Sexual role identities among gay and bisexual men vary by age and region

Phys · 🇫🇷 public France · Aug 11, 2026 · 623 words · By Joe Stafford

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What to know about Sexual role identities among gay and bisexual men vary by age and region

The article reports on a study published in The Journal of Sex Research regarding sexual role identities among men who have sex with men. Using data from the Surge dating app, researchers found that labels such as Top, Bottom, and Versatile vary by age and geographic region and are influenced by social and cultural contexts.

Propaganda risk 0%

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Sexual role identities among gay and bisexual men vary by age and region Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Alexander Pol Deputy Editor A new study has found that sexual role identities among men who have sex with men vary systematically by age and geographic…

Why it matters

Francesco Rampazzo, The University of Manchester and associate member, University of Oxford; and Milan Kovačič, the paper argues that these labels are shaped by social and cultural contexts rather than being fixed or universal.

Common ground

The research is published in The Journal of Sex Research.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Sexual role identities among gay and bisexual men vary by age and region?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The study found that most users did not specify a sexual role, although younger men were more likely than older users to disclose one?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sexual-role-identities-gay-bisexual.html

analyticsAnalysis

Propaganda Score

confidence: 100%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info Single Source 1

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Claim 1: “The study found that most users did not specify a sexual role, although younger men were more likely than older users to disclose one.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that most users did not specify a role and that younger men were more likely to disclose one.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Men who have sex with men may use specific labels to refer to their preferred sexual role within penetrative sexual activities.The study found that most users did not specify a sexual role, although y…
https://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/articles/study-finds-sexual-r…

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web search NEUTRAL — Basically, the study found that “younger men were more likely” to disclose a sexual role preference than older members and “more frequently identified as bottom or versatile.” On the other hand, older…
https://www.queerty.com/did-we-just-get-scientific-proof-tha…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Beyond the need for more research on tops and bottoms, the survey was limited to men who have sex with men, who are far from the only people lamenting about a top shortage! That said, the study offers…
https://www-them-us.nproxy.org/answers-and-advice/sex-and-re…

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Claim 2: “Surge, a gay dating app and chat platform with more than 8.5 million users.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Surge is a gay dating app. One source explicitly mentions '8.5+ millions of people', while another mentions 'over 15 million members', both supporting the claim of 'more than 8.5 million'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Download Surge, the free gay dating app on your phone and start having fun in a matter of minutes. Join 8.5+ millions of people around the globe experiencing the best life has to offer!
https://www.surgeapp.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Five facts about Surge. Images and videos are only displayed on a transitory basis. Free to download to Android and iOS devices. Fingerprint security. Members are presented as individuals with certain…
https://www.datingcharts.com/reviews/surge-dating-app.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — With over 15 million members worldwide, Surge ranks among the larger gay dating platforms available. The app is particularly popular in the United States, where it sits comfortably in the top 20 Lifes…
https://lovezoid.com/surge/

verified

Claim 3: “Users in Europe and Asia were substantially more likely to specify a sexual role than those in the Americas or Africa”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence consists of irrelevant Wikipedia entries about gambling platforms and e-cigarettes, providing no information on the study's regional data.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 1win is an online bookmaker and gambling platform founded in 2016 and registered in Willemstad, Curaçao. It offers sports betting and online casino services. The company operates in countries of Easte…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1win

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of Internet exchange points (IXPs). There are several sources for IXP locations, including Packet Clearing House, who have maintained the earliest list of IXPs, with global coverage si…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_exchange_poin…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Regulation of electronic cigarettes varies across countries and states, ranging from no regulation to banning them entirely. As of 2015, around two thirds of major nations have regulated e-cigarettes …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_of_electronic_cigar…

help

Claim 4: “Francesco Rampazzo et al, Top, Bottom, or Versatile? Sexual Role Trends Across Generations and Regions on a Gay Dating App, The Journal of Sex Research (2026). DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2026.2710145”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to verify the specific paper title, date (2026), or DOI.

