CDC Survey: Bisexuality is on the Rise

A new survey from the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that a growing number of men and women are identifying as bisexual, CNN reports.

Researchers asked more than 9,000 people in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 44 about their sexual experiences, and whether they are attracted to the same or opposite sex. They also asked if participators identify as being straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual. The research took place between 2011 and 2013 as part of the CDC's National Survey of Family Growth.

Debby Herbenick, associate professor at Indiana University and author of the book "Sex Made Easy," who was not involved in the study, told CNN she believes there has been an increase of awareness about bisexuality over the years, making it easier for people to identify themselves that way.

The number of women who said they had sexual contact with another woman increased from the last CDC survey (which recorded data between 2006 and 2010): the current survey reported 17.4 percent compared to the previous 14.2 percent. For men, 6.2 percent said they had engaged in sexual activities with another man.

The number of men who identified as bisexual also increased to 2 percent in the current survey compared with 1.2 percent in the last survey.

The CDC also reported 1.9 percent of men said they were gay.

"It's certainly not a new idea that women and men may be attracted to more than gender," Herbenick told CNN. "But that doesn't mean it's an easy orientation to adopt. Women and men who self-identify as bisexual experience stigma not just from heterosexuals but also homosexuals," she said.