C. Bagley et P. Tremblay, ON THE PREVALENCE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND BISEXUALITY, IN A RANDOM COMMUNITY SURVEY OF 750 MEN AGED 18 TO 27, Journal of homosexuality, 36(2), 1998, pp. 1-18
A stratified random sample of 750 males aged 18 to 27 in Calgary, Cana
da included questions on sexual activity and orientation. A computeriz
ed response format (established as a good method for eliciting sensiti
ve personal data) ensured anonymity. Three measures of homosexuality w
ere employed: (1) voluntary, same-gender sexual contact from age 12 to
27: 14.0%; (2) overlapping homosexual (5.9%) and/or bisexual (6.1%) s
elf-identification: 11.1%; and (3) exclusive (4.3%) and non-exclusive
(4.9%) same-gender sexual relationships in past 6 months: 9.2%. On the
basis of one or more of the three often overlapping measures, 15.3% o
f males reported being homosexual to some degree. CES-D depression sco
res did not differ significantly for sexually active homosexual (mean
14.6), bisexual (mean 15.7), and heterosexual (mean 13.7) males. The e
levated depression scores for celibate homosexual (mean 27.1) and hete
rosexual (mean 23.6) males permit various Interpretations, but are not
supportive of beliefs and related institutional policies recommending
or requiring that young adult homosexual males be celibate.