Sexual orientation, also known as sexuality,[1] refers to a person's sexual attractions (or lack thereof) toward other people.[1][2] It is not defined by sexual activity, which can be independent of a person's orientation.[2] It also is not equivalent to a person's gender, but the most common terms use the language of the gender binary (male or female).[1]
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Examples of sexual orientations[]
Abrosexual[]
- Main article: Abrosexual
Abrosexual individuals experience their sexual orientation as fluid and/or changing over time. Although other kinds of fluidity may involve changes in the genders one is attracted to, abrosexuality involves one's entire orientation changing over time. The intensity of their attractions may change as well.[3] There is no set schedule experienced by all abrosexual individuals; it may fluctuate between hours, days, weeks, months, or even years for their orientations to change. Some abrosexual individuals do have their own fixed patterns or schedules, but not all. Some may be fluid between a few orientations, while others are fluid between several.[4]
Because abrosexual individuals can sometimes be asexual, abrosexuality can fall under the asexual spectrum. It can also fall under the multisexual umbrella, which includes individuals who are romantically or sexually attracted to multiple genders.[4]
Achillean[]
- Main article: Achillean
Achillean refers to a man or man-aligned individual who is attracted to other men and man-aligned people.[note 1] This describes all sexual orientations in which one man or man-aligned person is attracted to others, serving as an umbrella term for men and non-binary people who are gay, pansexual, bisexual, queer, or other sexualities in which men or man-aligned individuals identifying as those orientations may be attracted to men and man-aligned people. It is similar to and sometimes known as men loving men (MLM).[5]
The complementary, or female-to-female equivalent of Achillean, is Sapphic.
Androsexual[]
- Main article: Androsexual
Androsexual is a sexual orientation where a person is attracted to men, males, and/or masculinity in general.[3][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Other prefixes may be used in place of andro- to denote the same range of attraction, such as ma-.[3]
While androsexual can be used to denote both sexual and romantic attraction,[6][7][8][9] androromantic is a label used to specifically denote romantic attraction to men, males, and/or masculinity.[3][13][14] Since ma- is an alternative prefix to andro- in general, maromantic is an alternative term to androromantic.[3]
Asexual[]
- Main article: Asexual
Asexual refers to people who do not experience sexual attraction toward others,[15] as well as people who experience limited or conditional sexual attraction[16] and relate to the label asexual more than other sexual identity terms.[15] They may experience other forms of attraction, such as romantic, sensual, or aesthetic attraction. Asexuality is a sexual orientation,[17] not a behavior, choice, or medical condition. Some asexual people choose to engage in sexual activities for various reasons despite not experiencing sexual feelings and desire toward any particular person.[15][16] Asexuality is part of the asexual spectrum (abbreviated "ace spectrum"), an umbrella term and a broad community of identities that are closely related to asexuality when placed on a spectrum ranging from asexual to allosexual.[15]
Bisexual[]
- Main article: Bisexual
Bisexual, also abbreviated as bi, is a sexual orientation encompassing sexual attraction to multiple genders and/or sexes, with various definitions that include:
Some bisexual people experience different kinds of attractions to the genders or sexes they are attracted to, or may feel attracted to different sexes or genders over time.[18] Bisexuals may feel equally attracted[19] or may be primarily attracted or more strongly attracted to one or more of them compared to the other(s).[18][19] Bisexuality is also an umbrella term for multiple attractions, the definitions of which overlap. Individuals may have a preference in which specific label they use or draw distinctions between bisexuality and other labels, such as pansexual and omnisexual.[20]
Ceterosexual[]
- Main article: Ceterosexual
Ceterosexual,[3] also known as skoliosexual[3][21][22] or allotroposexual,[23] refers to sexual attraction to non-binary[3][21][22] and/or potentially binary transgender people,[22][23] sometimes exclusively.[3] People who are ceterosexual may or may not be attracted to cisgender individuals, especially those who break gender roles, though this definition is disputed.[23][24]
Demisexual[]
- Main article: Demisexual
Demisexual is a term used to describe those who do not experience sexual attraction to others unless they form a strong emotional bond with someone first. Demisexual people may still experience romantic attraction, but until a deep connection is formed, there is no sexual attraction involved. They may have little to no interest in sex and may only experience sexual attraction rarely, but that is not the case with all demisexuals.[25]
