Motivations and experiences related to women’s first same-sex sexual encounters

ABSTRACT

Using women’s self-identified sexual identity, the current study compares motivations for first same-sex sexual encounters as well as associated experiential outcomes. We also examine whether relations between sexual motivations and experiential outcomes differ as a function of women’s sexual identity status. Participants were women (N = 123), ages 18–29 (M = 21.59, SD = 3.33), who self-reported a history of same-sex sexual contact. Approximately 27% of women identified as exclusively heterosexual (i.e. EH), 35% as primarily heterosexual (i.e. ‘mostly heterosexual’ [MH]), and 38% as exclusively or primarily lesbian/gay, or bisexual (i.e. LGB). Participants completed an online survey. MH and LGB women reported first same-sex sexual encounters that were more motivated by intimacy and exploration motives, relative to EH women. Compared to MH and LGB women, EH also engaged in fewer sexual activities with their first same-sex partner. Intimacy and exploration motives were related to positive experiential outcomes during first same-sex contact. Associations between motivations and experiential outcomes were not moderated by sexual identity. Findings contribute to understanding motivations and experiences related to women’s first same-sex sexual encounters and show that not all women with a history of same-sex sexual contact subsequently identify with a minority sexual identity label.

KEYWORDS:

• Female
• sexuality
• first sexual experience
• sexual motives
• lesbian
• bisexual

Acknowledgements

Research activities were supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grants AA019974 to Amelia E. Talley. Also, we thank the staff and research assistants, Jordan Stevens, Rebecca Honeyball, Kelsie Rook, Vanessa Whitnell and Ellen Wissman, of the Female Sexuality and Alcohol Use (FemSA) lab for their data collection and data management efforts at the University of Missouri.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Research activities were supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [Grants AA019974].

Notes on contributors

Amelia E. Talley

Amelia E. Talley is an assistant professor in Experimental/Social Psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tech University. Her research examines how sexual identity development relates to psychosocial functioning and risk behaviours.

Mackenzie A. Cook

Mackenzie A. Cook is a graduate student in the Master of Social Work programme in the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St Louis. Her research interests relate to predictors of healthy sexual functioning and treatment of sexual dysfunction.

Catherine A. Schroy

Catherine A. Schroy is a graduate student in the Library Science programme at Texas Women’s University. Her research interests relate to identity intersectionality, particularly among marginalised individuals with concealable stigmatised identities.