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CDC Survey: A surprising number of heterosexual men have had gay sex

CDC Survey: A surprising number of heterosexual men have had gay sex

According to the latest national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more Americans are identifying as bisexual than ever before.

Not only that, but more heterosexual men are admitting to having had gay sex.

Researchers interviewed more than 9,000 men and women ages 18 to 44 years between 2011 and 2013. Respondents were asked about the types of sexual experiences they’ve had, whether they’re attracted to the same or opposite sex, and how they label their sexual orientations.

Here’s what they learned: 1.9 percent of men said they were homosexual, which is on par with the CDC’s last survey conducted between 2006-2010. Meanwhile, 2 percent of men said they identified as bisexual, up from 1.2 percent in the last survey.

And this is where it gets interesting. Because 6.2 percent of men said they had engaged in either oral or anal sex with another man.

A bit of basic math: If 1.9 percent of men said they were gay and 2 percent said they were bisexual — but 6.2 percent said they had engaged in same-sex sexual activity — that means 2.3 percent of men engaging in same-sex sexual activity are straight. Or at least straight-identifying.

“You do expect some differences,” said Casey E. Copen, the lead author of the study. “For some people … they may or may not have had the experiences they’re contemplating, [especially] if they’re younger.”

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