Sexuality is about your sexual feelings, thoughts, attractions and behaviours

towards other people. You can find other people physically, sexually or emotionally
attractive, and all those things are a part of your sexuality.

Sexuality is an important part of who you are. There is no right or wrong, it’s about
what’s right for you.

Sexuality is diverse and personal, and it is an important part of who you are.
Discovering your sexuality can be a very liberating, exciting and positive experience.
Some people experience discrimination due to their sexuality. If someone gives you a
hard time about your sexuality, it’s good to talk to someone about it.

Your sexuality, or sexual orientation, is basically a way to

describe the feelings you have for someone you fancy or are
attracted to. The most common definitions are as follows:

 Heterosexual/Straight: a person physically and

emotionally attracted to someone of the opposite sex, so a
male attracted to a female and a female attracted to a male.
 Homosexual (gay/lesbian): People who are homosexual
are attracted to the same sex. Homosexual men are often
called gay and homosexual women are often called lesbians
but can also be called gay.
 Gay: a male physically and emotionally attracted to another
male or a female physically and emotionally attracted to
another female (more commonly used in males).
 Lesbian: a female physically and emotionally attracted to
another female.
 Bisexual/Bi: People who are bisexual are attracted to both
males and females.
 Pansexual: People who are attracted to other people
regardless of their sex or gender identity.
 Asexual/Ace: People who are asexual or Ace don’t feel
sexually attracted to anyone and feel no desire to have sex.
This is not an exhaustive list and in recent years terminology
has grown and evolved.

Different types of sexuality

Sometimes, it can take time to figure out the sexuality that fits you best. And your
sexuality can change over time. It can be confusing; so don’t worry if you are unsure.

You might be drawn to men or to women, to both or to neither. There is no right or

wrong – it’s about what’s right for you. And while there are common terms to describe
different types of sexuality, you don’t have to adopt a label to describe yourself.

Heterosexual and homosexual

Most people are attracted to the opposite sex – boys who like girls, and women who like
men, for example. These people are heterosexual, or ‘straight’.

Some people are attracted to the same sex. These people are homosexual. Around 10
per cent of young Australians experience same-sex attraction, most during puberty.

‘Lesbian’ is the common term for people who identify as women and are same-sex
attracted. ‘Gay’ is the most common term for people who identify as men and are same-
sex attracted, although women identifying as lesbian also sometimes use this word.

The Better Health Channel has more information on lesbian sexuality and gay male
sexuality.

Bisexual
Sexuality can be more complicated than being straight or gay. Some people are
attracted to both men and women, and are known as bisexual.

Bisexual does not mean the attraction is evenly weighted – a person may have stronger
feelings for one gender than another. And this can vary depending on who they meet.

There are different kinds of bisexuality. Some people who are attracted to men and
women still consider themselves to be mainly straight or gay. Or they might have sexual
feelings towards both genders but only have intercourse with one.

Other people see sexual attraction as more grey than black and white. These people
find everyday labels too rigid. Some prefer to identify as ‘queer’. And others use the
term ‘pan’, or ‘pansexual’, to show they are attracted to different kinds of people no
matter what their gender, identity or expression.

There are many differences between individuals, so bisexuality is a general term only.
You can read more about it at the Better Health Channel’s page on bisexuality.

Asexual

A person who identifies as asexual (‘ace’ for short) is someone who does not
experience, or experiences very little, sexual attraction. Asexuality is not a choice, like
abstinence (where someone chooses not to have sex with anyone, whether they are
attracted to them or not). Asexuality is a sexual orientation, like homosexuality or
heterosexuality. Some people may strongly identify with being asexual, except for a few
infrequent experiences of sexual attraction (grey-asexuality). Some people feel sexual
attraction only after they develop a strong emotional bond with someone (this is known
as demisexuality). Other people experience asexuality in a range of other ways.

Homophobia
Homophobia refers to an unreasonable fear of or antipathy towards homosexuals or
homosexuality.

Covert homophobia is concealed, inconspicuous, or disguised unreasoning fear

towards homosexuals or homosexuality.

Homophobic epithets are words, phrases, or expressions that are used in contempt,
abuse or to express hostility towards homosexuality. Examples include dyke, fag,
homo, queer, “that’s so gay”, etc.

Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings

toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as
being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice,
aversion, hatred or antipathy, may be based on irrational fear and may sometimes
be attributed to religious beliefs.

Homophobia is observable in critical and hostile behavior such

as discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientations that are non-
heterosexual. Recognized types of homophobia
include institutionalized homophobia, e.g. religious homophobia and state-
sponsored homophobia, and internalized homophobia, experienced by people who
have same-sex attractions, regardless of how they identify.

The Gender Binary and Non-Binary Individuals

Within the United States, and much of the world, it is the cultural norm to classify
people as male or female – this is called the gender binary. Many individuals have
a gender identity that does not fit within this binary, and use the umbrella term
non-binary.
Someone who is non-binary does not identify as exclusively male or female. They
may identify as both, neither, or some combination of the two. For example,
someone who identifies as non-binary may feel more masculine on some days and
more feminine on other days. Their gender expression, the way they present
themselves (including clothing choices), may fluctuate – or they may choose to
dress more androgynously.

It is important to know that being non-binary is completely normal! It is neither

“new” nor a choice. There is evidence of a greater gender spectrum dating back
thousands of years.

Sexual Orientation
Being non-binary does not imply anything about a person’s sexual identity. Non-
binary individuals may identify as heterosexual, asexual or anywhere on the
LGBTQ spectrum.

Transgender

Someone who identifies as non-binary may or may not identify as transgender.

Transgender refers to a person whose biological sex, often including genitalia and
hormones, do not match their gender identity, or internal sense of self. Some non-
binary individuals seek medical treatment, which may include hormone
replacement therapy or surgery, to better align their physical body with their
gender identity. Additionally, some non-binary people choose to present as male or
female (as opposed to androgynously) as a matter of personal safety.

Pronouns
 Some non-binary individuals prefer the typical masculine and feminine pronouns:
he/his or she/hers. Others prefer non-gendered pronouns.

Some common non-gendered pronouns include they/them and ze/hir (pronounced

“hear”).

For example:

o They have an appointment today. I will take them to the exam room.

o Ze has an appointment today. I will take hir to the exam room.