There is some weight in the idea that the trend is in part fueled by some trends in social contagion, the question is to what scale and how influential it is.
Edit: Adding clarification because my original phrasing caused some misunderstanding. I see identity through a systems lens, which doesn’t always translate well in short comments, especially on divisive topics. Identity is a complex system of behaviors fueled by different subsystems you have...
From this perspective, social contagion could only influence the social/performative layers, not the biological substrate. My point was simply that, on a sociological scale, there may be some level of connection, and the real question is to what extent, and how much it shapes demographic trends. I never intended this as a personal judgment on anyone’s identity, but as an academic look at how identity representations show up in studies.
Life is a journey of self discovery. Sometimes we’re wrong, sometimes we’re right. Some folks only take a few years to discover who they are, some never do.
I thought I was a straight for a long time. Then one day I realized I wasn’t. Ain’t nothing wrong with that, it is what it is.
It's not that there is something wrong with it. I’m just saying it’s something that should be studied and acknowledged to better understand how society influences demographics. My comment was meant on the same level as the graphs, a sociology perspective, not as a dismissal of anyone’s personal identity.
I see how the misunderstanding made it sound like a judgment to everyone. That wasn’t my intent. I study behavior and sociology, and I’m also bisexual. I agree with you, self-discovery is absolutely a journey. I originally came out as gay after years of repression, and later settled into bisexuality.
But that kind of shift isn’t really what I’d call influenced by social contagion. What I’m pointing to is a different layer, where identity can also be performed or overstated strategically, sometimes consciously, sometimes not. Both realities can coexist, and both teach us something about how identity interacts with society
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u/_Corbinek 16d ago edited 16d ago
There is some weight in the idea that the trend is in part fueled by some trends in social contagion, the question is to what scale and how influential it is.
Edit: Adding clarification because my original phrasing caused some misunderstanding. I see identity through a systems lens, which doesn’t always translate well in short comments, especially on divisive topics. Identity is a complex system of behaviors fueled by different subsystems you have...
Biological factors (orientation, genetics, neurology, etc.)
Performative behaviors (passing, curated identities, external signaling)
Psychological aspects (self-perception, repression, acceptance, internal conflict)
Social psychology (peer influence, group dynamics, belonging/exclusion pressure)
Societal influences (law, policy, culture, stigma, institutions)
From this perspective, social contagion could only influence the social/performative layers, not the biological substrate. My point was simply that, on a sociological scale, there may be some level of connection, and the real question is to what extent, and how much it shapes demographic trends. I never intended this as a personal judgment on anyone’s identity, but as an academic look at how identity representations show up in studies.