In 1948, Alfred Kinsey developed the Kinsey scale to more accurately reflect this range. The labels "gay" and "straight" have never been enough to fully capture the wide range of human sexual experience. "This kind of flexibility has existed as long as sexuality has, so it's not really a new idea per se," Caraballo says. While the term "heteroflexible" is new, being mostly straight is definitely not a recent phenomenon. The term derives from "heterosexual," which originated in the 19th century alongside its counterpart "homosexual." (The term "homoflexible" also exists for those who identify as mostly gay.) The term "heteroflexible" first appeared in slang used by college students in the early 2000s, according to Merriam-Webster. Caraballo agrees, adding, "It's really important to listen to not only what terms people use to label themselves but also what it means for them." In the end, "we have to become more curious" about why people pick specific labels rather than trying to prescribe them, Baratz says. This may appeal to those for whom same-gender attraction is a more central part of their identities. By contrast, the word bisexual doesn't contain "hetero" at all. The word heteroflexible has the term "hetero" front and center, which may appeal to people who feel tied to their straight or mostly straight identity. Linguistically speaking, heteroflexible and bisexual are very different-sounding words. Some don't want to commit to one label or feel more comfort and congruence with another." "Ultimately, this is a subjective experience. "For each person it will be different," psychotherapist Todd Baratz, LMHC, tells mbg. Many people do feel drawn to one label over the other, and which identity is more "accurate" for a particular person is ultimately up to that individual.
Their meanings are nuanced and often have more to do with evolving popular usage than strict dictionary definitions.Ä«isexual and heteroflexible are separate, coexisting identities. Like all sexual identities, both of these words are subjective.
The terms "heteroflexible" and "bisexual" can describe similar experiences, and some people even identify as both.
If you think that sounds somewhat similar to being heteroflexible, you're not wrong. "Bisexual" refers to someone who is attracted to people of their own gender as well as other genders. That said, the meaning of heteroflexibility is subjective there's not just one way to be heteroflexible. People who identify as heteroflexible may experience a range of same-gender desires or behaviors, including sex, flirting, kissing, crushes, or fantasies-all while being mostly attracted to the other gender. "Heteroflexible is still a very new term and can refer to a wide range of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings," Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC, therapist and co-founder of Viva Wellness in New York City, tells mbg. (On the queer-women-focused dating app Her, for example, "heteroflexible" is one of the sexual identities that users can choose from.) Both women and men can identify as heteroflexible or mostly straight. Because heteroflexible people are not entirely straight, they fall onto the LGBTQIA+ spectrum of sexual and romantic identity. In a nutshell, heteroflexible means "mostly straight." The term refers to people who are mostly attracted to the "opposite" gender but are also open to same-gender experiences.