Fritz Klein
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'''Fred (Fritz) Klein''' ([[December 27]], [[1932]] – [[May 24]], [[2006]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[Human sexuality|sex researcher]], [[Psychiatry|psychiatrist]], inventor of the [[Klein Sexual Orientation Grid]] and [[author]]. He was also a pioneering [[bisexual]] [[civil rights|rights]] [[activist]], who was an important figure in the modern [[Gay rights|LGBT rights movement]].
== Life ==
Klein was born in [[Vienna]], [[Austria]], to [[orthodox Jew]]ish parents. He and his family fled to [[New York]] when he was a child, to escape [[antisemitism]].
=== Education ===
He received a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] from [[Yeshiva University]] in 1953, and an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] from [[Columbia University]] in 1955. He studied medicine at [[University of Bern]] in [[Switzerland]] for six years, receiving his [[Doctor of Medicine|MD]] in 1961. He practiced as a [[psychiatrist]] in [[New York City]] in the 1970s.
As a self-identified [[bisexual]], Klein was surprised at the lack of literature on his sexuality in the [[New York Public Library]] in 1974. He was inspired to place an advertisement in a [[New York City]] [[Alternative newspaper|alternative newspaper]] the ''[[Village Voice]]'' and founded a ground-breaking [[Interest group|social and support group]] for the [[Bisexual Community]] called [[Bisexual Forum]].
===Klein Sexual Orientation Grid ===
{{main|Klein Sexual Orientation Grid}}
He devised the [[Klein Sexual Orientation Grid]], a multi-dimensional system for describing complex sexual orientation, similar to the "zero-to-six" scale [[Kinsey scale]] used by [[Alfred Kinsey]], but measuring seven different vectors of sexual orientation and identity (sexual attractions, sexual behavior, sexual fantasies, emotional preference, social preference, lifestyle and self-identification) separately, as they relate to a person's past, present and ideal future.
=== Writing ===
Klein published ''[[The Bisexual Option|The Bisexual Option: A Concept of One Hundred Percent Intimacy ]]'' in 1979, based on his research, the world's first real psychological study of bisexuality. He also co-authored ''Man, His Body, His Sex'' in 1978, and published ''Bisexualities: Theory and Research'' in 1986 and ''Bisexual and Gay Husbands: Their Stories, Their Words'' in 2001. He published a novel, ''Life, Sex and the Pursuit of Happiness'' in 2005.
=== Establishment of the AIB & the Journal of Bisexuality ===
{{main|American Institute of Bisexuality}}
{{main|Journal of Bisexuality}}
Klein moved to [[San Diego]] in 1982. There he founded the [[American Institute of Bisexuality]] (AIB), also known as the Bisexual Foundation, in 1998 to encourage, support and assist research and education about bisexuality. Klein also founded the ''[[Journal of Bisexuality]]''. He remained the Journal's principal editor until his death.
In 2006 Klein was diagnosed with [[cancer]], and underwent surgery as a result. He died unexpectedly at home from [[cardiac arrest]] at age 73. He was survived by two brothers and his life partner, Mr. Tom Reise. He donated his body to science.
== See also ==
*[[Sexology]]
*[[LGBT]]
==References==
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-2227698,00.html Obituary], ''[[The Times]]'', [[16 June]] [[2006]]
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1800759,00.html Obituary], ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[19 June]] [[2006]]
*[http://www.bisexual.org/fritz.asp Curriculum Vitae] from bisexual.org
==External links==
*[http://www.washblade.com/2006/6-2/news/national/klein.cfm Noted bisexual leader Klein dies at 73], [[Washington Blade]]
*[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/01/BAGLFJ5ITI1.DTL&hw=fritz+klein&sn=001&sc=1000 Obituary from the] [[San Francisco Chronicle]]
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-2227698,00.html Obituary from TimesOnline]
*[http://www.bisexual.org/fritz.asp AIB Mourns the Death of Founder, Dr. Fritz Klein]
*[http://www.bimagazine.org/nonfict/pages/feature8.html 'Who's your Daddy!'] by [[Sheela Lambert]]
*[http://bitheway.org/Bi/History.htm "A Brief History of the Bisexual Movement"]
*[http://www.bisexual.org/default.asp?http&&&www.bisexual.org/klein/default.asp The Klein Sexual Orientation Grid]
*[http://www.biresource.org/pamphlets/scales.html Sexual and Affectional Orientation and Identity Scales] by [[Bobbi Keppel]] & [[Alan Hamilton]] for the [[Bisexual Resource Center]]
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[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths by myocardial infarction]]
[[Category:American psychiatrists]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:Bisexual rights activists]]
[[Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States]]
[[Category:Bisexual writers]]
[[Category:History of LGBT civil rights in the United States]]
[[Category:LGBT writers from the United States]]
[[Category:LGBT people from Austria]]
[[Category:LGBT Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish American scientists]]
[[Category:Sexologists]]
[[Category:Austrian Jews]]
[[Category:Sexual orientation and medicine]]
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