Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Young People and Teenage Pregnancy,
Jan Bridget

U.S.A.

Research in the U.S.A. suggests that the majority of adult lesbian and bisexual women have had heterosexual intercourse at some point in their lives (Bell & Wenberg, 1978; Diamant, et al, 2000; Johnson et al 1987; Saghir & Robins, 1980).  At least 30% of adult lesbian and bisexual women have been pregnant (Ryan & Bradford, 1988).

Large scale population-based surveys are regularly conducted with eight high schools which includes 83,000 young people.  Sexual orientation is included in four of the eight studies (Massachusetts, Seattle, Vermont and Minnesota).  The findings provide comparisons between lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual young people on various issues, including for example, at risk behaviours such as use of alcohol and drugs, attempting suicide, use of laxatives, safety at school, getting pregnant. Sexual minority youth were more at risk than heterosexual youth for all of these behaviours. The following are the statistics with regard to pregnancy.

•	Massachusetts 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey: LGB youth were 2 times as likely as their peers to have been/gotten someone pregnant (24% v. 12%)
•	Seattle 1995 Teen Health Risk Survey:  LGB youth were 2 times as likely to be a teen parent (6.7% v. 3.5%)
•	Minnesota 1987 Adolescent Health Survey:  lesbian and bisexual young women were twice as likely as their heterosexual peers to report having ever been pregnant.  (Only data for girls available (12.3% v. 6.1%)
•	Vermont 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey: LGB youth were two or more times likely to have been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant (15% v. 2%).

These results are consistent.  The studies are repeated and it is likely that more recent findings will have similar results.  Not all of the studies have been examined in-depth comparing heterosexual and unsure youth with LGB youth but the 1987 Minnesota study was.  Saewyc et al (1999) found:

•	Overall, bisexual or lesbian respondents were as likely as heterosexual students to ever have had intercourse (33% v. 29%).
•	Recent prostitution was five times as common among bisexual and lesbian adolescents as among their heterosexual peers (10% v. 2%).
•	Among respondents who reported at least one pregnancy, group differences for recent involvement in prostitution were startling:  44% of bisexual or lesbian young women had engaged in prostitution in the past 12 months compared with only 5-6% of unsure and heterosexual adolescents.
•	Among respondents who had ever had intercourse, 62% of bisexual and lesbian young women said they had done so before age 14 compared with 45-46% of the other groups.  When history of sexual abuse was used as a control this difference was no longer statistically significant.
•	Bisexual and lesbian respondents were more likely to engage in intercourse daily or several times a week than their heterosexual or unsure counterparts (22% v. 15-17%).
•	24% of the bisexual and lesbian respondents who had ever been pregnant reported multiple pregnancies compared to 10% heterosexual and 15% of the unsure respondents.
•	5 of the 17 bisexual or lesbian respondents who had been pregnant reported their most recent pregnancy had ended in miscarriage or the birth of a baby who died compared with 15 of the 76 heterosexual respondents and eight of the 67 unsure respondents.

Saewyc et al (1999) suggest the following as possible reasons to explain why lesbian and bisexual teenagers might have had heterosexual experience:

1.	 Forced sexual contact as sexual abuse, incest and rape are more prevalent among lesbian and bisexual young women than heterosexual young women (Grundlach & Reiss, 1967; Simari & Baskin, 1982).
2.	Many may have heterosexual sexual relationships before identifying as lesbian (Henderson, 1984; Sanford, 1989).
3.	It may be a strategy employed during identity confusion stage of development.  Troiden (1988) notes:  "Some adolescents establish heterosexual involvement in hopes of 'curing' themselves of their homosexual interest....In some cases, an adolescent girl may purposely become pregnant to prove that she isn't lesbian.  Researchers have also made this proposition based on their clinical experience and investigations (Rotheram-Borus & Fernandez, 1995).
4.	Involvement in prostitution as a result of being made homeless due to family rejection on the grounds of their sexual orientation (Bidwell & Deisher, 1991).

U.K.

There are no population-based surveys with adolescents in the U.K. that include sexual orientation.  However, it is suggested that the findings would probably be similar to those in the U.S.A.  There has been research which shows that the majority of lesbians have had heterosexual sexual relationships, as the following highlight:

•	Trenchard & Warren (1984) survey of 315 young LGB people found that 89% of their survey population had had sex with another person and that 61% of the women and 25% of the men had their first sexual experiences with the opposite sex.

•	Bridget (1993) surveyed 20 lesbian and gay women from the north of England (17 aged 25 years and below) and found that 75% had had heterosexual sex; 25% had been raped; and 35% had experienced incest.  One had been a prostitute.  Some of the comments included:

"Had sexual intercourse at 16 and half.  Had bottle of wine, went too far.  Curious to see what it was like.  Not had sex with a man since coming out.  Not consider it in future."

"Had sex at 16 'cos all my friends did.  Friends said sex was great.  Paul asked me back to his place - I was wondering what sex was like anyway.  I was drunk but not legless.  He never plied me with drinks.  I was half-pissed before I saw him.  He asked me if I wanted a drink.  I thought I'd spend his money rather than my own.  I slept with him and got pregnant.  Had sex since coming out, not because I wanted to, I was prostituting.  Would not consider having sex with a man in the future."

"The first time I had sexual intercourse with a man was when I was 23/24.  I was married.  I have had sex with a man since coming out as a lesbian but I wouldn't again."

"Had sex with a man when I was 14 and again when I was 16.  I was engaged for two years.  I thought I loved him.  I wouldn't have sex again with a man because I wanted to but if I want to have a child it is the only way I can get a child - I wouldn't enjoy it."

