Sexual Behavior and Satisfaction in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Relationships

Taylor Orth , Stanford University

One common assumption is that male sexuality is fundamentally stronger and less controllable than female sexuality, and that men and women in sexual relationships negotiate these differences. Because this belief is so culturally ingrained, it is difficult to disentangle its origins, and there have been few attempts to empirically test its veracity. This study evaluates variation in sexual behavior and satisfaction among same-sex and different-sex couples using two representative American datasets, How Couples Meet and Stay Together (HCMST) and The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Findings demonstrate that women in same-sex relationships have sex less often than other couple pairings, while men in same-sex relationships report significantly lower sexual satisfaction and higher rates of non-monogamy. Overall, the results support the notion that sexual relationships function differently when lacking a male or female partner, but present a more socially complex pattern than has traditionally been accepted.

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 Presented in Session 178. Fertility and Sexual and Reproductive Health of Sexual Minorities