What's The Kinsey Scale

What's The Kinsey Scale

Kinsey Scale Test: Test Your Sexuality Online & Free
My sexual fantasies are only about:
Mainly opposite sex, rarely about same sex
Mainly opposite sex, sometimes about the same sex
Mainly same sex, sometimes about the opposite sex
Mainly same sex, rarely about the opposite sex
test takers on the Best Personality Tests platform

What is The Kinsey Scale Test? Definition & Meaning

How Accurate is the Kinsey Scale Test?

What are the Limitations of the Kinsey Scale Test?
Join over 40,000 personal growth geeks getting weekly productivity tips
Our mission is to help you save valuable time, build better habits, improve your productivity, and make better decisions.
Each week, we spend countless hours sifting through the noise for well-researched ideas, book recommendations and useful tools. Once a week, we send a brief email summary of what we found in 3 minutes or less read time.
Join over 40,000 personal growth geeks getting weekly productivity tips
Our mission is to help you save valuable time, build better habits, improve your productivity, and make better decisions.
Each week, we spend countless hours sifting through the noise for well-researched ideas, book recommendations and useful tools. Once a week, we send a brief email summary of what we found in 3 minutes or less read time.
The Kinsey Scale is a rating scale developed by Alfred Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy, and Clyde Martin. It is useful not only to researchers but also to the average person. If you have ever wondered how you could quantify your sexuality, the Kinsey scale is one way to do this.
Your sexuality is not binary; rather, it can be expressed on a scale. You can learn about how homosexual or heterosexual you are by taking the Kinsey Scale Test. Bisexual, gay, lesbian, and straight individuals can all take this test to gain more insight into their sexuality.
I never thought that my emotions could be so difficult to deal with, but reading this premium profile has helped me understand the reasons for it. I used think about … myself objectively and see how understanding these weaknesses will allow me even more strengths in all areas of life! Read more “I never thought that my emotions could be so difficult to deal with”
The full analysis of my profile has been insightful. It’s very interesting to see the reasons behind why I do what I do and how it impacts others in various … ways, whether they’re good or bad for me. Read more “The full analysis of my profile has been insightful”
I can’t thank you enough for this gift! I’ve always felt misunderstood and it’s such a relief to know there is someone out there who understands. The way we speak … our minds, or use phrases like “forgetful people” just doesn’t resonate with me at all-but now that i understand my quirks? Things make so much more sense:) Thank You!! Read more “I can’t thank you enough for this gift”
The Kinsey Scale Test is a heterosexual-homosexual rating scale that seeks to quantify how homosexual and heterosexual you are through a series of evaluations.
One key component of the Kinsey Scale is your sexual history. In fact, this is almost solely how the original team used the scale.
Once your sexual history is taken into account, interview answers, questions, and responses to certain sexual stimuli can also be taken into account. When this is done, you will be assigned a number from 0 to 6.
Being assigned 0 shows you are solely heterosexual, while a 6 is solely homosexual. A 3 indicates a balance of the two and often indicates you are bisexual. 1, 2, 4, and 5 could also signify some level of bisexuality.
If you do not have a sexual history, you might be given an X for no sexual contact.
The Kinsey Scale Test is based on research done by psychologists Alfred Kinsey, Wardell Pomeroy, and Clyde Martin.
However, it was primarily the creation of Alfred Kinsey who is still referred to as a sexual research revolutionary. Kinsey believed that most of life is not binary and rather exists on a spectrum (life is not black and white, but had shades of gray).
The same is true with human sexuality. Kinsey disproved the idea that sexual orientation is binary. He showed there are degrees of homosexuality and heterosexuality, too.
The Kinsey scale takes your sexual history, personal preferences, sexual response to stimuli, among other factors to determine how homosexual or heterosexual you are. You will be assigned a number 0 through 6 depending on your response.
Each number represents a different level of homosexuality and heterosexuality:
X : asexual, no prior sexual experience, not interested in developing sexual relationships.
0 : Only attracted to the opposite sex; heterosexual.
1 : Mostly heterosexual, but could be slightly open to having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex. Maybe slightly attracted to those of the same sex.
2 : Still primarily heterosexual, but more open to having a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex. May have previously had a same-sex relationship.
3 : Equally attracted to people of the same sex and the opposite sex.
4 : Still primarily homosexual, but more open to having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex. May have previously had a heterosexual relationship.
5 . Mostly homosexual, but could be slightly open to having a sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex. May be slightly attracted to those of the opposite sex.
6 : Only attracted to people of the same sex; solely open to homosexual relationships.
The Kinsey Scale Test is still quite accurate, but it has major limitations. Current-day sexual experts recognize that the scale plays a key role in understanding human behavior. It is relatively simplistic and only uses one axis.
Other sexual identity tests use multiple axioms and offer more in-depth results (such as the Storms Sexuality Axis test).
Nonetheless, the Kinsey Scale Test has allowed Kinsey and his team to gain important information about the nature of human sexuality.
For instance, he recognized that 37% of men experience homosexual tendencies before turning 45. And, the individuals who took the assessment agreed with Kinsey’s findings.
Therefore, it is not as accurate as some of the more modern sexuality tests, but it is useful to this day.
Although the Kinsey Scale Test can be extremely useful, it does have some key limitations.
Therefore, take the following considerations into account when deciding which sexuality test you should take:
While Kinsey believed most elements of human identity exist in a binary, he overlooked the existence of a gender binary when designing this test.
Transgender people can take the Kinsey test, but it will not be as accurate. The same is true for intersex, three-spirited, and individuals who are not cisgender.
When assigning the testers a number, Kinsey bases the assignment on many factors, including sexual attractions and activity. However, Kinsey is wrong to equate the two.
One can be attracted to someone of the opposite sex, but uncomfortable with performing activities with them. Or, you could be bisexual but only find pleasure in performing sexual acts with men.
Your personal identity does not play a role in the test results. It could make the test more objective, but also overlooks the personal preferences you know you have.
Keep in mind that there is no distinction between sexual attraction, identity, and activity in this test.
Notice how the opposite ends of the scale are homosexuality and heterosexuality. The middle values also imply the two are opposites.
If you take Kinsey’s logic, then those who describe themselves as more homosexual than you also cannot be more heterosexual than you.
However, homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality are all distinct constructs, even if they seem interrelated.
A higher score on homosexual tendencies should not automatically mean that person scores low on heterosexual tendencies. But, that is the incorrect logic the Kinsey test uses.
While Kinsey did try to include multiple sexualities, his test is not suitable for those outside the homosexual, heterosexual, and bisexual categories.
You may struggle to take this test if you are pansexual, demisexual, cupiosexual, libidoist asexual, and so on.
You may still benefit from taking this test, but it will not be as comprehensive and definitive as it is for those that are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
Copyright © 2022, BPTLAB. All Rights Reserved

