Survey - Women Experimenting More with Bisexuality

[Ksyrup]

Survey Finds More Women Try Bisexuality
By MARTHA IRVINE, AP National Writer

38 minutes ago

More women — particularly those in their late teens and 20s — are experimenting with bisexuality or at least feel more comfortable reporting same-sex encounters, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.

The survey, released Thursday by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that 11.5 percent of women, ages 18 to 44, said they've had at least one sexual experience with another woman in their lifetimes, compared with about 4 percent of women, ages 18 to 59, who said the same in a comparable survey a decade earlier.

For women in their late teens and 20s, the percentage rose to 14 percent in the more recent survey. About 6 percent of men in their teens and 20s said they'd had at least one same-sex encounter.

While those who conducted the survey took measures to protect respondents' privacy, researchers say it's unclear whether the figure for men was lower because they're are more likely to avoid same-sex experiences or whether they're not reporting them.

It wouldn't surprise Kat Fowler, a 27-year-old art student who dates both women and men, if men were less likely to talk about their experiences.

"There's a certain higher level of discrimination (for men). It's a lot easier for women to have these kinds of experiences and be open about it because it's more accepted," said Fowler, who attends the University of Florida.

The findings on bisexuality and other aspects of Americans' sexual habits were taken from the National Survey of Family Growth, which included 12,571 in-person interviews, done from March 2002 to March 2003. Overall, researchers said the report shows that most people have relatively few partners and are at a low risk for sexually transmitted diseases.

"Instead of just anecdotes and stories that raise people's anxieties, I think it's best to have real numbers," said William Mosher, the statistician who oversaw the report. "And now we have those."

When it comes to women and same-sex relationships, Mosher said it would be worth studying why young women seek such relationships, and whether they may be trying to avoid diseases more commonly spread through sex with men.

But some experts who study sexuality say it's even more likely that many college students simply see experimentation as a rite of passage.

"It's very safe in the academic community; no one thinks anything of it," said Elayne Rapping, a professor of American studies at the University of Buffalo who has written about sexuality.

"But to some extent there's more talk than action," she added, noting that the bisexuality label has become a "badge of courage" for some college women, even those who only date men. Meanwhile, she said, men who have same-sex experiences are often less likely to talk about it publicly.

The trend among college women has prompted some sexual behavior experts to light-heartedly refer to the term "LUG," or "lesbian until graduation," said Craig Kinsley, a neuroscientist at the University of Richmond who studies the biology of sexual orientation and gender.

In other findings, the survey said that about 10 percent of females, ages 15 to 19, and 12 percent of males had experienced heterosexual oral sex but not vaginal intercourse. While no earlier data were available for young women, percentages for young men in 1992 were about the same, researchers said.

Those numbers dropped substantially for people in their 20s, who were more likely to have had vaginal intercourse.

The survey also revealed that 39 percent of men, ages 15 to 44, who'd had at least one sexual partner in the last year said they used a condom during their most recent sexual encounter. That figure rose to 65 percent for men who'd never been married — and 91 percent for men who'd ever had sexual contact with another man.

Mosher said it was likely that men in higher-risk categories were heeding campaigns that encourage them to use condoms.

"Whether the levels (of condom use) are high enough is for others to judge," Mosher said. "But I think it's at least encouraging."

The survey of adults has a margin of error of 1 percentage point and 3 percentage points for the teen data.

[rkmsuf]

That's why men rule. We've made it kind of hip or cool for women to do each other. Genius!

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The survey, released Thursday by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that 11.5 percent of women, ages 18 to 44, said they've had at least one sexual experience with another woman in their lifetimes, compared with about 4 percent of women, ages 18 to 59, who said the same in a comparable survey a decade earlier.

I wouldn't doubt in the least that the numbers would go up, but aren't those two studies on much different groups? I'd expect women from 45-59 - especially those of 10 years ago - to have a much lower rate, which probably pushed the earlier study's numbers down some.

Other thoughts:

* the "LUG" phenomenon would have pissed me off royally if it meant that as a guy I was getting less than I would otherwise. Not that it matters, I didn't get any in college anyway.

* right on, rkmsuf!

[dixieflatline]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

"Instead of just anecdotes and stories that raise people's anxieties, I think it's best to have real numbers," said William Mosher, the statistician who oversaw the report. "And now we have those."

Totally agree with Cuervo here. And it appears we have the statistician who was in charge right here. This is like rule number one when comparing stats. This guy should be fired.

[kcchief19]

Originally Posted by dixieflatline

Totally agree with Cuervo here. And it appears we have the statistician who was in charge right here. This is like rule number one when comparing stats. This guy should be fired.