Another definition is a person who does not experience primary sexual attraction, defined as sexual attraction that is based on sight, smell, or other instantly available information. In this definition, demisexuals experience secondary sexual attraction after knowing more about the person than just their looks; how much demisexuals need to know about said person and for how long they need to know about them for secondary sexual attraction to develop varies from person to person.[26] After secondary sexual attraction is developed, demisexuals may or may not experience arousal or desire based on the physical traits of the persons they already experience secondary sexual attraction towards; usually they are not only aroused by personality traits.[27][28]
Demisexuality is included on the asexual spectrum, but demisexual people can be gay, straight, bisexual, or any other orientation in addition to being demisexual.[29]
Gay[]
- Main article: Gay
Gay is an adjective referring to those with an enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to people of the same gender.[30] This is most commonly associated with gay men,[31] as a gay woman may prefer to use the term "lesbian" instead.[32][33] Queer and bisexual are also among the terms used for those who are attracted to members of the same gender.[34] In a broader sense of the word, gay can also be used as an umbrella term to identify any LGBTQIA+ individual,[35] though some note that doing so excludes other sexual orientations and gender identities and should thus be avoided.[36]
"Gay" as an identity is defined by the attraction and self-identification as such rather than having had any sexual experience with people of the same gender.[2] Thus, having had sexual intercourse with someone of the same gender does not make anyone gay by definition. There is not just one way to experience same-sex attraction, nor is there a set period in life for a person to discover that they experience it. While some may know that they experience same-sex attraction from a young age, it can take others decades to figure it out or be comfortable enough with their identity to acknowledge it to themselves and others.[37]
Being gay is also referred to as "homosexuality" and thus forms the counterpart of "heterosexuality", the sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite gender.[38] However, controversy has arisen surrounding the use of the word "homosexuals" to refer to gay people, as it has been considered an outdated term that is derogatory and offensive to many lesbian and gay people due to its usage by anti-LGBTQIA+ individuals to imply that gay people are somehow diseased or psychologically/emotionally disordered.[6]
Gynesexual[]
- Main article: Gynesexual
Gynesexual is a sexual orientation where a person is attracted to women, females, and/or femininity.[3][6][7][8][9][10][39] There are other prefixes that are sometimes used instead of gyne- to express the same range of attraction, such as gyno-,[40] and woma-. It describes a person's attractions without specifying their own gender.[3]
Gynesexual can be used to mean both sexual and romantic attraction.[6][7][8][9] However, gyneromantic is a label that is used only for romantic attraction, with the same range of attraction as gynesexual (i.e. to women, females, and/or femininity).[3][41][42] The same alternative prefixes for gyne- can be used for gyneromantic, as in gynoromantic and womaromantic.[3]
Heterosexual[]
Heterosexual, or straight, refers to the sexual orientation of an individual is attracted to people of a gender different than their own.[2] It is commonly used to mean a woman attracted to men or a man attracted to women, which is often called the "opposite" gender.[43] A person who is both cisgender and heterosexual is sometimes referred to as "cishet".[2] Within the Split Attraction Model that separates sexual attraction from romantic attraction, its romantic equivalent is heteroromantic.[44]
Lesbian[]
- Main article: Lesbian
Lesbian is most often defined as a woman who is attracted to other women romantically, sexually, or both, among many other definitions.[45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] The term is generally used as a self-identification of sexual or romantic orientation.[54] Although lesbians are frequently defined as women who are exclusively attracted to women,[46] they have also been referred to as women primarily attracted to other women.[53] Some prefer to use or additionally use "gay" or "gay woman" as an identifier.[55]
Lesbians have debated who shares their identity and is part of the lesbian community for over a century.[56] They have variously been defined based on sexual behaviors, sexual attractions, or self-identifying with the label. For instance, women who self-identify as both bisexual and lesbian[note 2] would not be included in a definition that specifies lesbians are only oriented toward women, but would be in a broader definition that encompasses other labels.[58] Definitions also vary in whether or not they use expanded language regarding gender, such as a person who self-describes as a woman[53] or phrasing that explicitly includes people who do not identify only as women, such as woman-aligned[note 3][55] and some genderqueer and/or non-binary people who feel a connection to womanhood.[59]