All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers

The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans.

A one-stop shop for all things video games.

Home
SR Originals
Hacks: What Is The Kinsey Scale?

By Peter Mutuc
Published May 19, 2022

Superman & Lois Season 2 Finale's Divisive Twist Is Good For The Show

Related Topics

SR Originals

Hacks

More

Write For Us
Home
Contact Us
Terms
Privacy
Copyright
About Us
Press Kit
Fact Checking Policy
Corrections Policy
Ethics Policy
Ownership Policy

Hacks protagonists Ava and Deborah finally bring up the infamous Kinsey scale during one of their many conversations about SOGI. Here's what it means.
Warning: the following contains SPOILERS for Hacks season 2.
Hacks season 2 continues the series' recurring conversations involving Ava discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with Deborah, this time referencing the Kinsey scale. Ava and Deborah's discussions about SOGI started out as setups for jokes that point out either Deborah's traditional notions about sexuality or Ava's bisexuality and progressive views. Ava and Deborah's conversation on the cruise in Hacks season 2, episode 4 “The Captain's Wife” is no different. However, with the evolution of Ava and Deborah's mentoring relationship and the inclusion of the Kinsey scale into the conversation, their short but recurring talks about SOGI are starting to dig deeper into the underlying sociopolitics of gender and sexuality. This is particularly crucial as the dynamic between Ava and Deborah has notably changed following Hacks ' tour/road trip plotline .
Thinking that she booked a gay cruise, Deborah is distraught at finding out that she actually booked a lesbian cruise, which scraps her plan to do her old material which gay men love. Ava takes this opportunity to socialize, and before she goes off to the ship's bar, Deborah notices the horrid condition of Ava's nails and insists on giving Ava a manicure. While Deborah does Ava's nails on the bed, Ava once again opens up the SOGI conversation. Ava mentions the Kinsey scale, which Deborah is familiar with, but the two never really get into the details.
Hacks using the Kinsey scale is indicative of the show's general direction. Though the Kinsey scale is flawed by today's standards, it still marks a historical leap for the world's understanding of SOGI in the 20th century. This is important because Hacks is based on real people and events , so it makes sense for the show to start realistically examining Deborah's traditional views from a historical standpoint. As Ava tells Deborah, "Your sexuality isn't a choice, but whether or not you examine it, I think, is."
First published in 1948, the Kinsey scale is also known as the Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale, and is used to measure or describe a person's desire for homosexual experiences from 0 to 6. 0 indicates a desire for exclusively heterosexual encounters, 1 to 5 ranges from predominantly heterosexual to homosexual desires, and 6 means that the person is homosexual. Meanwhile, X on the scale indicates “no socio-sexual contacts or relations.”
Alfred Kinsey, known in certain circles as “the father of the sexual revolution,” created the Kinsey scale because he believed that sexuality is fluid, and that it doesn't necessarily fit into the binary notion of heterosexual and homosexual. As the cast of Hacks is comprised of many members of the LGBTQ+ community, it should be noted however that many queer folks today consider the Kinsey scale to be problematic. It's true that the Kinsey scale was one of the concepts that opened the minds of entire generations to the fact that sexuality is a spectrum, laying the foundations for the modern understanding of SOGI, including the concept of asexuality and bisexuality. That said, in the 21st century, as people are becoming much more aware of how sexual orientation and gender identity are constantly shaped by biological, social, and political factors, the Kinsey scale's 0 to 6 (and X) rating can be very prescriptive and contradictory to the idea of diversity.
Hacks ' use of the Kinsey scale foreshadowed the terrible outcome of Deborah insisting on confidently making misogynist jokes about women for an audience of lesbians from different generations, a key turning point in Deborah and Ava's problematic relationship . While Deborah is able to dismiss Ava's progressive talking points about SOGI during their private conversations, Deborah very quickly finds out that the public isn't as easy to dismiss once she airs her outdated views. However, considering how Deborah is at least aware of the Kinsey scale, and how she and Ava constantly discuss SOGI throughout the series, there's still hope that comedic legend Deborah Vance can catch up to the 21st century. Moreover, this experience will no doubt translate into new material for the flawed but brilliant stand-up comic.
Hacks releases new episodes Thursdays on HBO Max.
Born, raised, and still based in the dystopian hellscape of Metro Manila, Philippines, Peter Mutuc’s knowledge of geekdom was forged in the ancient, lagging fires of 56kbps internet and dodgy forums - but now burns bright with the light of the eternal datasphere. Before his current foray into series and movie feature writing, Peter was a ghostwriter who aimlessly haunted the wasteland for copper pieces and XP. In the physical world, Peter was obsessed about biking as far as humanly possible and petting the occasional strange doge. Today, when he is not rummaging through the drit looking for useful numenera, Peter is either bothering his black-brown-white tabby cat T'Challa Kittenbane or brewing ginger beer at home. During the pandemic, while stuck inside a tiny condo unit that thankfully had a somewhat nice view, Peter also translated the book Migrantik by his favorite Filipino (Tagalog) author Norman "4 Joints" Wilwayco into English. The English translation of Migrantik, a novel about a pinoy immigrant parent's journey in Australia and the drug war back at home, is now available on Amazon.

