Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sexual Trajectories of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the Netherlands

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Studies on sexual trajectories of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people generally focus on the first same-sex attraction and sexual experience, and their relation to self-identification and coming out as LGB. Relational and opposite-sex experiences are generally not taken into account. The aim of this study was to provide a more comprehensive overview of LGBs’ sexual trajectories and to distinguish subsamples with different trajectories. A sample of same-sex attracted members of an online research panel (N = 3054) completed a sexual health questionnaire, including items about the timing of sexual and relational milestones. Results showed that the majority of gay men and lesbian women had same-sex sexual and relational experiences, whereas most bisexual men and women had had experiences with the opposite sex. Among gay men and lesbian women, two trajectories emerged, differing mainly on whether people had been sexually or romantically involved with opposite-sex partners, and on age of first same-sex attraction. Among those who were not exclusively attracted to the same sex, six patterns emerged, which differed especially with regard to the nature and comprehensiveness of their same-sex experiences. Within the exclusively same-sex attracted group, the trajectory with no heterosexual experiences related to higher levels of psychological adjustment. For non-exclusive sexually attracted people, trajectories including experience of same-sex relationships seem to be most beneficial. In conclusion, both relational and opposite-sex experiences proved to be important elements of LGB men and women’s sexual trajectories.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bauermeister, J. A., Johns, M. M., Sandfort, T. G. M., Eisenberg, A., Grossman, A. H., & D’Augelli, A. R. (2010). Relationship trajectories and psychological well-being among sexual minority youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 1148–1163.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Buijs, L., Hekma, G., & Duijvendak, J. W. (2011). “As long as they keep away from me”: The paradox of antigay violence in a gay-friendly country. Sexualities, 14, 632–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buysse, A., Caen, M., Dewaele, A., Enzlin, P., Lievens, J., T’Sjoen, G., … Vermeersch, H. (Eds.). (2013). Seksuele gezondheid in Vlaanderen [Sexual health in Flanders]. Gent: Academia Press.

