How Sexually Flexible Are You?

Posted by Robyn Gee on January 24, 2011

According to James Hicks, M.D. and author of the book, “50 Signs of Mental Illness,” the term ‘bisexual’ can be inadequate and stigmatizing to those who don’t identify with being either gay or straight. Hicks is the creator of the Flexuality project, a blog that describes 12 categories of sexual identification.  He recently released a more refined version of the Flex Test – a 10 minute quiz that claims to assess how sexually flexible you are.

The questions on the test look at your degree of sexual desire, preferred sexual acts, level of arousal, experience, and romance towards both sexes.  “These differences can help distinguish categories such as ‘heteroflexible,’ ‘ambisexual,’ and ‘polyamorous,’” he said.

His blog features descriptions of the 12 categories as well as common myths about bisexuality in our society.

- Can you tell me a little about your background – how did you become interested in defining / un-defining sexuality?

I am a psychiatrist, and I became academically interested in the idea that people are not necessarily gay or straight when I was researching my book.  I also teach medical students about sexuality. I realized that the scientific literature on the subject was inadequate and based on faulty assumptions.

I had several relationships when I was young with people who I now realize were bisexual. This was confusing to me at the time, but now I realize that bisexuality is the key to understanding sexuality generally. It turns out that the question shouldn’t be “What makes people gay?” but “Why do we assume people are straight?”

I’ve also traveled around the world and learned that bisexual behavior is almost the norm for men in many South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Yet here we take it as some sort of law that gay and straight are distinct natural categories

- What research, what experiences, or what process influenced how you came up with your test and your 12 categories?

I had to extract information about bisexual behavior from studies that were focused on other issues, such as the spread of infectious diseases. I tried to capture some of the major ways that bisexuality manifests itself in contemporary Western culture. My goal was not to label people but to provide them with some descriptive types with which they might be able to identify, so that they feel less confused and isolated.

- Was it difficult inventing new terms, and defining them?

I decided to be practical and create an even dozen categories, like the signs of the zodiac. But the types overlap considerably, in part because they focus on different aspects of sexuality rather than defining distinct categories on a single spectrum. I had fun coming up with terms that I could re-define. I invented some new words (like “metamorphic”) and appropriated others (like “polyamorous” and “versatile”).

- What is your view on how society looks at sexuality today, in 2011?

People are still surprisingly uncomfortable talking about sex. Bisexuality is still widely thought of as a practice or lifestyle, and that makes many people queasy.

I’m sure that in another generation we will focus less on gender when defining sexuality. Kids are growing up now with many role models and will ask themselves why they should have to choose between gay and straight. Sexual orientation may become irrelevant. Hopefully something similar will occur with race.

- What do you think people gain from being more knowledgeable about their sexuality?

For me it’s a question of freedom. People should be able to love, enjoy sex with, and form partnerships with others, unconstrained by gender. If you believe that you can only be gay or straight, you may not allow yourself to fall in love with someone, because of their gender, or you may otherwise fail to live up to your potential.

Related posts:

1. Without Question: Born This Way Blog
2. People Of Sundance: Chatting With N. Bird Runningwater
3. Discussing Open Relationships Is As Difficult As Fighting The War On Drugs