Bisexuality+ and Sexual Drive
Théo Ferroni (they/them) is a health, sexuality, and disability psycho-educator exploring the experience of sexual drive in young adults.
Théo Ferroni (they/them) is a health, sexuality, and disability psycho-educator currently completing their master's thesis in France. They've been studying and spreading awareness about bisexuality+ and related issues for years. Now, their own research has the objective to summarize and update all of that in France specifically, where studies are very scarce or outright inexistant.
Why are you interested in research on bisexualilty?
I believe bisexuality+ is a vast field of research that is under-explored, particularly in countries other than the USA (even while its expression is unique in every country).
Research on sexuality has always fascinated me and I think we can learn a lot about general sexuality through study of bisexuality+.
Can you tell me about your research?
My master's thesis is about the experience of sexual drive of French young adults (18-25) who are attracted to more than one gender, no matter the label they use. Most research about sexual desire tend to focus on quantitative approaches, but I want a qualitative take on the topic because I feel like we're missing out something if we just focus on numbers. What's more, in the scarce French research we have, we tend to count only individuals who name themselves "bisexuals", while surveys reveal that 5% of people consider themselves heterosexual even though they admit they're attracted to more than one gender! I want to understand why through my research and what triggers (or not) sexual drive.
3 things you wish everyone knew about bisexuality?
Being bisexual+ doesn't mean you are "more or less sexual" than someone else. It's absurd and the starting point of my research
Bisexuality+ isn't a 50/50 attraction between men and women. This is an annoying and untrue idea.
You are still bisexual+ even if you date only one gender at the time.
How do you define bisexuality?
To me, "bisexuality" and all the other labels, are merely just that-- tools to communicate with others and recognize what we are looking for in relationships. I think labels are fluid, and like sexuality, they can and will change depending on your place in life, learnings, discoveries, etc... so they should just be treated as what they are: tags to form communities of shared experiences and feelings. In this case, it's all that's related about not having exclusive attractions to one gender.
What are the most interesting facts that you have learned about bisexuality+ from your research?
Even though I still have interviews to conduct, I can already observe that sexual drive is a consequence of context for sexuality -and not the reverse. This means that french bisexual+ youngsters feel excited only if they consider the situation as something allowing sexuality. I still have to full confirm that, but it may completely shift on its head all research about sexual drive and how to interpret it. Up until now, most research considered "context" as something blurry and probably useless because "drive is physiological". But what if I can show through my research that it isn't entirely, or even at all?
What bi+ research has been most influential for you?
Lisa-M. Diamond’s research has been extremely important to me, particularly "Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire”. I really think everyone should read it because it teaches us a lot about women's sexuality and particularly its fluidity.
Are you bi?
Yes. I tend to say I am bi to simplify things, but my actual orientation is a(ego)sexual panromantic. I am also polyamorous and in a relationship with three adorable partners.
Tell us a little about your experience? When did you know you were bisexual?
I realized I was attracted to more than one gender when I was 15 and immediately told my friends and family. I've always been open about it, whether it is at school or at work, even though I don't yell it everywhere! I just felt like it was normal to say what I felt and well, I had the chance of having my parents be pretty open, as I wasn't the first LGBT+ of the family (my older cousin is a lesbian).
Learn more about Théo Ferroni here.