Lesbians may be cisgender or transgender;[46][60][61] since gender is a separate concept from sexual orientation, someone may be both trans and lesbian.[note 4][46][60] Based upon their assigned gender at birth and attraction to women, and prior to realizing their gender identity and transitioning, some trans women (assigned male at birth) formerly identify as straight and some trans men (assigned female at birth) as lesbian. Trans women attracted to women may subsequently understand themselves as lesbian women. As lesbian communities tend to be more accepting of masculine and gender non-conforming people who were assigned female at birth than straight communities, trans men often initially identify as lesbians before transitioning; however, this does not mean that all butch or otherwise masculine lesbians are transgender. Depending on individual circumstances, some trans men maintain their lesbian identities and community involvement as men.[62]
Certain lesbians have used the label to describe their gender in addition to their attractions.[63] In the Gender Census, an annual online international survey of people who do not strictly identify with the gender binary, participants indicated their personal identifiers; the item "lesbian (partially or completely in relation to gender)" was selected by 12.9% of the participants in 2021[64] and 13.8% in 2022.[65]
Omnisexual[]
- Main article: Omnisexual
Omnisexuality is the sexual attraction to people of all sexes and gender identities, wherein gender plays a role in one's attraction. This could be a preference or a recognition, and the attraction may feel different depending on the gender or sex.[66] Some omnisexual individuals may be more attracted to certain genders, but that is not always the case.[67]
Pansexual[]
- Main article: Pansexual
Pansexuality is the sexual attraction toward people regardless of their sex or gender identity.[68] Since gender or sex are not determining factors in who a pansexual person is attracted to, some pansexuals might call themselves gender-blind, therefore rejecting the gender binary.[69]
Polysexual[]
- Main article: Polysexual
Polysexuality, sometimes known as plysexuality or polisexuality, is the sexual attraction to various, but not necessarily all, genders.[70][71] A polysexual person may experience sexual attraction to any number of genders, varying between (at least) two and many. Polysexual individuals may have a preference when it comes to which gender they are attracted to, but this is not necessarily the case.[72]
Queer[]
- Main article: Queer
Queer is an identifier for individuals and/or the community of people who are not cisgender and/or heterosexual.[6][2] It can be used instead of, or in addition to, other identifiers of sexual orientation, such as lesbian, bisexual, or gay. Queer can also refer to gender identity or gender expression,[6] whether as a standalone term or part of another like genderqueer.[73] The "Q" in LGBTQIA+ and similar acronyms commonly means Queer.[6] As a reclaimed word, it has been used in fights for LGBTQIA+ rights and liberation[74] as an inclusive and sometimes defiant term. PFLAG[2] and GLAAD[6] are two of the organizations that recommend only using it for people who self-identify as queer because it has varying meanings and is not universally accepted.[6][2] In addition, the term may be used in preference to other identifiers by members, for a variety of reasons.[75]
Sapphic[]
- Main article: Sapphic
Sapphic, sometimes known as women loving women (WLW),[76] or sapphist,[77] refers to a woman or woman-aligned person of any sexual orientation who is attracted to women or woman aligned genders/gender identities.[76][2] Another definition is specifically inclusive of non-binary people.[76] It is an umbrella term for many identities, including those who are lesbian, pansexual, bisexual, or queer.[2] It is used to promote solidarity among women and non-binary people of all identities who are attracted to those who are women and woman-aligned. It may also be used as an identity, and may be found particularly useful for individuals who know they are attracted to women but may be uncertain if they are attracted to other genders.[78] It can also be used to describe a relationship between two women.[79][80]
The complementary, or male-to-male equivalent of sapphic, is Achillean.
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Gender identity is a personal experience, so defining "man-aligned" may lead to different answers depending on whom you ask, but it generally refers to a non-binary person who is partially aligned or identifies with being male, with masculinity, and/or with manhood. They may or may not individually identify with this term, and their identity may be fluid between others. Its use here attempts to encapsulate multiple identities without listing each possibility.
- ↑ Examples of labels used to self-identify as both lesbian and bisexual include bisexual lesbian, bi-lesbian, and lesbian-identified bisexual.[57]
- ↑ Gender identity is a personal experience, so defining "woman-aligned" may lead to different answers depending on whom you ask, but it generally refers to a non-binary person who is partially aligned or identifies with being female, with femininity, and/or with womanhood. They may or may not individually identify with this term, and their identity may be fluid between others. Its use here attempts to encapsulate multiple identities without listing each possibility.
- ↑ While transgender people are generally implied in definitions, trans lesbians are explicitly noted here to make clear that lesbian identity is not limited to cisgender women.
References[]
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