Sexual orientation is a term used for show ses interest patterneperson by sexual or emotional to other individuals with certain gender.There are various types of sexual orientation that you need to know. Listen the explanation in the following article.
There are many things that can be behind sexual orientation, such as environmental, emotional, hormonal, and biological factors. Generally, a person will find his sexual orientation during adolescence or entering adulthood. Sexual orientation can appear without any previous sexual experience.
Types of Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is usually divided into the following categories:
1. Heterosexual
Heterosexuality is the most common sexual orientation. Originally, it was a term that simply referred to sexual or emotional attraction to the opposite sex. For example, a man is attracted to a woman and vice versa.
However, now the term heterosexual is also used to describe if someone is attracted to transgender people. So, the term sexual orientation also applies to:
- Men attracted to transgender women (trans women)
- Women who can be attracted to transgender men (transmen)
The term transgender itself refers to individuals whose gender identity is different from their biological gender, whether they have had sex surgery or body changes or have not.
2. Bisexual
Bisexual or often referred to as "bi" is a sexual orientation that describes a person's attraction to 2 or more genders. For example, a woman is sexually or emotionally attracted to both men and women.
A person who is bisexual can also experience attraction to people of a gender other than women and men. This causes bisexuals to be equated with pansexuals. In fact, there are fundamental differences between bisexual and pansexual.
3. Homosexual
Homosexual is a term that refers to individuals who have a sexual or emotional attraction to other individuals of the same sex. For example, a man is attracted to men (gay), or a woman is attracted to women (lesbian).
In addition, the term homosexual is also used to:
- Transwomen who are only attracted to women
- Transmen who are only attracted to men
4. Pansexual
Pansexual is a term that describes individuals who are sexually or emotionally attracted to anyone, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
A pansexual can be attracted to women, men, transgender, or intersex (people whose gender is not identified as male or female).
Pansexual individuals are generally attracted to other people based on their personality or character, not their gender.
5. Asexual
This term refers to individuals who have no sexual attraction to other people of any gender. Even though they don't have sexual attraction, asexual people still have an interest in romantic relationships.
People who have no interest in romantic relationships are called aromatic. A person can be asexual without being aromatic, but it can also be both.
In addition to the various types of sexual orientation above, there is another type of sexual orientation called demisexual. People who have this sexual orientation can only feel sexually attracted to people who have a close emotional relationship with them.
Meanwhile, there is also another sexual orientation called sapiosexual, namely attraction to individuals who are intelligent or have a high IQ.
Things to Understand About Sexual Orientation
Beyond the ability to reproduce, sexual orientation determines how a person sees himself, as well as how he relates physically and emotionally to other people.
Some experts say that a person's sexual orientation is not an option and cannot be changed. Forcing to change a person's sexual orientation can actually cause damage to that person, both mentally and physically. Therefore, it is very important for us to be able to respect the sexual orientation of others.
If you know someone who has difficulty accepting or admitting their own sexual orientation, don't hesitate to suggest consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist. That way, he can get advice or even therapy if needed.