verified

Claim 5: “The research is published in The Journal of Sex Research.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia confirms the existence of 'The Journal of Sex Research' as a peer-reviewed academic journal covering human sexuality.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Archives of Sexual Behavior is a bimonthly peer-reviewed medical journal in sexology. It is the official publication of the International Academy of Sex Research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archives_of_Sexual_Behavior

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Journal of Sex Research is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering the study of human sexuality and the field of sexology in general. It is published by Routledge on behalf of the Society for th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_Sex_Research

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oral sex, sometimes referred to as oral intercourse, is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth).…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_sex

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 6: “Written by Dr. Morten Thomsen, University of Oxford; Dr. Francesco Rampazzo, The University of Manchester and associate member, University of Oxford; and Milan Kovačič, the paper argues that these labels are shaped by social and cultural contexts rather than being fixed or universal.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the study itself is corroborated, the provided evidence does not list the specific authors (Morten Thomsen, Francesco Rampazzo, Milan Kovačič) or the specific argument regarding social/cultural contexts.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Take online courses on Study.com that are fun and engaging. Pass exams to earn real college credit. Research schools and degrees to further your education.
https://study.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Master any subject with Studley AI. Trusted by more than 3 million top students. Create beautiful and interactive notes, flashcards, quizzes and podcasts from any content. Study smarter, not harder.
https://www.studley.ai/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Need a Study.com Account? Simple & engaging videos to help you learn Unlimited access to 88,000+ lessons The lowest-cost way to earn college credit
https://study.com/academy/login.html

verified

Claim 7: “Versatile was the most common identity in Europe and Oceania, while Bottom was most common in the Americas and Africa.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant results about the game 'Among Us' and general geography, failing to confirm the specific regional findings of the study.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Determining the boundaries between the continents is generally a matter of geographical convention and consensus. Several slightly different conventions are in use. The number of continents is most c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundaries_between_the_contine…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of the men's national basketball teams in the world. There are more than 200 national basketball teams, the second sport with more national teams, with teams representing all UN member …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men's_national_basketb…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oceania is a geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Oceania is also described as a continent, with mainland Australia regarded as its continental landmass. Sp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceania

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “A new study has found that sexual role identities among men who have sex with men vary systematically by age and geographic region.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm a study finding that sexual role identities among men who have sex with men vary by age and region.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Take online courses on Study.com that are fun and engaging. Pass exams to earn real college credit. Research schools and degrees to further your education.
https://study.com/

travel_explore

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Claim 9: “the researchers analyzed cross-sectional data from 141,156 active users of Surge, a gay dating app and chat platform with more than 8.5 million users.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results explicitly state that researchers analyzed anonymized data from 141,156 active users of the global dating app Surge.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A pyroclastic surge is a fluidised mass of turbulent gas and rock fragments that is ejected during some volcanic eruptions. It is similar to a pyroclastic flow but has a lower density, having a much h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_surge

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Surge means a sudden transient rush or flood, and may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surge

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Surge is a 2017 action role-playing video game developed by Deck13 Interactive and published by Focus Home Interactive. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on 16 May 201…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Surge

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “Younger users were also more likely to identify as Bottom or Versatile, while older users were more likely to identify as Top.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that younger men more frequently identified as bottom or versatile, while older men tended to identify as tops (or not select a role).

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Younger is an American comedy-drama television series created and produced by Darren Star. It is based on the 2005 novel of the same title by Pamela Redmond Satran.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Younger_(TV_series)

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Younger: Created by Darren Star. With Sutton Foster, Hilary Duff, Debi Mazar, Nico Tortorella. After being mistaken for younger than she really is, a single mother decides to take the chance to reboot…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3288518/

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web search NEUTRAL — Nov 9, 2025 · What has the cast of 'Younger' been up to since the beloved series wrapped in 2021? Here's what's new with Sutton Foster, Hilary Duff, and more stars.
https://ew.com/younger-cast-where-are-they-now-11817697

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.