Interesting observations, Don. I might add that the ‘lifetime” qualifier can complicate matters somewhat. Sexuality experts report that early adolescent boys are likely to experiment with one another sexually with simultaneous or mutual masturbation. That counts as a sexual experience, but childhood development experts call it a normal part of growing up that is likely not connected to sexual orientation or attraction levels for the bulk of the boys involved.

Then there’s situational homosexuality like what I experienced as a young man in the military. As a gay man, I had a friend who told me he experiences no sexual attraction to men at all, and I believe him, based on knowing him for a number of years. But for a period of time, because women as sexual partners were not available to him, he was perfectly okay closing his eyes, leaning back, and receiving a blowjob from me.

Obviously, that also counts as sexual behavior. But he’s not gay in any meaningful sense of the word. When he leaned back and closed his eyes, he would be fantasizing about a woman.

I think that sort of thing goes on more than some people realize, and I speculate that it would be very difficult to capture with statistics. I’m pretty sure my friend has never breathed a word to anyone about our sexual adventures, and the possibility that he would admit it in a poll or survey seems remote.

Just rambling here, so I hope you don’t mind. Thanks for the article!