A new study published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior reflects the rapidly-changing attitudes towards sexuality in US and shows that the percentage of adults having gay sex has doubled since the 1990s.

This is probably due to the fact that Americans do not suppress anymore their own desires to conform to social norms, as Daily Mail reports.

Researchers from San Diego State University, Florida Atlantic University and Widener University in Pennsylvania, analysed data from the General Social Survey – a nationally representative survey of more than 30,000 adults that has asked Americans about their attitudes toward same-sex sexual behaviour since 1973 and about sexual partners since 1989.

The team found that between 1990 and 2014, the percentage of men who reported having had sex with at least one man increased from 4.5 per cent to 8.2 per cent and the number of women reporting having had sex with at least one woman increased from 3.6 per cent to 8.7 per cent.

The percentage of 33,728 adult participants reporting having had sex with both men and women rose from 3.1 per cent to 7.7 per cent.

The study also showed that the increases in same-sex sexual experiences were largest among whites and in the South and Midwest.

Moreover, the experts said the percentage of Americans who are tolerant or supportive of gay relationships has also risen.