Category: Gender, Identity, and Sexual Orientation
Finding a Queer Partner
Regardless of one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or geographical location, dating can be a frustrating, intimidating, and confusing experience. For queer people, the concept of finding a partner can be especially daunting. Fortunately, there is an increasing variety of resources and methods for queer people to navigate finding relationships, casual sex, and friends in their…
Supporting Someone Who is Coming Out
Disclaimer: In this article, the term “queer” will be used as an umbrella term for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and other non-heterosexual orientations; the term “trans” refers to all individuals who experience gender differently from the assumed gender based on their sex assigned at birth. In the 21st century, countries around the world have made tremendous changes surrounding LGBTQ issues….
Advice on Coming Out
“Coming out” or “coming out of the closet” is a significant aspect of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) life that refers to a non-heterosexual person accepting their sexuality and beginning to tell others about it. Coming out is not a one-time, all-revealing event, but rather an ongoing process involving self discovery, acceptance, and integration.2 The experience of coming out can vary greatly…
The Kinsey Scale
Contrary to popular belief, sexuality is not binary. Sexual orientation is not limited to the two categories of heterosexual and homosexual. Rather, there is a whole spectrum of sexuality and people may fall in between certain categories or change their minds over time. Biologist and sexologist Alfred C. Kinsey captures this idea with his seven-point…
LGBTQ Rights in the U.S.
Disclaimer: This article discusses the modern legal stances on LGBTQ+ rights. Here at SexInfo, we are not legal professionals. We also recognize that sexual orientation goes beyond lesbian, gay, and bisexual; in addition, gender identity goes beyond cisgender, transgender, and non-binary. We use these identities to remain concise and applicable to the identities mentioned in…
Sodomy Laws in the U.S.
The modern definition of sodomy is any “noncoital carnal copulation” or any kind of “non-penile-vaginal intercourse.” 1 This definition is an umbrella term for any sexual activity that is not for procreation such as homosexual behavior, anal sex, bestiality and zoophilia, sex with minors, and many other sexual activities such as oral sex. The antiquated…
Asexuality
Sexuality exists on a continuum, and not within a dichotomy of heterosexual and homosexual. Thus, there are many different types of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation describes a person’s preferences for whom they find emotionally, romantically, and sexually attractive. One type of sexual orientation is asexuality, or the lack of sexual attraction to individuals of any gender. For example, someone might…