Another day, another study.
This time, the CDC set out to break down numbers on sexual orientation and health practices in America. 34,557 adults were surveyed, and differences in health-related behaviors, health status, health care service utilization, and health care access by sexual orientation were examined for adults aged 18–64, and separately for men and women.
96.6 precent of adults identified as straight, 1.6 percent identified as gay or lesbian, and 0.7 percent identified as bisexual. The remaining 1.1 percent of adults identified as ‘‘something else,’’ stated ‘‘I don’t know the answer,’’ or refused to provide an answer.
“Major health differences” were found between the more than 3 percent who identify as non-hetero and their straight counterparts. So what are they?
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Well, the non-hetero respondents drink and smoke cigarettes at a higher percentage across the board, and a higher percentage of gay/lesbian/bi participants reported experiencing “physiological stress” over the previous 30 days.
In terms of health care utilization, non-heteros got more flu vaccines and HIV tests than heteros, but non-heteros also had a higher rate of avoiding necessary medical procedures due to cost.
You can read the full study here.
drivendervish
I thought that in 2014 guys had stopped lying about being straight but I guess not. There is no way that gays and lesbians are only 1.6% of the population. I’ve screwed more guys than that and I’m not done yet!
Billy Budd
National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (2010)
While about 7% of adult women and 8% of men identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, the proportion of individuals in the U.S. who have had same-gender sexual interactions at some point in their lives is higher.
National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB). Findings from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, Centre for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University. Journal of Sexual Medicine, Vol. 7, Supplement 5.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsm.2010.7.issue-s5/issuetoc
Billy Budd
Read the summary here:
http://www.nationalsexstudy.indiana.edu/
Billy Budd
If there were no repression in our society (i.e. like it was in ancient Greece and Ancient Rome), the number of bisexual people would skyrocket. I mean, really, people would fuck like bonobos!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8Z8oELlXT0
Maude
I known closeted people who didn’t even admit to themselves that they were gay’
Who and what they are, are different than who and what they say they are.
I’ve been groped in the subway more times then I can count,by ‘family’ guys who would go down on me as soon as I opened my fly, and still never admit they were gay.
vive
Sounds about right to me. I think many gay people who live in large cities where gays congregate will think it is an underestimate, but my experience in Middle America is that you will very seldom run into other gay people in daily life. I haven’t dated in 5 years due to a lack of gay men where I live, whereas when I travel to gay destinations I rapidly meet men.
This is why we will always need gayborhoods. Otherwise we just vanish in the general population.
Paco
@Billy Budd: I tend to cringe whenever someone uses apes having sex in the wild as an example of why homosexuality should be accepted. I mean, I get it. We are more evolved apes, but I would prefer if our fight for equality and social acceptance didn’t depend on the behaviors of less evolved animals used as examples. That’s just my opinion though.
Paco
I encounter gay men nearly everyday, but I do live near two major gayborhoods. So that would make it seem like the reported percentage is too low. I would imagine those that are living more rurally would feel that the number is about right, or perhaps even too high.
michael mellor
Most of the men who have homosexual experiences do not identify as gay.
ethan_hines
“I tend to cringe whenever someone uses apes having sex in the wild as an example of why homosexuality should be accepted. I mean, I get it. We are more evolved apes, but I would prefer if our fight for equality and social acceptance didn’t depend on the behaviors of less evolved animals used as examples”
@Paco: That’s true Paco, but it shows that Non-hetrosexuality IS natual and occurs often in nature. Just recently there was a study finding BEARS give head to each other all the tim. Hmm…maybe that’s where we got the idea of Gay Bears in the first place?
Billy Budd
@Paco: You don’t know what you’re talking about. If you send me you address, I will personally buy and send you a copy of “Biological Exuberance” by Bruce Bagemihl. It is my pleasure to do it and my gift to you. You must begin to think as a scientist. A new world will open to your eyes.
Paco
@Billy Budd: There is no need. I can download it to my tablet and it is inexpensive. Thanks for the offer though. 🙂
vive
@Paco, i think humanity can only wish to be as civilized as many animal species are. The amount of evil perpetrated on each other and the world by humans dwarfs anything you can find in nature.
Queer4Life
@Billy Budd: Ya bonobos! With all the s#it we have to put up with is there any wonder the study came out like it did. I don’t think so. It proven stress affects health.