Bisexuality From Adolescence to Adulthood — Longitudinal Study Notes

Overview

• Topic: Female bisexuality from adolescence to adulthood explored through a 10-year longitudinal study.

• Research question: Do three prominent models of bisexuality (transitional stage, third type of orientation, heightened fluidity) receive empirical support when tracking attractions, behaviors, and identities over time in bisexual, lesbian, and unlabeled women?

• Sample: 79 nonheterosexual women (lesbian, bisexual, or unlabeled) followed across 5 waves over 10 years. Original sample was 89; final T5 N = 79; waves labeled T1–T5.

• Key finding teaser: Both the “third orientation” (bisexual/unlabeled as a stable category) and “fluidity” (capacity for change in attractions/behaviors/identities) models receive support; the “transitional stage” model is not supported.

  • This suggests that bisexuality is not merely a temporary phase leading to lesbian or heterosexual identity.

  • Instead, many women maintain a bisexual or unlabeled identity over time, indicating its stability as a distinct orientation for some.

  • At the same time, individual experiences often involve shifts in attraction, behavior, and identity, illustrating a capacity for fluidity.

• Core conclusion: The distinction between lesbianism and bisexuality is a matter of degree (fluidity and context) rather than a categorical kind.

  • This challenges rigid categorizations of sexual orientation, highlighting a spectrum of experiences.

  • The study indicates that personal context and life experiences play a significant role in how women's attractions, behaviors, and identities manifest and evolve over time.