Gay and bisexual adolescent boys' sexual experiences with men: An empirical examination of psychological correlates in a nonclinical sample

Over the last quarter century the incest model, with its image of helpless victims exploited and traumatized by powerful perpetrators, has come to dom inate perceptions of virtually all forms of adult-minor sex. Thus, even wil ling sexual relations between gay or bisexual adolescent boys and adult men , which differ from father-daughter incest in many important ways, are gene rally seen by the lay public and professionals as traumatizing and psycholo gically injurious. This study assessed this common perception by examining a nonclinical, mostly college sample of gay and bisexual men. Of the 129 me n in the study, 26 M ere identified as having had age-discrepant sexual rel ations (ADSRs) as adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age with adult mal es. Men with ADSR experiences were as well adjusted as controls in terms of self-esteem and having achieved a positive sexual identity. Reactions to t he ADSRs were predominantly positive, and most ADSRs were willingly engaged in. Younger adolescents were just as willing and reacted kat least as posi tively as older adolescents. Data on sexual identify development indicated that ADSRs played no role in creating same-sex sexual interests, contrary t o the "seduction" hypothesis. Findings were inconsistent with the incest mo del. The incest model has come to act as a procrustean bed, narrowly dictat ing how adult-minor sexual relations quite different from incest are percei ved.