Homosexuality and bisexuality: Contributions of the EPIC survey of individual and conjugal trajectories

By Wilfried Rault, Camille Lambert, Paul Reeve
English

This article examines the extent to which the reported frequency of being in a same-sex couple and having same-sex sexual partners changed between 2005 (the date of the last major survey on sexual behaviour in France) and 2014. Data from the EPIC survey on individual and conjugal trajectories (Étude des parcours individuels et conjugaux, INED-INSEE, 2013–2014) confirm that the frequency of such reports is increasing, in accordance with observations in other countries. More men than women report being in a same-sex couple. However, more women than men now report having had a same-sex sexual partner. Despite a context that is seemingly less hostile to homosexuality, notably due to its official recognition through same-sex marriage, reporting of homo-/bisexuality continues to be linked to a certain level of social resources. The trajectories of homo-/bisexual individuals are heterogeneous, and, on average, their characteristics are distinct from those of heterosexual people, reflecting a different relationship to sexuality and conjugality.

  • EPIC
  • couple
  • sexuality
  • homosexuality
  • bisexuality
  • France
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