"Had sex with a man when I was 14, don't know why.  Also had sex since coming out as a lesbian.  At moment wouldn't consider having sex with a man."

"I was 21 when I first had sexual intercourse with a man.  I did it because I was trying to make myself straight."

•	Lesbewell's (1995) survey of 120 women (105 lesbian, 11 bisexual) found:
•	17% had children
•	77% had had sex with men in the past
•	5% had sex regularly with men
•	7% did occasionally.

•	Bailey (1997) says the Bernhard Clinic in London found that 80% of lesbian clients had had heterosexual sex. 

•	Evans et al (1998) conducted research with women attending the Department of Genitourinary Medicine at Charing Cross Hospital in 1992.  1.7% of the 948 women were lesbian.  Previous heterosexual intercourse was reported by 69% of the lesbian women. 

•	McCaffrey et al (1999) studied 91 lesbians attending a specialist genitourinary medicine service for lesbians at Imperial College School, London, most of the women had previously had sexual intercourse with men. 

•	Bridget (2000) found in her study of 15 young LGBs in Calderdale that 71% of the female participants and 50% of the male participants had had sex with the opposite sex.  She also found:
•	The ages at which the five young women had heterosexual sex were: two at 13 years, one at 15 years and two at 17 years; 
•	one had been with 15 men and another with 17 men; 
•	one had a child;
•	the ages at which the men had heterosexual sex were:  two at 15 years, one at 16 years and one at 18 years;
•	three had experienced sexual abuse whilst growing up (two female, one male);
•	four had been raped (two female, two male).

Some of the comments included:

"I was 13.  I did it because I got bored of saying no, basically.  I wanted to see what it was like."

"I was 14 when I had sex with the opposite sex.  I was pressurised into it from the person I did it with.  Not done it since coming out.  Not consider it in future."

"I was 15 when I had intercourse with a man.  I did it because a straight friend of mine told me to.  Not had it since coming out.  Not consider it in future.  Had sex with about ten boys."

"I was 15 when I had sex with a girl.  To a certain extent I did it because it was the expected thing.  It was all over and done with and I didn't think it was very good.  I much preferred her brother."

"Had sex with the opposite sex from being 12 to 18.  Did it because I wanted a baby.  Had sex with the opposite sex since coming out once.  I felt sick.  I wanted a baby."

"I was 17 when I had sex with the opposite sex for the first time.  I was assuming heterosexuality.  I liked him."

"I was 15 when I first had sex with a man.  I did it because of pressure from my friends and maybe to prove to myself and other people that I wasn't a lesbian."

"I was 17 when I first had sex with a man.  I did it because of pressure as everyone else was doing it at school."

Discussion

The above needs to be seen within the context of the following:

1.	There has been an increase in sexual activity for all young people with a lowering of the age at which first sex is experienced.  This is emanating from peer pressure which in turn comes from the media.

2.	There is greater visibility of lesbian and gay issues in the media and more out LGB people.  This has meant that LGB youth are identifying at younger ages.  Gay men have always identified younger than lesbians but lesbians are also beginning to identify at younger ages.  

3.	Alongside this, LGB youth are also coming out at younger ages and making themselves more vulnerable by being dependent on parents who are often homophobic.

4.	Because of physiology, visibility of gay men, and self awareness around their own sexuality, gay men are more likely to be aware of their sexual orientation.  Lesbians, on the other hand, again because of their physiology, lack of visibility of lesbians (although this has increased in recent years) and lack of self awareness around their own sexuality (again this has increased in recent years), are less likely to be aware of their sexual orientation.

5.	More lesbians than men identify as bisexual as part of the development stages in their identity.

6.	Gay men tend to follow their feelings more than lesbians.

7.	Lesbians are more likely to have heterosexual sex than gay men, although some gay men also have heterosexual sex.

8.	Greater pressure put on young lesbians to become heterosexual from parents (a belief that women can change more so than men).

9.	Levels of homophobic hate crime are rising, particularly homophobic bullying in schools.  Alongside this very few schools are tackling homophobic bullying.

10.	The rise in visibility of LGB issues has resulted in a backlash from the religious right which has meant an increase in homophobia in some media.  This has a knock on effect on LGB youth encouraging internalised homophobia.

11.	Because of this, and section 28 of the Local Government Act, government are over concerned with the reactions of the religious right and the media and are putting effort into proving they are not 'promoting homosexuality' whilst the real issues facing LGB young people are being ignored.

12.	Other effects of internalised homophobia and experienced heterosexism include higher levels than heterosexual youth of

•	mental health problems including depression, anxiety, attempted suicide, eating disorders, phobias;
•	alcohol and drug misuse;
•	homelessness and prostitution;
•	truancy and school drop-out;
•	promiscuity, HIV infection.

Recommendations

•	Ensure sexual orientation is included in population-based studies; 

•	Conduct specific research with lesbian and bisexual women as well as young gay men, regarding heterosexual sex, pregnancy, age of heterosexual sex, purpose in having heterosexual sex;

•	Repeal section 28;

•	Ensure issues of sexual orientation are included (in sufficient depth) in sex and relationships education;

•	Inclusion of LGB young people in pregnancy reduction strategies;

•	Ensure schools tackle homophobic attitudes and bullying (make this a legal requirement);

•	Stop the media promoting homophobia (legal requirement);

•	Stop families homophobically abusing their children on a psychological level (legislation, policies and procedures similar to incest/sexual abuse);

•	Development of school-based projects to support LGB youth - similar to projects in the U.S.A.; 

•	Acceptance and greater support for LGB young people: youth groups, mental health services, GPs, social services, etc;

•	Stop religious right-wing organisations from promoting homophobia.

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