I recently weighed in re the increased use (and presumably, increased acceptance) of the term “sexual fluidity” for The Debrief.

You can read “Was 2014 the year of sexual fluidity?” (12/12/14) right –> here

And below are the questions I was asked and my response, both in full.

The Debrief: I’m looking into reasons for the potential growth of the term ‘sexual fluidity.’ Would you agree that accessibility to different sexual stimuli online, more openness about any kind of sexuality in general, and the increase of inter-sex and ‘queer’ online stars (and ‘mainstreaming’ of these facets) are paving a way for people who identify as ‘straight’ or ‘hetrosexual’ to experience sexual attraction in other varying guises? (i.e. toward the same sex, switching sub to domme, gender RPs, etc)

In short, do you believe that women (and men) are becoming more sexually fluid? And if so, why?

Dr. Chauntelle: If we’re thinking about ‘sexual fluidity’ as pertaining to people’s sexual responses and said responses’ capacity to change over time, then most certainly – many people are sexually fluid in identity and/or practice. Further, there have likely been sexually fluid folks (of varying tenors) since forever.

I think we may be seeing increases in both the use of the term and the understanding of sexual fluidity as we, as a collective culture, develop a greater understanding of nuance related to sexuality, physical bodies, and gender, as well as the social construction of each of these dimensions. As such, we’re getting to a point where sexuality doesn’t necessarily have to do with a physical body (but it can) and gender identity and expression can be as much political as they may be constructed and/or pleasurable and so on. Put simply, because we can finally wrap our minds around the idea of sexual fluidity, we will likely be seeing evidence of increased discussion, etc.

I don’t however necessarily believe that women (and men) are becoming more sexually fluid so much as I believe we are developing language for something that was always there. (This language being a result, in part, of evolutions we have made as a society as a whole.)

pictured: image via The Debrief

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