Myth 1: Gay men have far more sexual partners than straight

Although some politicians and some anti-gay activists try to convince people that gay men are all a bunch of “slutty bitches”- but don’t fall for their tricks! First, although gay men generally have more sexual partners than straight men on average, it’s best to look at the median before jumping to conclusions.

It is well known that the average is easily distorted by extreme numbers (there are indeed a few men who have many partners). For example, according to the National Health and Social Life Survey, the median number of sexual partners for gay men is only one more than for heterosexual men.[1] Other studies have come to similar conclusions. So, in terms of the number of sexual partners, gay men and straight men are pretty much the same.

Second, remember that gay men are no more sexually active than straight men. Studies show that gay men and straight men have the same level of libido.[2] This suggests that the difference in the number of sexual partners is not because gay men have a stronger sex drive; rather, it is more likely to reflect that men generally prefer casual sex than women. Thus, heterosexual men are slightly behind in the number of sexual partners because they don’t have as many opportunities -- not because they’re less interested in sex.

Myth 2: Children raised by gay parents will also become gay

There is absolutely no basis for the idea that homosexuality is socially learned or that children are “enticed” into homosexual circles. Studies have shown that children raised by gay parents are no more likely to be gay than children raised by straight parents.[3] Conversely, if homosexuality is learned, then heterosexuality should also be learned. If that’s the case, then why are most gay parents straight?

Myth 3: A man who looks feminine or a woman who looks masculine may be gay

There is no denying the existence of such a situation in gay people. But more importantly, not all gay people play specific gender roles. Also, there are a lot of heterosexuals who don’t play so-called gender roles. If one’s sexual orientation can be judged simply by whether or not one’s behavior is atypical, then everyone will be able to spot the gay people around them at a glance -- when, in fact, they are not.

Myth 4: Most child molesters are gay men

In fact, there is no evidence to support this myth. Psychological research has shown that gay men have no stronger sexual urges for images of boys than heterosexual men do for images of girls. This shows that children’s sexual attraction and sexual orientation are completely different things. More importantly, sexual orientation should not be confused with sex crimes.

Myth 5: Among gay couples, there must be a “husband” and a “wife”

While movies like The Birdcage portray a bunch of gay couples as monogamous, the reality is that gay couples are less likely to strictly play husband and wife roles than heterosexual couples. In fact, same-sex couples are more likely to divide their roles and responsibilities equally.

References:

[1] Laumann, E. O., Gagnon, J., Michael, R., & Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

[2] Lippa, R. A. (2006). Is high sex drive associated with increased sexual attraction to both sexes? Psychological Science, 17, 46-52.

[3] Fitzgerald, B. (1999). Children of lesbian and gay parents: A review of the literature. Marriage and Family Review, 29, 57-75.