New Survey: 8% Gay, 7% Lesbian

[WillParkinson]

New Survey: 8% Gay, 7% Lesbian

In what they are calling the "largest nationally representative study of sexual and sexual-health behaviors ever fielded," a just-released survey commissioned by Indiana University says that 8% of adult American men self-identify as gay or bisexual, with 7% of women identifying as lesbian or bisexual. Those numbers are almost triple the percentages claimed by some anti-gay groups.

ABC News takes note of the study's "interesting findings."

About 85 percent of men reported that their partner had an orgasm during their most recent sexual encounter, but only 64 percent of women report having had one. Researchers said the difference is too great to attribute to men having had their last encounter with another man. Eight percent of men and 7 percent of women identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, but a much higher percentage report engaging in sexual activity with someone of the same sex at least once. The study found that 15 percent of men aged 50-59 have received oral sex from another man at some point.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-survey-8-gay-7-lesbian.html

[xchrom]

1. Sexuality is and will always be fluid and complex.

And I expect those #s to climb as lgbtiq people
Continue to come out and fight for their equal place
In the world.

[David Zephyr]

4. Fluid and complex.

And, as you say, more people are honest and open, the numbers will climb.

Most of us in the GLBT, young and old, know first hand the numbers are far higher.

[Botany]

2. that means we should have a solid 12 to 14% voting block

I still don't get the log cabin republicans :shrug:

[DURHAM D]

3. If 15% own up to it what is the real number?

"The study found that 15 percent of men aged 50-59 have received oral sex from another man at some point."

[lightningandsnow]

6. Sexuality is fluid.

See my comment below.

[lightningandsnow]

5. I'm not a fan of this headline.

It's bisexual erasure.

8% of men are gay OR BISEXUAL. 7% of women are lesbian OR BISEXUAL. It's not the same thing.

Also, sexuality is freakin' fluid. If y'all start saying every man who's received a blowjob from a man is ~really gay~, I will not be amused.

[marginlized]

7. Those "tendencies" are ALWAYS and ONLY in one direction

That is, as you said, a guy gets a BJ and that makes him "really gay". Whereas a gay man makes out with a woman *once* and does anyone ever claim he's "really straight"?

Does all this sound so much like those "one drop of blood" definitions of race that were used during Jim Crow? Only the bodily fluids have changed.