  • Calzo, J. P., Antonucci, T. C., Mays, V. M., & Cochran, S. D. (2011). Retrospective recall of sexual orientation identity development among gay, lesbian and bisexual adults. Developmental Psychology, 47, 1658–1673.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • D’Augelli, A. R., Grossman, A. H., & Starks, M. T. (2005). Parents’ awareness of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths’ sexual orientation. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 474–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Graaf, H., Vanwesenbeeck, I., Meijer, S., Woertman, L., & Meeus, W. (2009). Sexual trajectories during adolescence: Relation to demographic characteristics and sexual risk. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 276–282.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, B., Rosenberger, J. G., Schick, V., Reece, M., Herbenick, D., & Novak, D. S. (2012). Beyond “risk”: Exploring sexuality among diverse typologies of bisexual men in the United States. Journal of Bisexuality, 12, 13–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, B., & Sandfort, T. G. M. (2007). A review of mental health research on bisexual individuals when compared to homosexual and heterosexual individuals. In B. A. Firestein (Ed.), Becoming visible: Counseling bisexuals across the lifespan (pp. 28–51). New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drasin, H., Beals, K. P., Elliott, M. N., Lever, J., Klein, D. J., & Schuster, M. A. (2008). Age cohort differences in the developmental milestones of gay men. Journal of Homosexuality, 54, 381–399.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubé, E. M. (2000). The role of sexual behavior in the identification process of gay and bisexual males. Journal of Sex Research, 37, 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Everitt, B. S., Landau, S., Leese, M., & Stahl, D. (2011). Cluster analysis (5th ed.). Chichester: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, C. M. (2012). Assessing developmental trajectories of sexual minority youth: Discrepant findings from a life history calendar and a self-administered survey. Journal of LGBT Youth, 9, 114–135.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, F. J., & Bakeman, R. (2006). Coming-out across the life course: Implications of age and historical context. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 287–296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, F. J., & Stein, T. S. (2002). Sexual orientation identity formation among gay, lesbian and bisexual youths: Multiple patterns of milestone experiences. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 12, 167–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. S., Marshal, M. P., Stall, R., Cheong, J., & Wright, E. R. (2008). Gay-related development, early abuse and adult health outcomes among gay males. AIDS and Behavior, 12, 891–902.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, M. S., Silvestre, A. J., Gold, M. A., Markovic, N., Savin-Williams, R. C., Huggins, J., & Sell, R. L. (2004). Adolescents define sexual orientation and suggest ways to measure it. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 303–317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furman, W., & Shaffer, L. (2003). The role of romantic relationships in adolescent development. In P. Florsheim (Ed.), Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and practical implications (pp. 3–22). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glover, J. A., Galliher, R. V., & Lamere, T. G. (2009). Identity development and exploration among sexual minority adolescents: Examination of a multidimensional model. Journal of Homosexuality, 56, 77–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, A. H., Foss, A. H., & D’Augelli, A. R. (2014). Puberty: Maturation, timing and adjustment, and sexual identity developmental milestones among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Journal of LGBT Youth, 11, 107–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M., Norton, A. T., Allen, T. J., & Sims, C. L. (2010). Demographic, psychological, and social characteristics of self-identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in a US probability sample. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 7, 176–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Andrews, G., Colpe, L. J., Hiripi, E., Mroczek, D. K., Normand, S. L. T., … Zaslavsky, A. M. (2002). Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine, 32, 959–976.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuntz, A., Davidov, E., Schwartz, S. H., & Schmidt, P. (2015). Human values, legal regulation, and approval of homosexuality in Europe: A cross-country comparison. European Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 120–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maguen, S., Floyd, F. J., Bakeman, R., & Armistead, L. (2002). Developmental milestones and disclosure of sexual orientation among gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths. Applied Developmental Psychology, 23, 219–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, K. H., Garofalo, R., & Makadon, H. J. (2014). Promoting the successful development of sexual and gender minority youths. American Journal of Public Health, 104, 976–981.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 674–697.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mosher, W., Chandra, A., & Jones, J. (2005). Sexual behavior and selected health measures: Men and women 15–44 years of age, United States, 2002. Advance data from vital and health statistics, No. 362. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B., Birkett, M., Greene, G. J., Rosario, M., Bostwick, W., & Everett, B. G. (2014). The association between sexual orientation identity and behavior across race/ethnicity, sex, and age in a probability sample of high school students. American Journal of Public Health, 104, 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rieger, G., & Savin-Williams, R. C. (2012). Gender nonconformity, sexual orientation, and psychological well-being. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41, 611–621.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. M., & Hunter, J. (2008). Predicting different patterns of sexual identity development over time among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths: A cluster analytic approach. American Journal of Community Psychology, 42, 266–282.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. M., & Hunter, J. (2011). Different patterns of sexual identity development over time: Implications for the psychological adjustment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. Journal of Sex Research, 48, 3–15.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the self. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, L. E., Dobinson, C., & Eady, A. (2010). Perceived determinants of mental health for bisexual people: A qualitative examination. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 496–502.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Savin-Williams, R. C., & Cohen, K. M. (2015). Developmental trajectories and milestones of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people. International Review of Psychiatry, 27, 357–366.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Savin-Williams, R. C., & Diamond, L. M. (2000). Sexual identity trajectories among sexual-minority youths: Gender comparisons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29, 609–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, M. S. (2001). Toward a reconceptionalization of the coming-out process for adolescent females. In A. R. D’Augelli & C. J. Patterson (Eds.), Lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities and youth (pp. 71–96). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schrimshaw, E. W., Rosario, M. R., Meyer-Bahlburg, H. F. L., & Scharf-Matlick, A. A. (2006). Test–retest reliability of self-reported sexual behavior, sexual orientation, and psychosexual milestones among gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35, 225–234.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T. W., Son, J., & Kim, J. (2014). Public attitudes towards homosexuality and gay rights across time and countries. Los Angeles: The Williams Institute, UCLA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, E. M., & Morgan, E. M. (2008). “Mostly straight” young women: Variations in sexual behavior and identity development. Developmental Psychology, 44, 15–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Empelen, P., Van Berkel, M., Roos, E., & Zuilhof, W. (2011). Schorer monitor 2011. Amsterdam: Schorer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Lisdonk, J., & Keuzenkamp, S. (2016). Towards bi-inclusive policies: Suggestions based on research on Dutch same-sex attracted young people. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. doi:10.1007/s13178-016-0241-1.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Weinrich, J. D., Klein, F., McCutchan, J. A., Grant, I., & The HNRC Group. (2014). Cluster analysis of the Klein sexual orientation grid in clinical and nonclinical samples: When bisexuality is not bisexuality. Journal of Bisexuality, 14, 349–372.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports (Grant Number 1090/355-3).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers, P.O. Box 9022, 3506 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Hanneke de Graaf

  2. AllthatChas Research and Consultancy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Charles Picavet

Authors
  1. Hanneke de Graaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charles Picavet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hanneke de Graaf.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

The Medical Ethical Review Committee of University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC) confirmed that the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO) did not apply to our study and that the study protocol thus was exempt from formal medical–ethical approval under Dutch law (reference number WAG/om13/059550). All procedures performed in the study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments and the Dutch code of conduct for scientific practice. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

de Graaf, H., Picavet, C. Sexual Trajectories of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the Netherlands. Arch Sex Behav 47, 1209–1219 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-0981-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-0981-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation