Gender studies

Sociology

Neuroscience

Heterosexuality

Qualitative research

Perception

Sexual orientation

Social science

Psychoanalysis

Developmental psychology

Psychology

Negotiation

Homosexuality

Thematic analysis

Social psychology

Psychology and Sexuality

The current understanding of sexual consent negotiation is grounded in research conducted with heterosexual populations, and little is understood about how non-heterosexual men (bisexual, bi-curious, two-spirited, other) navigate these processes. A sample of 251 heterosexual men and 313 non-heterosexual men participated in an online survey where they were asked to respond to an open-ended question that addressed their perceptions of the differences between how heterosexual and non-heterosexual men negotiate sexual consent. Participants were recruited through social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter), Amazon's Mechanical Turk, and via the distribution of flyers/posters. The sample consisted of men from Canada, the United States, and Western Europe. Basic demographic information was gathered along with self-identified sexual orientation. Four main themes were derived through the thematic analysis of responses:understanding of sexual interactions, understanding of sexual script, unique challenges, and the universality of sexual consent. Findings provide initial insight into some of the perceived differences and barrier both non-heterosexual and heterosexual men face in negotiating sexual consent and highlight some of the entrenched heteronormative beliefs that both heterosexual and non-heterosexual men endorse. Results can serve to inform social interactions, education, and policymaking.

Sexual consent: Exploring the perceptions of heterosexual and non-heterosexual men