Attitudes Toward Casual Sex, Dating, and Committed Relationships With Bisexual Partners

Abstract

Individual attitudes toward having casual sex, dating, and being in a committed relationship with a bisexual partner of the other gender were examined. Three hundred and seventy-three women and 347 men completed the online study. Female participants expressed moderately high levels of insecurity (e.g., worry, pressure, jealousy) toward relationships with bisexual male partners; insecurity tended to increase with the commitment level of the considered relationship. Male participants reported low to moderate levels of insecurity toward relationships with bisexual female partners; insecurity tended to be lowest for casual sex. Numerous predictors of attitudes toward bisexual partners were noted, including tolerance of and beliefs about the stability of a bisexual sexual orientation. The results of this study suggest that underlying misconceptions about bisexuality may be affecting individuals' interest in having relationships with bisexual partners and may represent a challenge to intimacy and stability within the couple.

KEYWORDS:

• bisexuality
• relationships
• binegativity
• gender differences
• attitudes

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Heather L. Armstrong

Heather L. Armstrong, PhD, is a research associate at the Human Sexuality Research Laboratory at the University of Ottawa. Her research focuses primarily on the experiences of LGB individuals, including attitudes toward bisexuality, same-sex marriage, and women's motivations for sex with male and/or female partners.

Elke D. Reissing

Elke D. Reissing, PhD, CPsych, is an associate professor at the School of Psychology and director of the Human Sexuality Research Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, Canada. She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Canadian Journal of Behavioural Sciences, and Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.