Exploring Reflections, Motivations, and Experiential Outcomes of First Same-Sex/Gender Sexual Experiences among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Other Sexual Minority Individuals

Figures & data

Table 1. Questions types and examples

Question Type	Example
Demographics	Please could you tell me your age, sexual identity, gender identity and preferred pronouns?
Meeting First Partner	How did you meet your first same-sex sexual partner? What made you choose this method of meeting?
Context of First Sex	Where did you have your first same-sex sexual experience? What reasons did you have for it being at this place? (How) Were your wishes discussed with your partner? Was it mutual?
Reflection	Can you tell to me about any thoughts/feelings you have about your first sexual experience? What makes you feel that way? Have your feelings changed? How?
End	Is there anything else you would like to talk about?

Table 2. Participant information

Participant Number	Gender Identity at interview	Sexual Identity at interview	Age at interview	Age at time of first Sex
P1	Cis Man	Gay	21	19
P2	Cis Man	Gay	23	13
P3	Cis Man	Bisexual	22	19
P4	Cis Woman	Pansexual	21	13
P5	Cis Woman	Bisexual	22	22
P6	Cis Man	Gay	22	22
P7	Cis Man	Bisexual	21	14
P8	Cis Woman	Lesbian	20	15
P9	Cis Man	Bisexual	23	23
P10	Cis Woman	Bisexual	23	22
P11	Cis Man	Gay	19	17
P12	Cis Woman	Bisexual	21	17
P13	Cis Woman	Bisexual	24	18
P14	Cis Woman	Lesbian	24	17
P15	Cis Woman	Bisexual	21	18
P16	Cis Woman	Lesbian	21	17
P17	Trans Woman	Bisexual	22	18

Table 3. Participant genders and sexual identities

	Men	Women	Total
Gay/Lesbian	4	3	7
Bisexual	3	6	9
Pansexual	0	1	1
Total	7	10	17

Table 4. Themes and component subthemes

Theme	Sub-theme	Definition
Defining First Sex	Physical and Affective Definitions	Participants were able to define first sex through physical acts or emotional content
	Delegitimization	A perceived lack of definition for “first sex” that contributed to the delegitimization of sexual experiences and sexual identity
Meeting First Partners	Dating Apps	Participants met first partners through dating apps
	Social Circle	Participants met first partners through their direct social circle
	Nights Out	Participants met first partners, who were not previously known to them, whilst at parties, clubs or other social events
Motivations for Engaging	Relationship Progression	First sex was seen as a part of the progression of a romantic relationship
	Spontaneous	First sex was a spontaneous decision with no pre-planning
	Social Expectation	First sex was motivated by normative social pressures
	Exploring Sex and Sexuality	First sex was a motivated by a desire to explore sex itself, one’s relationship to sex and/or to explore personal sex identity
Preparedness	Lacking Formal Education	Participants received little or no relevant same-sex/gender sex education in school or during formal education
	Lack of Sexual Scripting	Participants felt they were lacking an internalized awareness of how to engage in same-sex/gender sexual experiences
	Media	Discussion of media representation
	Peers	Discussion of peer talk regarding LGB+ identities and same-sex/gender sex
	Reliance on First Partners	Participants relied on their partners at time of first sex to guide them on how to engage in their sexual experience
	The Internet	Participants found sexual education on the internet
	Understanding of Sexual Identity	Participants’ developing their understanding of their sex identity before first sex