Contacts

Support

Blog

About

Press

Assets
Partnership
News

LGBTQ+ Wiki

In 1948, being gay was against the law in every U.S. state. And any gay activity was punishable by a prison sentence, for violation of sodomy laws on the books.
What’s more, the American Psychiatric Association listed the “condition” as a mental health disorder. That same year, an Indiana University researcher, Alfred Kinsey, along with two colleagues presented the Kinsey Scale in a book titled, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male . It was a ground-breaker for two big reasons: One, it took the notion that a person was either straight or gay and threw it out the window. Instead, it used a heterosexual homosexual rating scale to measure sexual orientation. Two, it was a big step toward the truth that being homosexual or bi is not a mental illness but a form of non-traditional sexual activity.
Kinsey’s premise in conducting his research was this: the human male and human female, and their sexual orientation, attractions, thoughts, and feelings, were not exclusive to straight or gay preferences. Instead, they fell within a range of combinations.
After conducting thousands of interviews, Kinsey and his colleagues published their research findings, including the following results :
Kinsey realized that he needed to report what his research showed on a continuum and so developed the “Kinsey Scale,” in order to describe sexual orientation in a simple and clear way.
Based upon the interviews, Kinsey and his two colleagues, Wardell Pomeroy and Clyde Martin, concluded that people cannot be categorized with a single sexual orientation such as straight, gay, or bisexual. They can be combinations of these, and these combinations can change over time. So, his team developed a seven-point scale ranging from 0 – 6, along with an “X” for those who had never had socio sexual contacts. This came to be known as the Kinsey Scale. Ultimately, his work resulted in the set up of the Kinsey Institute on the Indiana University campus.
Here is a brief rundown of the seven variables in the Kinsey Scale. Everyone interviewed was placed on this scale, and thus the percentage results in the final Kinsey Reports.
If you want to use this scale yourself to see where your sexual orientation might fall, there is no official Kinsey Scale “test” to take that will give you a score. You just look at the descriptions and place yourself on the scale.
You are probably asking, “so what?” The only answer is that you are contributing to some pretty old and outdated research if you want to share “who” you are with the folks at KinseyInstitute.org . Yes, the Kinsey Institute still exists. They do important further research on sexual behavior and sexual orientation. Fortunately, they have advanced far beyond their start with an outdated heterosexual homosexual rating scale.
Here is a graphic that gives a great visual of the Kinsey Scale:
By now, you can see that this research sits in the “Stone Age” of studying human sexuality. In fact, it is almost meaningless today.
We can thank Kinsey for starting a discussion about non-straight sex and society’s better understanding of it. But given where we are today, this Kinsey Scale test is way too simple and limited.
The Kinsey Scale does not give any real insights into the current LGBTQIA+ community of today, such as homosexual categories or the sociosexual contacts that span such a wide range of sexual behaviors.
In 2013, Dina Spector, contributor to Business Insider, published an article on the research of Kinsey, and issues that surrounded his work. The points she made were probably valid. Most important was this: While the Kinsey team interviewed thousands of men about their sexual histories, past and current sexual attraction, with both the same and/or opposite genders, this initial sex research was con
Orgasm Toes
Luna Corazon Pictures
Pussy Lick Close Up

What's The Kinsey Scale

Report Page