New research by CCF Board Member, Arielle Kuperberg, published with CCF Member Alicia Walker in the Archives of Sexual Behavior examines heterosexual college students who hook up with same-sex partners. This research, featured in Marie Claire, finds that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8.5 men in college whose most recent hookup was with a same-sex partner identify as straight. Kuperberg and Walker also find many differences in the characteristics of these students compared to students who identify as homosexual or bisexual.
According to Kuperberg, “There was a big disconnect between what people said their sexual orientation was and what their actions were.” This could be because students are experimenting and exploring their sexuality or because they face social pressures to identify as straight. Attention to these nuances is important for researchers and clinicians.
