Sexual Satisfaction in Monogamous, Nonmonogamous, and Unpartnered Sexual Minority Women in the US
Brian Dodge
James Dennis Fortenberry
Debby Herbenick
VANESSA R. SCHICK
Abstract
Research on sexual satisfaction tends to focus mostly on heterosexual women and women in monogamous relationships. Sexual satisfaction among sexual minority women and women who are nonmonogamous or not partnered is under-researched. Through an online survey, we gathered data from 334 cisgender sexual minority women in various relationship configurations and assessed sexual satisfaction in relation to individual and interpersonal factors. Sexual satisfaction was not related to sexual identity or gender of relationship, dating, or sexual partners. Although women without a partner reported lower sexual satisfaction compared to those with one partner and those with more than one partner (p < .001), satisfaction between monogamous and nonmonogamous women did not differ (p < .001). Less internalized homonegativity was associated with greater sexual satisfaction (p < .001). This study broadens our knowledge of the sexual lives and health of sexual minority and nonmonogamous women. Findings support reconceptualizing how we understand and measure sexual satisfaction and expanding samples in future research to include sexual minority women and women in nonmonogamous relationships.