"Study: Bisexuality in women not just a phase"

Hello all,
I just came across this really interesting article in my university newspaper, and I had to share it with you. It's about how a 10 year study just concluded that bisexuality is NOT a phase. My presonal reaction to it was “Awesome! About damn time!” I especially thought it was interesting how it only focused on women, although there are defnitely male bisexuals in this world.

I decided to post this article as a fuel for discussion. So, what do you all think? From your experiences and opinions, are you excited or aggravated about this article? And do you agree that bisexuality is a permanent sexual orientation, or do you agree with the stereotypes that bisexuals are just “confused” or in a “transitional phase” to homosexuality? Let the discussion begin! :)

Take care,
Jenna

www.dailyvidette.com/media/storage/paper420/news/2008/01/29/News/Study.Proves.Bisexuality.Not.Just.A.Phase-3172526.shtml">The entire text of the article can be found here and below.


Study: Bisexuality in women not just a phase

A recent study may debunk the myth that women who believe themselves to be bisexual are just “sexually confused” or in a “transitional phase” between heterosexuality and homosexuality.

The study began in 1995 with lead study author Lisa Diamond, associate professor of psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah, interviewing 89 young women between the ages of 18-25 on their sexual tendencies.

“I had noticed in previous studies that the research generally just focused on gay men or lesbian women and really ignored the idea of bisexuality,” Diamond said.

Over the next 10 years, Diamond stayed in contact with all of these women with phone calls every two years.

Although many of the women would occasionally waiver on their sexual preference, very few were willing to describe themselves as anything else.

“For a long time there has been a stereotype that bisexuality in women is just a youthful phase that will burnout in time,” Diamond said.

“My research has led me to believe that bisexuality is a legitimate lifestyle with distinct tendencies,” Diamond added.

Not only were most of the women participating in the study still bisexual 10 years later, many of them were in monogamous relationships that had lasted multiple years.

“This study actually shows that in many cases, bisexual women are more likely to commit to a relationship over a gay man or a lesbian woman,” Diamond said.

The study has been published in the January issue of Developmental Psychology, a journal of the American Psychological Association.

While the impact this study will have on the gender studies community is yet to be seen, Diamond is hoping that it will lead to more studies and a greater understanding of bisexuality.

“Bisexuality is not going away so we cannot keep dismissing it as a phase,” Diamond said.

Diamond also believes that there will now be more justification to research a topic that was once considered pointless. “It tells us some new things,” J. Michael Bailey, professor of psychology at Northwestern University, said.

“[Diamond] looked at the evidence related to the common assumption that bisexuality is a stepping stone between heterosexuality and homosexuality and she didn't find evidence to support that in her sample,” Bailey added.

As for now, Diamond is just excited to have potentially discredited a long-standing myth.

“It will hopefully deal a fatal blow to the persistent stereotype that bisexuality 'doesn't really exist,' and that it is simply a phase that women pass through on their way to a lesbian identity,” Diamond said.