Why Do Gay Men Date Women?

It’s a question that has long been asked – but why do gay men date women? Here are some possible reasons why:

Their sexuality is a secret

Whilst some gay men are completely out and proud, some gay men do still keep their sexuality in a secret from the majority of people and choose to present an outwardly heterosexual pretense. This may take the form of dating women or avoiding showing their true sexuality in public.

Whilst being gay is no longer taboo, some men do still find it extremely hard to ‘come out’ especially if they know their family and friends may not be as accepting as the wider public will be. There can be many reasons for believing that your family won’t accept you for your true self – religion and personal beliefs being just some of them – but it is understandable to see why some gay men feel the need to hide their sexuality – although it is a shame.

Dating women can be fun

Just because a gay man is dating a woman, this does not mean that they are necessarily engaging in a sexual relationship. They could simply be enjoying each other’s company, rather platonically, without anything of a sexual nature ever occurring. Regular dinner dates with a female acquaintance can be just as fun as a romantic date with someone you consider a sexual partner.

Dating takes many forms and the definition is entirely up to each person’s personal opinion – some people view dating as spending time with one another on a regular basis, others see it as being in an actual relationship with someone.

You cannot choose who you fall in love with

Whilst dating can take many forms, it is also important to remember that you cannot help who you fall in love with, even if you’ve never felt an attraction to that gender before. Whilst someone may identify as heterosexual, they may fall in love with someone of the same gender and the same can be said for gay people too – although they identify as being attracted to someone of the same gender, it is just as possible to fall for someone of the opposite gender too.

There may be other mitigating circumstances

This isn’t as common now that being gay isn’t as taboo but in the past, many gay men dated women in the hope of creating a family. There are often many stories in the newspapers and magazines of men who have ‘come out’ in later life and who have children and perhaps even grandchildren. Everyone is entitled to a family of their own and this could be another potential reason why a gay man would consider dating a woman.

These are not the only circumstances many gay men may have for dating women but are some of the most common – whether they are dating for a simply platonic relationship, keeping their true sexuality a secret, falling in love with someone they never expected to or perhaps another reason, the truth is that some gay men do date women – and if they want to and there is no proper deception, then that is okay.