I would disagree. Granted, it would be more helpful if the age brackets were comparable -- and that's something that you would think could have been done unless there was a reason they did not ask for specific ages or smaller age ranges -- it's still statistically significant.

The age range excluded from the previous survey to this survey was 45-59. If you excluded that number of respondents from the older survey results, the increase in noted bisexuality would likely increase only a little, assuming that women age 45-59 practiced bisexuality less regularly 10 years ago. The distribution is simply not large enough to increase the percentage that much. Even assuming a generous increase, it would appear likely that respondents were roughly twice as likely to report lesbian and/or bisexual behavior.

This is exactly what you want statisticians -- compile their data, compare and contrast to other research and reveal any deviations in the data pool. The people behind this research could have done what most people do with data -- lie -- and simply say that a comparable study showed 4 percent 10 years ago and bury in the back somewhere the fact that the study was for a different age group. Here, it's in the second paragraph. Discounting differences in the sample data, the statistics support the staticians conclusion.

[Ksyrup]

I should have realized that posting an article on this board describing a survey about women wanting women would necessarily devolve into a discussion of statistical analysis within 5 FREAKING POSTS!!!

I do my best to make things interesting around here - outside of making public records requests for pictures of hot nymphomaniac child molester's genitals - and this is the return on my investment of time.

I'm going back to work.

[Wolfpack]

I don't f'in believe it! This is the survey I helped program when I first started working for the University back in 2000. We did such a bang-up job (mostly) that yours truly is at it again, programming the next cycle that's due to hit the streets in 2006.

I find it interesting (and not the least bit surprising) that of all the topics covered in the survey, folks here latched on to this particular tidbit. There's one part of the survey that's self-administered and with good reason. The questions in there are very, very, VERY sensitive. I'm pretty certain that this data came mostly out of that section.

[Raiders Army]

This is why I used to give money to lesbian charities...they have the same interests as I: women.

[cuervo72]

I tried to look at the report to see if they had age distributions, but the thing keeps hanging my browser whenever I try to access the pdf.

Without knowing the breakdown of the initial survey, I suppose it's tough (for us) to figure how the dropping of the 45-59 age group may affect things. But if they had an even distribution the first time, that's like lopping off 35% of the study participants...

I guess what I'm wondering is where the increase is coming from (which I'm sure the report details). Is this from women who 10 years ago were in the younger bracket and are pushing up the numbers this time (a bump in that generation that has continued, but is now working its way through the age pipeline)? Is there a spike within the youngest part of the age group that is accounting for much of the increase? Are older women who hadn't tried it before doing so now?

[Noop]

Now here is the key question are these women attractive? Now if you have a bunch of ugly dikes then fine didnt want to fuck you anyway. Now if they were hot then I would ask if I can watch and maybe you know...

[heybrad]

[DanGarion]

I thought you were actually conducting a survey with the women on the board.... DAMN!

[JimboJ]

You can call me crazy, but I think the Britney-Madonna kiss on MTV had a lot to do with this. Not that it was the first time two women kissed like that, but the fact that two celebrity women were willing to do that publicly, kind of legitimized the whole thing. I think alot of young girls saw that, and took away the message that it's ok, even hip, to experiment with other girls, even if you consider yourself heterosexual. Now its almost like a fad. A new way to rebel without breaking any laws or hurting anyone.

Of course we guys knew that all along, but now women are finally going along with it.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

I don't f'in believe it! This is the survey I helped program when I first started working for the University back in 2000. We did a bang-up job

Maybe this is why the survey is so high:

Wolfpack: 'I wanna bang you'

Interviewee: 'Sorry, I'm a lesbian'

[Wolfpack]

Well, I'm not the interviewer. I just program what the interviewers see. Trust me, this sort of programming leads to all sorts of interesting conversation that would normally get people in trouble for sexual harrassment, but since it's legitimately part of NSFG, I can get away with discussing things like oral sex (as long as it refers to the questionnaire and potential respondents) and no one bats an eye.

[Izulde]

I'd agree more with the part that more women are willing to report it.

I don't think the actual incidence of sapphic experimentation has increased significantly.

[Lorena]

Can I get in trouble for posting this pic? Ahh... screw it:



I've never experimented with lesbianism, but if I was drunk enough with the right female... why the hell not?

[Lorena]

gosh darnit, my picture was blocked

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Dodgerchick

gosh darnit, my picture was blocked

Addy works if you go directly to it, though pics like that tend to get you boxed.

[Loren]

would this be the better thread to go into my angelina jolie dream

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Loren

would this be the better thread to go into my angelina jolie dream

Waiting.

I'd like to add that for this thread only, as an incentive to posting, You can use any freaking Font Color You desire.