When straight men have gay sex: Paradigm shift in defining sexual orientation

Objective: To gain insight and understanding into the population of heterosexually identifying males who engage in homosexual sex. Methods: Structured interviews were held with 118 males during HIV prevention and substance abuse interventions, ages 16-25, who identified as heterosexual but had admitted to engaging in sex with other men on more than one occasion. Interviews gathered both quantitative and qualitative data on sexual behavior, sexual history, attachment/bonding, and social norms of this group. Data gathered was compared to other research in the field or sexual orientation and male bonding behaviors. Results: Factors associated with male/male sexual behavior among heterosexually identified males included situational factors such as economics (sex work), being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, history of childhood sexual assault, isolation from females, and the ease of finding a male partner, but also included curiosity about same-sex behavior, physical enjoyment, friendships that progressed into sexual contact and the belief that sex is a part of a loving relationship. Most of these males defined their sexual orientation by their ability to form attachments with another person rather than their sexual behavior. Conclusions: While sexual behaviors are important in public health for assessing risks for sexually transmitted disease, classifying persons by the behaviors they perform often leads to misunderstanding between the client and public health worker. Sexual orientation is a combination of physical attraction, behavior and emotional bonding. To not acknowledge and assess this can be counterproductive to behavioral interventions.