Bisexuality 101: What is the Kinsey Scale?
Alfred Kinsey was the first scientist to thoroughly examine sex and sexual behavior. Credited with mainstreaming the field of study known as “sexology,” this pioneer founded the controversial Institute of Sex Research in 1947 with his wife, Clara.
Kinsey himself maintained many male lovers (many of whom were his graduate students). One biographer claims that Kinsey enjoyed group sex, S&M, and encouraged his staff to engage in group sex.
His wife, Clara, who had sex with other men, remained his life partner as they explored why people didn’t always tell the truth about their sexual behavior. To address this reality, Kinsey and Clara developed a scale that addressed the different degrees of one’s sexuality.
