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For example, a study by Diamond (2003) tracked young lesbian and bisexual
women over a 5-year period. Over 1/4 of the women gave up their lesbian
or bisexual identity at some point during the 5-year period. Some of those
started identifying themselves as heterosexuals and just as many gave
up all identity labels. The women who gave up their identities did NOT
differ from those who maintained their lesbian/bisexual identities in
the following ways prior to the 5-year study period:
Age they first identified themselves as lesbian or bisexual
Events that led to their sexual questioning
Recollection of childhood gender identity
Slang for this phenomenon in college students-- LUG (Lesbian Until Graduation)
Note that there is no comparable term for male college students.
Another example: Bailey, et al. (2000) found that among Australian twins
in a genetic study, it was more common for women than for men to have
slight to moderate degrees of attraction to the same sex. It was more
common for men than for women to have high degrees of attraction to the
same sex.
Diamond, L. M. (2000). Was it a phase? Young women's relinquishment of
lesbian/bisexual identities over a 5-year period. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, 84, 352-364.
Bailey, J. M., Dunne, M. P., & Martin, N. G. (2000). Genetic and environmental
influences on sexual orientation and its correlates in an Australian twin
sample. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 524-536.
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