Researchers at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have officially confirmed that some bisexual men really, truly are bisexual. Go figure!
That’s right, folks. In the year 2020, a study has been released declaring that bisexuality is, indeed, a real thing, not a myth, as some people apparently still believe.
“The current study found very strong and consistent evidence that bisexual men do in fact tend to have bisexual arousal patterns,” psychology professor J. Michael Bailey, who authored the study, says. “There is no longer reasonable doubt.”
Bailey and his colleagues came to their conclusion after poring over exhaustive research collected between the years 2000 and 2019 in the United States, Canada, and the U.K.
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Over 600 men, with an average age of about 29, participated in the nearly 20-year study.
Of that number, 178 described themselves as “exclusively heterosexual,” 102 said they were “mostly” straight, 139 said they were “exclusively homosexual,” and 70 said they were “mostly” gay. The remaining 117 men said they were bisexual.
Of the bisexuals, 46 said they were bisexual but leaned straight, while 37 said they were bisexual but leaned gay, and 34 said they were simply bisexual.
To determine whether the men were really, truly were bisexual, Bailey had them take a “genital arousal test” that involved placing a circumference gauge around their penises and watching erotic material.
Researchers then measured the men’s arousal patterns as they viewed either men or women, but never men and women together.
Not surprisingly, bisexuals were more turned on by the male erotic material than their heterosexual counterparts. They were also more turned on by the female erotic material than their homosexual counterparts.
If this seems like an obvious conclusion to you, it’s because it is. Yet researchers still spent 20 years and countless dollars studying it.
“There has long been a controversy whether men who identify as bisexual are actually bisexual,” Bailey says. “The bisexual men and many others believe that they are; however, some others, including some scientists and lay persons, have doubted this.”
Those doubts, Bailey says, can now be laid to rest.
Caitlin Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, says the study, which is hardly the first of its kind, could help eliminate some of the stigma around male bisexuality.
“People who identify as bisexual, especially men, are often viewed with suspicion, and this includes a perception that they won’t commit to being gay,” she says. “They are often discriminated against and stigmatized.”
She adds, “These findings are important, since research routinely shows higher mental health risks and experiences of rejection for bisexual youth and adults related to stigma.”
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Mister P
I’m shocked.
Crayonap
This is important research. Your headline makes it seem as if this hasn’t been a contentious idea. I have a friend who just last week posted on their FB page that men are either gay or straight. Research that confirms what we have always “known” is met with a duh; lots of other people “know” that men are attracted to either men or women.
Donston
This is hardly the first study to conclude inherent bisexuality is real. The problem is there’s been many contradictory studies and experiments throughout the years. While everyone’s definition of these identities vary greatly. For some, “gay” and “straight” don’t really correspond with homo or hetero.
Donston
I do think it’s important to explain that inherent bisexuality is legit from a technical standpoint. However, most modern bi shaming doesn’t have to do with thinking it doesn’t exist. Prejudices tend to stem from other places or fears or homophobia or trans-phobic or resentment of hetero privileged. Just like “proving” inherent homosexuality is a thing has hardly made anyone less homophobic. While every other study and experiment on sexuality and orientation contradict one another. That’s mostly because the researchers tend to go in with their own biases and agendas. Even with this study it’s apparent that researchers had a decided agenda, which is probably why it took 20 years to get the results they wanted.
Narrowing down sexuality to mere genital arousal is itself problematic. Different types of fluidity is an experience for some people. People embrace whatever identity for many different reasons. While sexuality encompasses desires, enjoyment, preferences and passions not mere genital arousal. No experiment can genuinely confirm those things. Then you have some paraphiliacs, which may or may not equate to conventional genital arousal. Then you have the rest of the romantic, affection, emotional investment, relationship contentment spectrum and all their potential complications.
It’s important to let people know that a thing is actually a thing. But we do need to move on from looking at people’s sexualities, identities, lifestyles and wherever they fit in the orientation spectrum in such a clinical way. The obsession with categorization or trying to prove something to people is a passé and basic approach in these times. Sexuality, orientation, sociology and motivation are too individual for this type of approach and constant obsession.
Josh447
I’m redeemed. Yawn.
Donston
This whole obsession with proving bisexuality is a thing and stuff like “bi-erasing”- these are just not things guys who have unembarrassed same-sex ambitions relate to. It’s more of an obsession for dudes who have overall non-homo preferences or relationship ambitions or for dudes who are embarrassed about their overall same-sex preferences and ambitions. The discussion on sexuality, identity and orientation and social and psychological ramifications have evolved past these type of basic observations and studies. It’s time to level up and leave these silly experiments and obsessions with validation behind.
Kangol2
All I’ll add to this is while I believe the validity of the study and while Professor Bailey is a pioneer in the concept of heritable sexual orientation, he is nevertheless a very controversial figure. He has had a series of blow-ups with the trans community in the past, including alleged ethical violations, and his theories of trangenderism/transsexualism are the subject of scholarly contention. On top of this, he also engaged in a class-room stunt that included a live sex act and equipment some years ago (Google it and it should come up) that caused a local and national uproar. That’s all.
Donston
As I mentioned, these studies and the people behind these studies and experiments are always to be questioned. There are always biases, agendas and problematic tactics. While any non ignorant person should know by now that sexuality, orientation, gender, psychology is more complicated and individual than any simple experiment can verify. These types of experiments are not going to offer any of that insight. But, once again, folks are so insecure, so identity dependent and so obsessed with validation. I doubt we’ll see these type of things come to an end.
johnnymcmxxx
Some? From my experience, I’d say most.
aL2000
So if only 178 out of 600 men identify as totally straight that means more than 70% of all men do not identify that way. Very interesting .
jthomasmpls
Taking the idea a step further, 178 of the men, 30%, identify as straight, 139 of the men, 23%, identify as gay leaving 47% of the men participating in the study identified as bisexual at some level.
jayceecook
I came here for the Donston comments and I was not disappointed.
Although I was bummed. There was a point where I was nodding my head in total agreement while reading one and then he just veered into vacuity. *Sigh*
JessPH
If you’re willing to suck dicks but not eat pussies then you’re not bisexual. That’s the easiest way to determine if a person is bi or just gay.
Stefano
What about bisexual women?
rickywintour
Bisexual woman aren’t stigmatized by society or judged by their fellow community as much as bisexual men.
Norm
I don’t care if they say they’re straight while I’m doing them! Who cares when you’ve got what you want?