Before coming out, one has to come to terms with their own sexuality. Though it may be difficult to fully comprehend at the time, sexual identity formation almost always occurs in a predictable progression from some sort of awareness of same gender attractions and feelings, to the total incorporation of the new identity into the…
Tag: heterosexual
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…
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…
Homophobia
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, homophobia is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.1 However, people commonly describe homophobia as less of a fear and more of a prejudice and an intolerance toward those within the LGBTQ community.2 Whether it is believed to be an inherent and inborn quality or…
An Overview of Sex and Sexuality
The topic of sex and sexuality is incorporated into nearly every culture around the world; however, many people are unfamiliar with the appropriate words used to define sexual expression and interactions, often using these terms interchangeably. While sex is the act of engaging in sexual behaviors, sexuality describes how an individual chooses to express themselves as a sexual being….