relative lack thereof in the male form, it is amazing that all females are not lesbian and even more amazing that any man is gay.

[Portland Ute]

Considering the beauty of the female form and relative lack thereof in the male form, it is amazing that all females are not lesbian and even more amazing that any man is gay.

The Greeks and Romans seemed to find the male form to be attractive and worthy of artistic reproduction.

Then again, maybe that's why there was such a high rate of homosexuality in those cultures.

I can't remember who it was, but I recall an interview with some female celebrity type discussing her sexuality. She had apparently enjoyed the company of other females prior to her heterosexual marriage. Her quote, and I paraphrase, was: "I really like a well-endowed man."

I wonder if this idea that the male form is repulsive is part of the overall emasculation of males in our society. It certainly isn't a view shared by many women in our society or by those in ancient times.