Recent statistics reveal that a staggering 987,000 individuals in the UK aged 16 and over identify as bis£xual—a remarkable increase from just 457,000 in 2018. However, Dr. Jason Hodgson, an anthropologist and evolutionary geneticist at Anglia Ruskin University, suggests that the actual number of those engaging in same-s£x and opposite-s£x experiences is likely much higher.
Dr. Hodgson eloquently illustrates that s£xuality functions on a spectrum, with exclusive heteros£xuality at one end and exclusive homos£xuality at the opposite extreme. He argues that the majority of people likely inhabit the bis£xual range, making them capable of attraction to both sexes. “I predict,” he asserts, “that most individuals should actually be classified as bis£xual.”
According to Dr. Hodgson, the genes that influence same-s£x attraction may also impart social skills, suggesting that those who are open to same-s£x experiences often excel at forming a variety of social connections. To elucidate this concept, he envisions a scale of s£xuality running from 0 to 1—where 0 represents a life entirely defined by heteros£xual experiences, and 1 signifies a complete focus on homos£xual interactions—indicating that many people would position themselves somewhere intriguingly in between.
Importantly, Dr. Hodgson highlights a crucial distinction between identifying as bis£xual and actively engaging in bis£xual behavior. While official statistics indicate that a mere 1.8 percent of UK adults identify as bis£xual, he argues that the true proportion is likely much higher, as even those who label themselves strictly heteros£xual may have had same-s£x encounters throughout their lives.
Drawing attention to the bonobo—a close primate relative celebrated for its frequent same-s£x interactions that occur alongside opposite-s£x encounters—Dr. Hodgson suggests that such behavior fosters social cohesion. He envisions a similar dynamic within human s£xuality, where genetic influences guide both same-s£x and opposite-s£x interactions. “S£xuality runs in families,” he asserts, emphasizing that it is hereditary and influenced by numerous genes, each contributing subtly to the rich tapestry of human attraction. Most individuals, he believes, possess these genes in varying degrees, underscoring the beautiful complexity of human desire.
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