Patterns of Bisexuality

In this paper we use data from the 2002 and 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to analyze the most recent patterns of bisexuality in the United States. There has been little demographic work done on the issue of bisexuality, and this paper strives to explore some aspects of the sexual orientation. Using a social constructionist definition of sexuality, we both enumerate those who identify, desire, and behave as bisexual as well as compare some basic demographic characteristics of bisexuality with heterosexuality, homosexuality, and asexuality. Overall, we find that conclusions about the prevalence of bisexuality and the characteristics of bisexual individuals versus other sexualities do differ depending on the dimension employed. Most generally, however, we find that in bisexual respondents are more likely to be in poorer health condition than heterosexual respondents (but in better health compared to gay and lesbian respondents), engaged in full time employment, and less likely to have ever been married.