More than 6% of the UK population aged 16 and over altered their reported sexual identity over 6 years, with the change more prevalent among young people, older grownups, non-white ethnic minorities, and less educated people, according to research study led by Lancaster University. The research study emphasizes the fluidity of sexual identity and highlights the value of thinking about sexual identity movement in policy-making and data collection.
New research study led by Lancaster University exposes that over a six-year period, the reported sexual identity of more than 6% of the UK population aged 16 and older has changed.
This research study, which evaluated data from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study, provides brand-new, thorough insights into the fluidity of sexual identity– the shifting and persistence of individuals self-identified sexual orientation– at an across the country level in the UK.
Of the 22,673 people who were each observed twice in 2011– 2013 and 2017– 2019, a substantial minority of 6.6% changed their reported sexual orientation.
The research, conducted by Professor Yang Hu, of Lancaster University, and Assistant Professor Nicole Denier, of the University of Alberta in Canada, was recently published in Demography, the flagship journal of the Population Association of America.
” The concept that sexual identity is fluid is not new however, up previously, we know reasonably little about just how fluid it remains in the population and how the fluidity varies across various market groups,” states lead author Professor Yang Hu.
The studys essential findings reveal:
” An increasing variety of social policies, public health, and well-being programs are rolled out to support equality for and the wellbeing of sexual minority individuals,” states Professor Hu, “our findings reveal that the sexual minority population is not static, and identities and partnership practices may change over the course of peoples lives.
” As the structure of the sexual minority population might shift, policymakers need to be attuned to the altering characteristics and requirements of the population.”
The findings likewise challenge the assumption that sexual identity movement declines over the life course. It really discovers that sexual identity movement is as common amongst over-65s as amongst youths aged 16– 24.
” The reasonably high mobility rate among older individuals is mostly driven by their increased probability of moving into a heterosexual identity and giving up a hesitation to reveal their sexual identity,” discusses Professor Hu.
” Our research study develops the scale and patterns of sexual identity movement in the UK. It does not explore the complex factors for the mobility, but our analysis does show that modifications in people sexual recognition are closely connected with modifications in their collaboration status and partners sex.”
People who moved into a same-sex relationship are about 7 times (43.3% vs. 5.9%) more most likely to alter their sexual identity to report that they are gay or lesbian than those who have not knowledgeable such relationship changes.
The research study likewise compared the frequency and patterns of sexual identity movement as captured by self-reported sexual identity versus a partners sex.
” The 2021 UK Census has started to collect information on peoples sexual identity, and many other nations are moving to collect data on sexual minority populations, including the 2020 United States Census”, said Professor Denier, “but sexual identity has been measured in different methods worldwide.
” Our findings show that presuming ones sexual identity from ones partners sex, the kind of details readily available in the 2020 United States Census, would considerably ignore the sexual minority population and sexual identity movement compared to measuring it based on people self-reported identification as in the 2021 UK Census or with surveys that follow individuals gradually.”
The findings from the research study highlight the importance of catching sexual identity as fluid instead of repaired in significant information collection efforts and urge federal governments and practitioners to integrate sexual fluidity as a crucial factor to consider into policymaking and their work with sexual minority populations.
Recommendation: “Sexual Orientation Identity Mobility in the United Kingdom: A Research Note” by Yang Hu and Nicole Denier, 1 June 2023, Demography.DOI: 10.1215/ 00703370-10769825.
Sexual identity movement is greater amongst young people aged 16– 24 (7.9%) and older grownups aged 65 and over (7.4%), compared to those aged 25– 64 (5.0– 6.2%).
Sexual identity movement is 10.3% less most likely among males (5.7%) than women (6.3%).
Sexual identity mobility is 3 times most likely amongst non-white ethnic minority people (15.5%) than amongst white people (5.0%).
Sexual identity mobility is more likely among the less educated.
Sexual identity mobility is more widespread among those who self-identified as bisexual, had other sexual identities, and preferred not to reveal their identity, compared with those who self-identified as heterosexual, gay or lesbian.