Unlocking the Kinsey Scale¶

Step into the fascinating realm of the Kinsey Scale, also known as the Straight-Homosexual Rating Scale!

In 1948, the brilliant mind of Dr. Alfred Kinsey produced a remarkable tool that deciphered the complexities of human sexuality. This scale, my friend, paints a vivid picture of where you stand on the spectrum of desire and attraction.

So get ready for a journey of self-discovery as we delve into the fascinating world of the Kinsey Scale and its extraordinary ability to measure the magnificent web of human sexuality.

Are you curious to discover the depths of your “homosexuality”? Then gay test will help you to discover it. Perhaps you had a soft spot for women but were once inexplicably in love with a man. Or has your heart always only danced for people of your gender?

Get ready for a fascinating journey with the Kinsey Scale, a clever tool to help you determine (with a touch of freedom) where you fall on the exciting spectrum of gay, straight, or maybe somewhere in between.

So, let’s explore the nuances of your unique alignment and discover the fascinating world of the Kinsey Scale!

The Birth of the Kinsey Scale¶

Between 1938 and 1956, Dr Alfred Kinsey, Dr Wardell Pomeroy, Dr Clyde Martin, and their research team interviewed over 17,000 people about their sexual histories.

Their research showed that sexual behavior, thoughts and feelings towards people of the same or opposite sex were not always consistent across time and that people did not fit into exclusively heterosexual or homosexual categories.

Instead of assigning people to three categories – heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual – the team developed a seven-point scale, which ranges from 0 to 6, with the additional category of X.

Understanding the Kinsey Scale¶

As you can see, those who sit at 0 or 6 on the scale reported exclusively homosexual or exclusively heterosexual attraction. People at X reported “no socio-sexual contacts or reactions”.

However, in The Psychology of Human Sexuality, scholar Justin J Lehmiller wrote: “The Kinsey X classification emphasized a lack of sexual behaviour, whereas the modern definition of asexuality emphasizes a lack of sexual attraction.

As such, the Kinsey Scale may not be sufficient for accurate classification of asexuality.”

Then there are those at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the scale – all of whom reported varying levels of attraction or sexual activity with both sexes.
Some are mostly attracted to people of the same sex but have the odd thought about the opposite sex, and vice versa. Some are mostly into the opposite sex but also really enjoy getting it on with the same sex.

Because… guess what? Sexuality is fluid for quite a few of us.

Taking the Kinsey Test¶

Erm, you can’t – because it doesn’t actually exist. It’s called the Kinsey Scale, not the Kinsey Test, and any tests on the web aren’t actually official. You can read this article, though, and decide for yourself.

Or you can travel back in time to the late 1940s and hang around Kinsey et al in the hope that they use you as a subject.

For a bit of fun only, you can always take a picture-based test or question-based quiz to find out more about your sexuality.

The Kinsey Reports¶

The Kinsey Scale started out as the Kinsey Reports, first published in Sexual Behaviour in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behaviour in the Human Female (1953).

The Kinsey Reports sold almost 1 million copies combined and were translated into 13 languages.

They’re also considered to be among the most successful and influential scientific books of the 20th century and are credited with changing people’s perception of sexuality – although they’re not comprehensive…

Diverse Sexual Identities¶

Yep, there are many other possible sexual identities (but you already knew that), and the Kinsey Scale does not address them all.

Kinsey is just one of over 200 scales to measure sexuality. For example, Fritz Klein’s Klein Sexual Orientation Grid includes factors such as how orientation can change throughout a person’s lifetime, as well as emotional and social orientation.

Some scales rate homosexual behaviours from 1 to 14, and some have measures for gender, masculinity, femininity and transsexualism.
The Kinsey Scale – although an interesting look at sexual orientation – is not comprehensive enough to cover all sexual identity issues.

Indeed, other sexologists suggest that sexual orientation is just one element of sexual identity. Yeah, what about biological sex and gender identity? We’ll save that for another day while we take fake Kinsey Tests online.

Understanding Asexual Identity¶

Last year Bojack Horseman’s Todd came out as asexual, and in recent months UK soap opera Emmerdale has featured an asexual character.
But what exactly is asexuality? Well, it’s simple…

According to Stonewall, an asexual person (or ace) is defined as someone who does not experience sexual attraction. However, there is a large amount of diversity among the asexual community, as there is among all LGBT+ communities, and, indeed, the straight community.

Each asexual person experiences things like relationships, attraction and arousal differently. And, like all other terms, it’s a word that asexual people use to help identify and describe themselves.

Debunking the Misconceptions of Asexuality vs. Celibacy¶

A lack of information about asexuality means there are lots of misconceptions about it. For one, asexuality is not the same as celibacy. The Asexual Visibility and Education Network. AVEN hosts the world’s largest online asexual community as well as a large archive of resources on asexuality.

AVEN strives to create open, honest discussion about asexuality among sexual and asexual people alike. Unlike celibacy, which is a choice to abstain from sexual activity, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who we are, just like other sexual orientations. Asexual people have the same emotional needs as everybody else and are just as capable of forming intimate relationships.

“Asexual people have the same emotional needs as everybody else and are just as capable of forming intimate relationships.” Earlier this year, Steve Winter and his husband-to-be Thom Gray opened up about their three-year relationship as asexual, homoromatic men, echoing AVEN.