Where do you actually fall on the sexuality spectrum?
Most approaches to sexual orientation treat it as a single-question binary. Research has shown for decades that attraction, behaviour, fantasy, and identity often point in different directions within the same person. This quiz uses a multi-dimensional approach across eight short questions. There are no right or wrong answers, and every position on the spectrum is valid.
Eight short questions across attraction, fantasy, emotional bonding, and identity. Pick the closest fit for each. Questions 1 to 4 of 8.
Questions 5 to 8 of 8.
Calculating your result…
Try the original Kinsey scale
The single-dimension instrument that started the spectrum framework.
What is the sexuality spectrum?
The concept of a sexuality spectrum describes sexual orientation as a continuous dimension, or set of dimensions, rather than a binary category. Alfred Kinsey’s 1948 research was among the first to systematically document that sexual behaviour and attraction in human populations exist on a continuum from exclusively heterosexual to exclusively homosexual, with many people falling at points in between. Fritz Klein’s subsequent work expanded this to multiple independent dimensions, including attraction, behaviour, fantasy, emotional preference, social identity, and community affiliation, which can and do diverge within the same individual.
Population data on sexual orientation depends heavily on how it is measured. Self-identified sexual identity surveys, such as Gallup’s annual tracking poll, show that 7.6% of US adults identified as LGBT+ in 2024, with 22.3% of Gen Z identifying that way. Behavioural measures and attraction measures typically show higher proportions with some same-sex experience or attraction. The gap between identity and behaviour or attraction measures is well documented in the literature.
How common is bisexuality?
Bisexual and pansexual identities are the most commonly held among LGBT+ adults in Gallup’s 2024 data, representing the largest single subgroup of LGBT+ identification. Among Gen Z adults who identify as LGBT+, bisexual or pansexual is the modal identity. Research consistently finds that the proportion of people who report some degree of same-sex attraction or experience is substantially larger than the proportion who identify as gay or lesbian, suggesting that bisexual or fluid patterns of attraction are common even among people who do not identify with an LGBT+ label.
Do sexual identities change over time?
Longitudinal research on sexual orientation suggests meaningful change is more common than binary models imply, particularly among women and younger cohorts. A study by Diamond (2008) followed women who initially identified as non-heterosexual over ten years and found substantial flux in their identity labels, even as underlying attraction patterns remained relatively stable. Researchers now distinguish between sexual identity, which can shift with social context and self-reflection, and sexual attraction, which appears more stable but still shows change in some individuals. The concept of sexual fluidity is reasonably well established in the academic literature, though its mechanisms and prevalence vary by gender and population.
Frequently asked questions
The scientific consensus is that sexual orientation is not a conscious choice. Research on the origins of sexual orientation points to a combination of genetic, hormonal, and early developmental factors. Twin studies find moderate heritability for sexual orientation, with identical twins more likely to share an orientation than fraternal twins, though concordance is far from 100%, indicating environmental factors also play a role. The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization all affirm that sexual orientation is not a disorder and cannot be effectively changed through therapeutic intervention.
Sexual orientation refers to the pattern of romantic or sexual attraction a person experiences toward others. Gender identity refers to a person’s internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. The two are independent dimensions: a transgender person can be heterosexual, gay, bisexual, or any other orientation, just as a cisgender person can. This distinction is important because the two are sometimes conflated in popular discourse, which can lead to misunderstanding of research findings and individual experiences.
Gallup’s 2024 data shows 22.3% of Gen Z identifying as LGBT+, compared to 9.8% of Millennials and 4.2% of Gen X. Researchers identify several contributing factors: reduced social stigma allowing more accurate self-reporting in younger cohorts, greater availability of language for non-binary and fluid identities, changed norms around identity exploration, and generational differences in how identity is conceptualised and disclosed. Some researchers argue that the generational gap reflects genuine differences in how orientation is being classified and labelled, with “mostly heterosexual” and “questioning” categories more often claimed by younger people. Separating social and measurement effects from genuine generational differences in prevalence is methodologically complex.
This quiz focuses on the heterosexual-to-homosexual attraction dimension and does not directly measure asexuality, which is a distinct dimension referring to the experience of little or no sexual attraction. Asexuality is estimated to affect approximately 1% of the population based on Bogaert (2004) and subsequent replication studies. People who identify as asexual may or may not experience romantic attraction, which can be directed toward any gender. If asexuality or aromanticism feels relevant to your experience, the AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network) provides resources specifically relevant to those identities.
- Klein F, Sepekoff B, Wolf TJ. Sexual orientation: a multi-variable dynamic process. Journal of Homosexuality. 1985;11(1-2):35-49.
- Gallup. LGBT Identification in U.S. Ticks Up to 7.6%. January 2024.
- Diamond LM. Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire. Harvard University Press. 2008.