| Research on virginity loss has historically focused on sexually transmitted disease prevention, safety, and sex education. More recently researchers shifted focus to the physiological and psychological experience of virginity loss. Despite the recent surge of research on heterosexual virginity loss, gay and lesbian virginity loss and its possible effects remains largely ignored. The present study focuses on the affective experience of virginity loss among gays and lesbians and their current sexual satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy. 138 participants were given the following measures: First Coital Affective Reaction Scale (FCARS), Sexual Self-Efficacy Scale (SSES-F and SSES-E), and New Sexual Satisfaction Scale (NSSS). Multiple factors emerged as important to either the gay and lesbian virginity loss experience or sexual functioning, including: current age, age at virginity loss, sex of virginity loss partner (same or opposite), United States region, religion, and relationship status as significant for gays and lesbians. |
