Sexual satisfaction isn't just about pleasure. It also reflects the quality of our relationships and our overall well-being. Moreover, it's recognized as a fundamental right by international organizations. However, when it comes to diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, sexual satisfaction intersects with social and cultural realities that can deeply influence it. Despite its importance, research on sexual satisfaction among LGBTIQA+ individuals and couples has historically been scarce, fragmented, and focused on only certain groups. But what do we actually know about this topic so far?
To answer this question, researchers Pablo Mangas and Juan Carlos Sierra, from the University of Granada, conducted a study recently published in Sexual Medicine Reviews, in which they examine the scientific landscape through a bibliometric analysis. This type of analysis helps identify patterns in the scientific literature, highlight gaps in knowledge, and point out which topics have received more (or less) attention. Specifically, they reviewed 333 studies published between 1976 and 2023 that focus on sexual satisfaction among individuals and couples with diverse sex and gender identities.
The results show a steady growth in research output, especially over the past decade, though not without significant limitations. Most studies have been conducted in Western contexts, primarily in North America and Europe, which limits our global understanding of the phenomenon. Moreover, the focus has been largely on gay men—and to a lesser extent, lesbian women or bisexual individuals—while other groups (such as asexual or intersex people) have been virtually invisible in the literature. Among other key findings, the analysis highlights the prominence of terms like “HIV” (traditionally centered on men who have sex with men), “relationship satisfaction” (one of the dimensions most closely linked to sexual satisfaction), as well as emerging concepts such as “sexual health,” contrasted with the noticeable decline in use of outdated terms like “homosexuality.” Although various research teams are showing interest in the topic, there appear to be few collaborative networks among them, which undermines the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives needed to fully understand the phenomenon.
Based on these findings, the authors propose a series of guidelines to help shape future research. On the one hand, they emphasize the importance of adopting an intersectional perspective that considers how various factors intertwine in shaping sexual satisfaction. They also advocate for expanding research into underrepresented contexts and populations for which evidence is currently scarce. The authors highlight the need to adopt a resilience-based approach—one that moves away from pathologizing certain groups or behaviors—to promote international collaboration, strengthen applied research, and diversify the methodologies used, including longitudinal and qualitative approaches.
This work not only provides a clear snapshot of the current state of research on sexual satisfaction among LGBTIQA+ individuals, but also serves as a roadmap for moving toward a more inclusive, critical, and reality-connected science. After all, ensuring the right to pleasure and sexual well-being is also a form of social justice.
Reference
Mangas, P., & Sierra, J. C. (2025). Sexual satisfaction in people and couples belonging to sexual orientation and gender diversities: a bibliometric analysis. Sexual Medicine Reviews, qeaf019. https://doi.org/10.1093/sxmrev/qeaf019
Contact
Pablo Mangas - pablomangas@ugr.es