sexual orientation
Who attracts you
Sexual orientation describes the pattern of romantic, emotional, and sexual attraction a person feels toward others.
The most common categories are heterosexual (attracted to the opposite sex), homosexual (attracted to the same sex), and bisexual (attracted to both sexes), though many additional terms exist to capture the spectrum of human attraction.
She came out about her sexual orientation in college.
The phrase emerged in the late twentieth century as a neutral alternative to older, often stigmatizing terminology.
Attracted to same sex
- lesbianWoman desiring women
- queerUnusual or non-normative
- straightNot curved or crooked
- demisexualAttraction only after bonding
androsexual · polysexual · omnisexual · aromantic · sapiosexual · allosexual · questioning · closeted
Sexuality rating system
- continuumUninterrupted, gradual sequence
- fluidityState of flowing freely
- nonbinaryOutside male-female categories
- fluidSubstance that flows
flexible · shifting · evolving · self-discovery · exploration · unlabeled · emerging · ambiguous
Sexual and gender minorities
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
- coming outRevealing one's identity
- allySupportive partner
- rainbowRefracted light arc
community · visibility · representation · Stonewall · liberation · activism · rights · marriage equality
Prejudice against same-sex attraction
- biphobiaPrejudice against bisexual people
- heteronormativityAssumed universal straightness
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
- stigmaMark of dishonor
conversion therapy · hate crime · bullying · exclusion · marginalization · oppression · closeted · outing
gay
Attracted to same sex
demisexual · androsexual · polysexual · omnisexual · aromantic · sapiosexual · allosexual · questioning · closeted
Kinsey scale
Sexuality rating system
- continuumUninterrupted, gradual sequence
- fluidityState of flowing freely
- nonbinaryOutside male-female categories
fluid · flexible · shifting · evolving · self-discovery · exploration · unlabeled · emerging · ambiguous · complex
LGBTQ+
Sexual and gender minorities
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
- coming outRevealing one's identity
- allySupportive partner
rainbow · community · visibility · representation · Stonewall · liberation · activism · rights · marriage equality · acceptance
homophobia
Prejudice against same-sex attraction
- biphobiaPrejudice against bisexual people
- heteronormativityAssumed universal straightness
- prejudicePreformed unfavorable opinion
stigma · conversion therapy · hate crime · bullying · exclusion · marginalization · oppression · closeted · outing · discrimination
- LGBTQ+ rightsgay rights, equal rights, lesbian rights, transgender rights, LGBTQ+ rights
- identityidentity, personal identity, self, selfhood, self-expression
- LGBTQgay, lesbian, transgender, queer, nonbinary
- LGBTQ+gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, nonbinary
- sexologysexology, Kinsey Report, arousal, libido, erectile dysfunction
- sexualityerotica, sensuality, lust, eroticism, intercourse
sexual orientationsexual preference
Who one desires romantically
personal choice · acquired taste · learned behavior · religious belief · hobby
sexual orientationgender identity
Inner sense of self-classification
racial identity · ethnic identity · religious identity · national identity · cultural identity
sexual, orientation, pansexual, sexuality, bisexual, homosexual, oriented, disorient, asexual