When is a bisexual really bisexual? Testing the ‘one and done’ rule of male same-sex behaviour

Abstract

We conducted a replication of our previous research on female bisexuality using a male target to identify when heterosexual participants would label a man bisexual or heterosexual based on his engaging in either same-sex or cross-sex sexual behaviours or emotions. Whereas, in our previous research we found that it took very intimate or repeated sexual behaviour before participants would label a historically heterosexual woman bisexual, we found that a man was labelled bisexual for almost all same-sex sexual behaviours and emotions. In a second study, we found that historically heterosexual males were rated higher on a sexual continuum (1=heterosexual; 10=gay/lesbian) than females for the identical same-sex sexual behaviours suggesting confirmation of the ‘one and done’ rule. However, the mean ratings for both sexes fell within the bisexual range. The findings are discussed in relation to a more nuanced understanding of the one and done rule, specifically, and in terms of bisexual erasure in general.