Predictors of Relationship Satisfaction Among Cisgender Bi+ Women and Men

Research on intimate relationships of bi+ individuals has focused on cisgender women or have combined women and men, even though bi+ men differ from bi+ women in their experiences of prejudice due to their bisexual identity. We studied associations among relationship satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, psychological well-being, bisexual identity attitudes, and partner gender and sexual identity in U.S. bi+ women and men in a monogamous relationship (N = 476). Bi+ women’s and men’s relationship satisfaction was predicted by more psychological well-being and satisfaction with partner sexual interactions, and fewer feelings of bisexual identity illegitimacy. Bi+ men and women reported more relationship satisfaction, internalized binegativity, and affirmation, as well as less identity illegitimacy with different-gender than same-gender partners. However, bi+ men but not bi+ women reported less psychological well-being, personal sexual pleasure, and affirmation with a same-gender than a different-gender partner. Both bi+ women and men with a bi+ partner, versus those with a heterosexual partner, reported less relationship satisfaction and more satisfaction with partner sexual interactions, internalized binegativity, and identity illegitimacy. Having a bi+ partner may compound the experience of monosexism within bi+ relationships. Future research should focus on the disclosure of one’s sexual identity to intimate partners as well as interactions between a partner’s sexual and gender identities.