Sexual Orientation: Categories or Continuum? Commentary on Bailey et al. (2016)
Bailey et al. (2016) have provided an excellent, state of the art overview that is a major contribution to our understanding of sexual orientation. However, whereas Bailey and his coauthors have examined the physiological, behavioral, and self report data of sexual orientation and see categories, I see a sexual and romantic continuum. After noting several objections concerning the limitations of the review and methodological shortcomings characteristic of sexual orientation research in general, I present evidence from research investigating in between sexualities to support an alternative, continuum based perspective regarding the nature of sexual orientation for both women and men. A continuum conceptualization has potential implications for investigating the prevalence of nonheterosexuals, sexual orientation differences in gender nonconformity, causes of sexual orientation, and political issues.
Psychological science in the public interest a journal of the American Psychological Society