From straight to “sometimes curious”: The rise of heteroflexibility in 2026

People are increasingly exploring their sexuality with flexibility and openness. One of the fastest-growing trends is heteroflexibility—not bisexuality, but rather a “flexible straight” identity, where individuals primarily identify as heterosexual but occasionally experiment with same-sex partners, according to the New York Post.

Dating app Feeld, which focuses on alternative relationship structures, reports that the number of heteroflexible people in the UK jumped 193% over the past year, while in the U.S., roughly 15% of the population (50–55 million people) now identify this way.

“We’re seeing a surge in people seeking connection and play that allows them to be authentic and express themselves freely,” said Dina Mohammad-Laity, Feeld’s VP of Data.

Demographically, two-thirds of heteroflexibles are Millennials, 18% are Gen Z, and 15.5% are Gen X. The study also found that Berlin is the world’s most heteroflexible city, while New York leads in bisexuality growth, with a 161% increase.

Experts note that heteroflexibility is a broad term encompassing:

• Straight individuals who have experimented with same-sex partners

• Heterosexuals occasionally experiencing same-sex attraction

• Couples open to threesomes involving a same-sex participant

Some critics argue that the trend risks blurring the lines with bisexuality and pansexuality.

Dr. Luke Brunning, Lecturer in Applied Ethics at the University of Leeds, emphasized that evolving sexual identities highlight the complexity of human attraction. “It would be surprising if people never felt curiosity toward the same sex, or if attraction always worked in neat, predictable ways,” he said.