Spectrum of Sexual Orientation

Here's how you have answered when asked to place your sexual orientation on a scale between 1 and 9, with 1 being completely straight and 9 being completely gay or lesbian:

The First 1,000: Flex Scores

Flexuality Scores among the first 1,000 who have taken the test have spread out into a nice bell curve.

When flexuality scores are compared to sexual orientation, we see that those who identify themselves as bisexual are more likely to have higher flexuality scores.

This graphs breaks it down according to the sexual type generated by the Flexuality Test. The polyamorous and ambisexual types score higher, reflecting more open attitudes, environments, and experiences.

The First 1,000 Results

Here are some summary results from the first 1,000 who have taken the Flexuality Test. The first graph shows the number of women and men who identified themselves at the start of the test as bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual. Keep in mind that word of the test has spread mostly through bisexual and gender issues listserves and forums, so it is unlikely to be representative of the general public.

These are the sexual types generated by the Flex Test among those who identified themselves as bisexual, heterosexual, or homosexual. Those who think of themselves as straight are more likely to be heterosexual or ambisexual. Those who think of themselves as gay may be queer or polyamorous.
Sexual type varied quite a bit by gender. As predicted by the literature, women were more polyamorous, while men were more ambisexual. Men were more likely to be gay, while very few women scored as lesbian.

Restrained Attitudes

Here are answers to a couple of questions that can point to restrained features in one's sexual identity.

Attitudes about Sexuality

Are you born gay? Are bisexuals just gay? Is everyone bisexual? Here are what more than 300 takers of the Flex Test think about some of our cultural assumptions about sexuality and the prevalence of bisexual desires and behaviors:

Bisexual Types

I thought it might be helpful if I posted a diagram of the 12 sexual types that I use when generating profiles for the Flex Test. They are defined individually in the tab above, and I will eventually post more detailed descriptions on my main Flexuality blog.

I think of ambisexual and polyamorous as categories that apply best to individuals who might explicitly recognize themselves, their attractions, or their behaviors as "bisexual." Equality of affection is more important for the polyamorous; equality of attraction or behavior applies more to the ambisexual. Queer captures those individuals who are mostly gay or lesbian but have a bisexual attitude or flexibility in whom they love.

The other four types pictured above are mostly straight but curious, adventurous, or experienced with the same sex. I left out metamorphic, transitioning, and restrained, because they are not really tied to any particular sexual orientation.

Summary Results: Orientation

Here's a snapshot of how test takers view their orientation. It seems there is more flexibility at the straight end of the spectrum!