Multiple Aspects of Sexual Orientation: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Correlates in a New Zealand National Survey

Abstract

Sexual orientation consists of multiple components. This study investigated both sexual identity and same-sex sexual behavior. Data came from the New Zealand Mental Health Survey, a nationally representative community sample of New Zealanders aged 16 years or older, interviewed face-to-face (N = 12,992, 48% male). The response rate was 73.3%. Self-reported sexual identity was 98.0% heterosexual, 0.6% bisexual, 0.8% homosexual, 0.3% "Something else," and 0.1% "Not sure." Same-sex sexual behavior with a partner was more common: 3.2% reported same-sex sexual experience only and 1.9% reported both experience and a relationship. For analysis of childhood and lifecourse, five sexuality groups were investigated: homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual divided into those with no same-sex sexual experience, experience only, and experience and relationship. The non-exclusively heterosexual groups were more likely to have experienced adverse events in childhood. Educational achievement and current equivalized household income did not differ systematically across the sexuality groups. Only 9.4% of the exclusively heterosexual lived alone, compared with 16.7% of bisexuals and 19.0% of homosexuals. Heterosexuals were more likely than bisexuals or homosexuals to have ever married or had biological children, with differences more marked for males than for females. Heterosexuals with no same-sex sexual experience were more likely to be currently married than the other two heterosexual groups. Restricting comparisons to heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual identification ignores the diversity within heterosexuals. Differences between the bisexual and homosexual groups were small compared with the differences between these groups and the exclusively heterosexual group, except for sex (80.8% of bisexuals were female).

Surveying “Non-Heterosexual Orientation”: The Problems of Unstratified Sampling, Non-Inclusive Categorizations, and Implied Causality: Commentary on Wells, McGee, and Beautrais (2011)

“…In their article on sexuality in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Wells, McGee, and Beautrais (2011) presented estimates of the prevalence of various forms of ''non-heterosexual orientation'' and examined a number of correlates in adulthood and from recall of childhood. We would like to raise three concerns regarding the methodology of the study and the aims and language of the article.…”

“…Embedded in the study's methodology is an assumption that selecting one person per household facilitates a representative sample in a national survey. In reality, this approach may lead to under-sampling of minority groups living in shared households that diverge from the ''traditional'' (Wells et al, 2011) Western nuclear family living arrangement. Examining the prevalence and correlates of sexuality was not the primary aim of the wider mental health study that Wells et al drew their data from, and the post-hoc analyses appear to have been carried out simply because ''it was possible'' (Wells et al, 2011).…”

“…In reality, this approach may lead to under-sampling of minority groups living in shared households that diverge from the ''traditional'' (Wells et al, 2011) Western nuclear family living arrangement. Examining the prevalence and correlates of sexuality was not the primary aim of the wider mental health study that Wells et al drew their data from, and the post-hoc analyses appear to have been carried out simply because ''it was possible'' (Wells et al, 2011). This rationale of convenient data may have been used to avoid stating what appear to be the underlying aims of this specific article: to find the''causal factor'' (Wells et al, 2011) of non-heterosexuality and to establish the''effects''of non-heterosexuality on adult economic productivity and family status.…”

“…Examining the prevalence and correlates of sexuality was not the primary aim of the wider mental health study that Wells et al drew their data from, and the post-hoc analyses appear to have been carried out simply because ''it was possible'' (Wells et al, 2011). This rationale of convenient data may have been used to avoid stating what appear to be the underlying aims of this specific article: to find the''causal factor'' (Wells et al, 2011) of non-heterosexuality and to establish the''effects''of non-heterosexuality on adult economic productivity and family status. However, the aims of determining the prevalence and then the correlates of non-heterosexuality are actually methodologically at odds.…”

“…However, the implication of this methodological approach is that Wells et al were treating non-heterosexuality as a ''disease'' (i.e., something that would not be expected to have a high ''prevalence'') and also as a ''choice'' (that could have been averted). One of their speculative conclusions emphasizes this position on choice: ''a child [mis]treated in ways which go against the conventional morals and mores of a society [may become] an adult less restricted by those morals and mores, so that if they feel same-sex sexual attraction they may act upon it'' (Wells et al, 2011). This moralistic insinuation was not addressed in the study's methodology and provides further evidence of the need for careful phrasing when making conclusions that extrapolate beyond the specific research method and that make value judgments of a specific group (cf.…”